Float Tubing 101

[cst]

Float Tubing 101

Getting Started:
Float tubing is a fun and inexpensive way of fishing spots inaccessible from shore or too small for boats. The initial cost can be as cheap as $100. The first step is buying a float tube and fins. Due to the increasing popularity of float tubes, they are becoming more and more available. You can find them at most tackle shops and even some sporting goods stores. The other necessary tools in your float tubing arsenal are your fins, an air pump and a personal floatation device (PFD) which is required by law. Float tubes sometimes come with a pump and fins. If they don’t, you can find both of them at most sporting goods stores. Without the fins, you cannot paddle anywhere and, therefore, cannot fish. With your tube and fins, you can fish comfortably during the heat of the summer.

Waders:
During other seasons the water will be too cold to fish with only your float tube and fins. A good pair of waders makes it possible to fish even during the winter. There are three types of waders, rubber, neoprene and gortex (breathable) waders. For float tubing, people use neoprene and breathable waders. The breathable waders have little holes in them that allow sweat and air to go in and out but at the same time they keep you dry. Neoprene waders on the other hand keep sweat and air in, which results in a lot warmer environment inside your waders. Out of the two, the breathable waders are more comfortable because they are thin, lightweight and allow your sweat and old air to go out.

Choosing the Right Float Tube:
There are three basic shapes for float tubes; the donut, the pontoon and the “U” shape. In a donut shaped float tube, you sit in the middle and the float tube surrounds you on all sides. The donut shaped tubes ride low in the water and allow you to put your feet on top of the tube, if you want to rest. Unfortunately, they are hard to get in and out of, making these unsafe in the event of an emergency. On a pontoon, you sit out of the water and have the option of not only kicking with your feet but using an oar with your hands. The two inherent flaws with the pontoon is the time it takes to put it together and its tendency to get blown by the wind. The “U” shaped tubes have a good balance between the donuts and the pontoons and give plenty of room for the “tubers” to customize. The two arms of the “U” tend to collapse towards each other when you are sitting in the tube. As a solution to the problem, the manufacturers include a stabilizer bar that separates the two. Fishing without the stabilizer bar can be done and it compromises some comfort for fishability.

Rods, Reels and Tackle:
Since this is a general float tubing article, I won’t go in debt into specialized tackle for certain presentations. I will, however, give a few guidelines into choosing the right equipment to bring with you. First off, since a float tube is stealthy, you can get away with being closer to the fish. Therefore, a longer rod isn’t needed. In fact, I prefer shorter rods because putting line through the guides is difficult and trying to do so with an eight foot rod results in your fishing reel getting dipped in the water. With shorter rods, it is also easier to control the fish. I have fished rods ranging from five to eight feet from my float tube and I personally like long rods but for the float tube, my favorite length is 6’6”. One of my previous comments stated that your reel will get dipped into water. Not only is this inevitable, but it will happen quite often. Saltwater, sand, algae and many other small particles will wreck your fishing reels so fish with cheaper reels. After you are done fishing, drop your reels in a bucket of fresh water for the drive home. The fresh water will get rid of the saltwater and loosen up any dirt particles that might have got into your reel. When you get home, open up your reel and let it dry. You can even re-lube it afterwards. The next important link between you and your fish is your fishing line. Float tubing has completely different physics then shore fishing or fishing from a big boat. Instead of pulling on stuff you usually pull yourself towards it. That’s why, you shouldn’t use too heavy of a line. If you get snagged with a heavy line, it will be impossible to snap your line so be careful. One thing you can do is keep a pair of pliers, or something sharp to cut your line in case of an emergency. The second thing to take into consideration when choosing your fishing line is the type of line you get. I prefer using extra limp line on a float tube. The limpness in the line keeps it from getting tangled around the tip. Like I said before, accessing the tip of your rod on a float tube is very hard. So for fishing line I use Trilene XL (extra limp) and for larger line tests I use Trilene Big Game.

Launching:
Now that you have all your equipment and realize how much fun float tubing can be, the only thing left is to get out and fish. Before using it for the first time, I would suggest inflating the float tube and leaving it overnight to see if there are any holes in it. If it passes the test, you are ready to go fish. Launching a float tube is easier then it seems. First, you must inflate your float tube till it is very firm. After inflating it, put on your waders and fins. Once you are suited up, step into your float tube, lift it up by the handles, and walk backwards into the lake till you are about knee deep in water. Next, just paddle to your favorite fishing spot. It’s as simple as that.

[PlatinumHooks]

Great article Chris! Good to see you contributing to this section!