Belly Boats - A Journal By - July 20, 2009

[rtidd]

Belly Boats

Neil discusses how such a "Dumb Idea" became one of his favorite fishing tools.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

I may be just a slow learner, but last year my lovely wife, VEE, finally dragged me kicking and screaming into the world of belly boats. With a couple Fat Cats to our growing list of fishing goodies we are now official belly boaters and very pleased with the choice.

While it's true that a hissing or bubbling sound is the absolute worst sound for a belly boater, there is something worse. On our first excursion with the belly boats, about 2 hours into our fishing trip to Stan Coffin lake to fish for Blue Gills, I discovered that my old reliable waders, weren't all that reliable any more. The seam in the lower back (you know where I mean) had given way and water, very cold water, was seeping in aand slowly but surely filling my waders. I figured, no problem. I'll go back to shore, get some dry clothes and fisih from the bank. Unfortunately , when I got back to shore, stripped off my waders so I'm wearing wet sweat pants, I discover that the keys to the car are with my wife, still fishing from her belly boat. That's a very uncomfortable way to spend an afternoon.

REE

[Rick Z]

With all the rain we have had here, I might have to get one of those weird things.

Rick

[rrhyne56]

I too started off in a canvas covered truck tube, floating down the Brazos, dropping minnows into holes along the bank. We got a lot of nice fish that way, it's always been relatively more successful. I wonder why i don't take with on every trip?

[Uncle Jesse]

In the last 20 years I have had four float tubes, actually worn out the first two, zipper failure on the first; fabric failure on the second ( which I patched and would not hesitate to use today, except for a slow leak). I was blessed with long arms which allowed me even with a round tube to reach over and put on my fins which is the safest way. I learned last year if entering the water with fins on pull the tube up under your seat, upside down with your feet and tube higher than your head is not a good thing.

There was an incident on the Hooch this weekend where some Boy Scouts may have saved the life of a upside down float tuber. Inhalation of dihyrogen monoxide can be hazardous to your health.

[jimsnarocks]

My uncle Carlos Guinn from Heavener, OK built one in the '50's using a truck tube, canvas and Aunt Vi's treadle powered singer sewing machine. He used it from Wister lake to the Poteau river and later on Tenkiller. Never knew where he got the idea but that was a time in history when people just did things like that.
In the late '60's I saw a man in a belly boat at Elephant Butte, NM who had hooked himself a very large catfish on a very short but stout pole. Dang fish dragged him all over the lake. He was rescued and the fish was landed when some folks drug him to shore with their boat.
Fast forward to the '80's. I was fishing at Little Virginia Lake in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Several folks were tubing and catching a lot more fish than me. I went to the nearest K-mart and bought a belly boat. No waders... But I had to try it. I froze but caught fishes and have been doing it ever since. Now I have a Caddis, a Creek Co. U-boat, a Fish Cat and now a 9' pontoon. I still wade the creeks and lake shores. But if I want to get out there I can. Jim

[crappiecrazy]

I have gone thru different phases of my "fishin life". Fish from daylight to dark, tournaments, catch a limit, gps/depth finders/pda computers on my boat, thinkin I might be good enough to be a "guide", and now my favorite is a styrofoarm boat, fins and a fly rod or UL on a nice quiet lake or pond catchin some fish. Maybe keep some for supper or release them all. Just enjoy the time on the water and check out/learn from what others on doing on FAOL. KISS. Keep it simple stupid! Enjoy yourself and life!

[Kerry Stratton]

Back in the late fifties when I was just a boy we used truck tubes to float the local ponds with light weight spinning outfits and fish for gills, catfish and bass. Later when a little older the same tubes were used to float the Rogue River and fish for trout, steelhead, and salmon. We knew the river well enough to know what rapids we could "run" in the tubes and which ones to walk around. A few times everyone of us would try something we shouldn't and end up floating down a rapid hanging on to the tube with our arms. Wonder no one drowned but we all grew up learning to swim in the rivers.

Now, you can walk into any sporting goods store and find these marvels of modern invention covered in high tech fabrics and multiple modern synthetic air bladders with one way air valves . You can pay anywhere from 50, 60 bucks all the way up to a grand or more if buying one of those fancy pontoon ones.

I don't know for sure but I think I like the days of my youth fishing for gills out of an old truck inner tube. We didn't even know we were doing something new and revolutionary.

Thanks for taking me back Neil.