Float Tube Advice:

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
1

In by email:

Dear FAOL:
I am a regular visitor to the web site and
thought you might be able to give me some advice.

I am thinking about buying a float tube.
But I have some considerations to make.
I am 64 years old, I weigh 265 lbs., and would fit into the physically challanged class of fisherman. I can hike around but am
a total klutz when it comes to agility.
Tri-focal glasses and two left feet. I am tired of not being able to cast beyound the
edge of the weed bed while the float tubers are hauling in fish right under my nose.

Any advice as to what to consider in buying
a tube would be most appreciated. I would
rather not drown while trying to get in and
out of the tube.

Thank you,
Ed Piggott (Arizona)

2

Ed, at 265 you are going to need a larger than average tube. And if agility is a concern, I would recommned getting anything but a round tube. The U-boats are easier to get in and out of than the round ones. There are tubes that are sort of hybrids between pontoon boats and tubes, and I see them on the water and hear good reports from owners.

Talk to the guys on the other side of the weeds, and ask if you can take a look at their tubes. I bet you will find one that will work well for you.

Serious tubing does require some physical stamina. The muscles you use to paddle a tube are NOT the same ones you use to walk. If you swim regularly, you will have an easier time adjusting. Never tube until you are too tired to make it to shore. And I personally never tube farther from shore than I can swim, just in case.

Personally, one important factor for me with a tube is the location, arrangement, and closing of the pockets. Make sure you can get to what you need easily, and that straps and buckles and zipper pulls are not in your way while you are fishing.

And wear a PFD.

I think you will enjoy tubing once you get started. Welcome to the world of jet ski targets.

Dennis

3

Ed
I stole my Float Tube from ohiotuber because his knees couldn’t take it.
I’m 65 and had some concerns. I take Glucosamine Chondroiten daily for the joints and my first tubing adventure lasted 4 hours with no ill effects. (except sun burn!)
I chose a friends 2 1/2 acre pond on a very light wind day and caught a zillion Blue Gills.
I forgot that the tube will lose some inflation pressure when put in cool water and didn’t have my waders hitched up high enough. Also I didn’t have the seat adjusted properly so I took on a lot of water!! I know that with the waders, flippers and a couple of gallons of water I was over 200 lbs.
It was a Hoot!!
Some of the advice I recieved when I asked the same question.
Don’t put your flippers on untill in the Tube, to easy to fall.
Tether the flippers to the waders. A couple of dog leash collars (?) from the $ store.
Launch into the wind, easier to get back!
I get in in shallow water, get everything hooked up then shove off.
And, Always, Always wear a PFD!!
Don’t forget the sun screen, I did!!

I feel more like I do now than I did when I got here!

Cactus AKA “Lucky Dog (Pirate Name)”

[This message has been edited by Jack Hise (edited 23 July 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Jack Hise (edited 23 July 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Jack Hise (edited 23 July 2005).]

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The Outcast Fat Cat, Super Fat Cat, and Trinity are all rated for 300lbs or more and are very well made and very durable. They are also pricy. They can be seen online, along with Outcast’s pontoon boats at [url=http://www.outcastboats.com:4c24d]www.outcastboats.com[/url:4c24d]

The Creek Company U-Boat 2000 and Original U-Boat are much less expensive (and not as well constructed) and are rated for 275lbs - which might be of marginal usage in this case becase the rating includes the user plus all gear . The Creek Company ODC 420 Float Tube is rated for 300lbs and runs about $160 ( see [url=http://www.creekcompany.com:4c24d]www.creekcompany.com[/url:4c24d] )

Generally you get what you pay for in terms of construction. More $ gets you better fabric, better stitching or welds, more durable bladders, better valves, better seats, better zippers on pockets.

The Outcast and Creek Company boats are all of the U shape.

There are also some tubes under the “Trout Unlimited” label that are rated fro 300-350lb and run less than $150

I haven’t seen capacity ratings for other tubes.

As Castwell suggested, a pontoon boat may be the ticket also. There are trade offs with each.

Pontoons give you greater range and speed, put you higher off the water, and give more space for gear and can often support more weight.

Float tubes weigh much less, are easier to assemble/inflate, transport, and store. Many anglers also feel they are easier to hold in position in a wind.

[This message has been edited by tailingloop (edited 23 July 2005).]

[This message has been edited by tailingloop (edited 23 July 2005).]

[This message has been edited by tailingloop (edited 23 July 2005).]

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Ed, I’m one of those guys you see out on the AZ lakes and ponds (I may not be “hauling fish out under your nose”, but I’m out there where I don’t have to decorate the weeds behind me with flys.

I used to be in a U-tube float tube but I finally went the route of the pontoon boat.

Comfort is much better in the pontoon. Also, it doesn’t take near the agility to launch a pontoon boat 'cause you just sort of sit down but your butt is generally well above the water.

I’ve seen the following scenario twice: A guy gets his fins on, turns around and backs into his float tube, puts the bar across in front of his legs, picks up the tube by the handles on the side and starts to gently back into the water. (So far this is exactly the correct procedure.) Then, quicker than you can say “What the Hay”, he trips on a unseen rock, the tube turns over backwards, the guy does the resulting back flip and ends up with his butt in the air and his head underwater and both finned feet flailing away. On both occasions, fortunately for the guy, there were a couple other fellows in the immediate neighborhood who got him right side up before he expired.

Ed, I note you are from AZ. There are 2 fly clubs in the Phoenix area. I know for a fact that the AFC (Arizona Fly Casters) have an informal program to teach (at no charge) folks how to use a float tube. I’d strongly suggest that you go to a meeting (2nd Thursday of each month) and bring the subject up to one of the experienced members, you’ll get all the help you need.

Or contact me (my email addy is shown in my profile) and I’ll get you set up.

Snow on the roof but with fire still in the hearth

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I’ve never used a tube per’se,I have a pontoon boat, I’m a big guy too! and these will sit you higher out of the water,and usually include an oar system, With which you can use in conjuntion with the flippers.

In the advent of a storm rolling in on you unexpectily they are quite helpful, And will speed your getting to shore.

PFD, Is a must,I’ve never even thought of my float cat being less than the 75 inch battleship that the company that sells it claims it to be…

The hobbie floatcat,is a hard sided toon,and requires no inflation,has a very soild frame system…Have wanted to add a float tube to my arsenal,for it’s packability and light weight…my pontoon is only 45lbs but with my compact car,getting the 75 in. pontoons in the trunk is not quite possible…I do hear good things of the inflateable pontoon boats thoe…and they can be had for a decent price…in that , I mean under $500.00.

most are much more…
as Jack said even for an older man cruiseing in a tube is pretty fun…I hope you take to the water and enjoy the freedom such gear can afford in your fishing style,It is a lot of fun…you’ll be able to get into places most can’t…and have solitude…and more fish catching than sitting on a bank watch’in those who are where the fish are…
[url=http://www.hobiecat.com/fishing/models_floatcat75.html:26e8e]http://www.hobiecat.com/fishing/models_floatcat75.html[/url:26e8e]

hummm…after reading silvertops responce…I am rethinking the tube…lol…I think I’ll just stay with my toon…

“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best

“Wish ya great fishing”

Bill

[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 23 July 2005).]

[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 23 July 2005).]

[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 24 July 2005).]

7

Ed,
I’ll second the Outcast Super fat Cat(SFC) recommendation. I’m 6’1" and weigh 265 lbs. My float tube is the SFC. When I bought this tube 4 years ago I weighed around 300 lbs. It’s well built and a great V-shaped float tube. I ride higher out of the water than most of the other float tubes. Because of this I stay warmer in the cold and can stay out tubing longer. It’s also easier to maneuver too. Just my $0.02 worth. Good-luck.

8

buy a pontoon, costs a little more. Well worth the price.

AND, you can stand up and pee. LOL

Analizing our differences not only leads to enlightenment, but also to new and interesting ideas that you yourself may never have thought of.

[This message has been edited by countrygent36 (edited 23 July 2005).]

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I’m the idiot that sold the Wood River to Jack!
Seriously, I will go to the Hobie Floatcat with oars next year. I know 2 guys near me who have the Floatcat 60 (the small one) with oars & both love them. They are fairly light, pack well, but are sort of a cross between tube & pontoon. I miss the tube, & the use of oars should put me back on the water.

In addition to what others have said, make sure the stitching on the tube is double and/or triple stitched. I had seams pop when inflating a single stitched back rest on a tube years ago. What “type” cover exists where you fish?..that can dictate whether a tube with a thin (packcloth) cover will work or whether you need to look for a hard tube or 1,000 denier cover if you may be scraping stumps, branches & the like.
Tubing is GREAT!!..With the right tube, your experience will be very enjoyable & productive.
Silvertop2 gave great advice…hit those meetings & get some advice.
Good luck!
Mike

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Mike, they sell a motor mount for the Float Cat 75 Expedition…lol…No I hav’nt bought it, But I know, I could make my own.

If I had kept the trolling motor from my canoe,I’d be able to let you know how that settup worked.Sold all that stuff after having found the Hobbie,Hope you get back ON the water soon,I know how much you gotta be withdrawing about now.

“I’ve often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before” A.K.Best

“Wish ya great fishing”

Bill

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what ever you do, start out on a small lake, not Lake Powell or those lakes on the Salt. Something like those near Williams. You need to learn how much wind you can handle. Kicking against the wind can exhaust you very fast. Have fun Allyn

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The lakes up on the Apache Reservation like Horseshoe Cienga are pretty good, as is Fools Hollow, Canyon, etc. Out on Saguaro at the Butcher Jones area is an easy place (gradually sloping bottom, few rocks and boulders) to launch and if you stay in the cove area, wind won’t bother you much.

Let us know what you end up doing.

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The “float tube” has no seat. You will be in the water up to your aerolas. I like a float tube as it is very comfortable…but you just cannot cover as much of an area of a lake as with a pontoon style. The Pontoon Boat has oars, floats on inflatable pontoons and you sit in a seat above water…but you still need chest high waders, wader boots, and flippers. But you need these accessories in all three types of float boats. Now, the “PONTOON FLOAT tube” has inflatable pontoons, a seat to sit you above the water, but no oars. Water Skeeter is a pretty good name in pontoon boats. I am not at home so can’t look up the Oregon company that has all skeeter stuff. Water Skeeter is out of Stockton, Ca but when you go to their website there is some place there, I think I was looking for a summit valve connector…anyway it tells you to go to the oregon site. If you are concerned about your physical ability and weight, the pontoon boat would be a pretty good choice I would think, and…you can get the metal bar with a motor mount for the back and use a trolling motor. Trouble with that is then you supposedly have to register it as a typical lake motor boat. I have not seen anyone use a pontoon boat with a motor but you can sure do it. If you go to Cabelas and search for float tubes you will find a Water Skeeter U-Boat that says it supports 350 I think. I have a 7.5’ Water Skeeter pontoon boat, and a very light weight Griggs U-boat (pontoon float tube) with the same design as the Fat Cat…but still $89 at Sportsman’s warehouse. Don’t mess around with flippers. Go to Sportsman’s warehouse and get the Force Fins for $89. Or…go to Show Low and pay $139 for the exact same flippers. Do not go with the cheapie $35 flippers. You will just go on the the Force Fins anyway. Sorry to ramble…I am not at home…in the phoenix valley as wife broke her hip and had a replacement. So…I got’s nothing to do, here at my daughters house, while she sleeps but come to FAOL…my favorite place to read. 'methinks my e-mail is in profile so feel free to ask me any questions.

Apologize for length
Jim
(never ten words or less)

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Hey Jack…I don’t know what valve your pontoons have. I have seen only the Boston Valve and the Summit Valve…and Water Skeeter will use either kind, depending on the boat. My Griggs u-boat is a Boston Valve. There are more than one type of “valve connector” for the Summit Valve" At home I can do some research and tell you exackery the valve number and where to order it online. Point is…if you buy a summit valve with the staggered input spout…as opposed to the twist into place connector…you can buy a cheap water/plumbing hose at Wal-Mart…remove the gasket on the summit valve connector and tyrap on the hose…onto the end you would normally connect your pump to. Then just open your Boston Valve, hold the staggered side of the connector in the pontoon valve and blow up by mouth. It is small and simple and I keep one in my tube pocket. When you lose air on the lake it isn’t all that much. You can re-inflate with this gizmo in just a few blows. I have used it to help others on the lake. Wanna know more details e-mail me. Works slick.

(the summit valve with the staggered end…that end is what you would normally hook your pump to and the other end goes into you summit valve to air up a pontoon with a summit valve. I reversed it and connected a hose so I can blow into a Boston Valve and air it up by mouth. Is is my special “Blow Job” tool)

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J. C. is right some of the water you may empty out of the waders may not be from the lake! Been there, done that!
Lake Erie, Regata at Put-In-bay, 35 miles in 45 + winds from the NE! Main haylard broke, sailing on the jib. No choice, do it in the boots. I was a younger man then!!

I feel more like I do now than I did when I got here!

Cactus AKA “Lucky Dog (Pirate Name)”