The conventional wisdom in Northern Ca where I live and fish is that float tubes are only for lakes and ponds. However, in northern Georgia they use float tubes extensively on the Chattahoochie River (aka Hooch). Its a tailwater below a power generating dam. I’d like to hear about experience with a float tube on a river, and how to make it safe. Are there any characteristics of the Hooch that make tubes OK e.g. slow, deep water? How slow does it have to be to kick going upstream?
I’ve seen float tubes used on rivers, including the Clark Fork in N/W Montana, but I would NOT do it on any river. Hydraulics, even slow moving, is a powerful force.
I have used a float tube on the Hooch for several years without any incidents related to the flow of the river, I did lose my balance re-entering the river after a rest stop and went head first backwards into the river. There have been incident and a couple of drownings on the river from tubes, but also from jon boats, kayaks and canoes. The most recent rescue on the Hooch was from kayaks. I am currently using a FishCat LCS4 which puts you up out of the water more than a doughnut tube, I don’t know about other U-tubes. My most frequent trip includes a 2 - 3 drop down a small rapids which I have traversed in my doughnut and current tube with no issues. I wear a PFD at all times and keep to the side of the river unless crossing (I don’t want to be road kill from a power boat). All things considered I believe the most dangerous part of any trip is the drive to the river. Be smart where ever you use a tube and remember top speed is still really slow.
I personally wouldn’t use a tube for the same reason I’d not use a sit in yak, I don’t like the idea of having my legs stuck inside anything on the water except the water it’s self. Never been in a tube… When I was a kid we tubed the rivers of PA but plain truck tubes n sat on em not in em…
Many years ago, I was on my first fly fishing float trip on the Bighorn River. We had pulled into a nice eddy for lunch and afterward we waded out to fish the seam. Around the bend came two men in float tubes, one a senior citizen, the other probably his middle-aged son. The river was flowing about 4500 cfs and these guys were totally out of control. They blasted right through our run without even slowing down. Our guide said it would be miles before they could get to slow enough water to maneuver with their fins and get to shore. I doubt they did much fishing.
That taught me to never use a float tube in any water with current. You may get lucky and be OK, but you’re asking for trouble.
I just got back from a trip where a friend and i tubed some on the Missouri right below Holter Dam. We stayed in the first 1/4 mile or so and there happened to be some large eddies we could use to fish effectively. That being said, i did manage to go a bit too far out into the current once and was swept down past the eddy. I managed to kick to the edge of the river with quite a bit of effort and once i was within about 3 feet of the bank was able to walk/kick my way back up. There was absolutely NO chance of going upstream against the current while out in the main current. In a word, CAUTION!!!
There is no way to be around ANY water and be 100% safe. Not even the bathtub. Tubes are OK. I have gone through rapids in them and come out OK (it was a blast…). You just need to have it in your head that what you are doing is dangerous, and act accordingly.
The only places I won’t use a tube is in Florida, or salt-water, because of the danger of alligators and sharks.
October 11th, a couple of us floated the Yakima river in central Washington. The river was low but had increased the flow rate from a recent rain. For the most part we all agreed that there was very little fishing done and way too much paddling. The river controlled us to the extent that you seldom got the opportunity to fish. Several spot we beached the pontoon boats and waded but more often then not we were on the oars not fishing. Some spots were more exciting than others and several rocks probably show evidence of where we should have chosen a slightly different route. We didn’t feel that we were in danger at any time but we certainly didn’t feel that we were able to fish that stretch of water adequately.
Next time I’ll look for much slower moving water before I attempt to use my pontoon boat. If you are going there to fish, I found it to be almost impossible from the pontoon boat.
You have to have the correct tube to float a river. And a donut ain’t the right tube. Of all the ones I’ve seen and had, the NFO Outlaw Escape would be the only one I’d try on a river, because it was made for both lakes and rivers. //youtu.be/lqi9uYhr1lU
