Good rod for float tubing on lakes?

Articles Rod Building & Craft
1

I am fortunate enough to live around many many trout fishing lakes in AZ. One of the more experienced lake fly fishermen up here uses a 9’ 5wt rod with a #6 sinking line. But, the word I get is to cast as far as you can, then let sink and retreive. On a pontoon boat, or a pontoon float tube, would a 10’ or 11’ foot rod be overkill? They say cast as far as you can, but spey casting, shooting heads, and longer rods are not used? Any thoughts on a rod I could build for me…to cast as far as I can and to fish?

Plain old Jim, I’m Plain…and I’m old.

2

Thanks JC. Sounds good to me.
Jim

3

I am not the most experienced belly boater, but it seems like I spend more time “trolling” than casting and when I cast to a rise the distance is not great so the rod length makes little diff. If you are talking about the rim lakes around Flag, most of them are not known for big fish so I would think a 5 or 6 wt would be fine. Realize you also loose a lot of leverage when in a float tube so it is not like kneeling and casting on dry land. Allyn

4

I use a 9ft. 8in. 5 wt. I read that a longer rod is better for float tubing and then there a opinions that they are not any better because you adjust your casting methods.

I was hesitant about getting a longer rod but IMHO it does help keep the fly off the water and makes for longer casts. Dont know if I would go to the extreme like an 11 ft. That may be tough to handle in a tube.

5

If you buy a 9-foot 6wt, 3-peice fly rod black, and throw away the butt section to make a 6-foot fly rod, what weight would you most likely end up with?

~Parnelli

6

JC,
Are you saying that the casting problem lies in the hands of the user rather than some magic length or material?

I have found that when deep wading or tubing that if I get lazy and drop my back casts the line slaps the water behind me.

xfc

7

JC,
Thanks for the last post. That is the common sense logic stuff I like to read. ICW float tube…I have a 7’ Water Skeeter pontoon boat which sits higher than a float tube. I also have a PONTOON FLOAT TUBE, whereby I sit up out of the water mostly…so…I am a little higher than a pure float tuber who is hanging down in the lake, so I have more clearance. However as a kid used a little 6’ fiber glass fly rod. I probably couldn’t handle and do well with anything longer than the nine footer I am trying to get used to now. It was just an idea because the word is to cast out as far as you can…

Thanks again JC

Jim

Jim

8

a 9’ 6wt legend ultra should be all the rod you’ld need.

mgj

9

Plain Old Jim

Listen to JC - If you already own a rod you are comfortable with - a bit of casting practice is free. It will also gain a lot more distance than a couple more feet of rod.

Let No One Walk Alone
><))))‘>------<’((((><
Bill

10

I’ll go JC one step further on this one. Instead of kneeling, sit on your butt and practice cast in your yard. Around trees if you have them. I’d bet 90 percent of my casting is from a sitting position, either in a canoe or tube. I may be fudging. It might be closer to 99 percent. It makes no sense whatsoever for me to practice casting standing up. Personally, I think it helps your casting motion to practice this way anyway. It becomes an arm and rhythym thing rather than a power and body deal. My favorite length was 8.6. Just a perfect length for what I like to do. Now I’m 9 on most of my rods. I’m building a 3 wt. under 8 ft. now. Can’t wait to see what that’s like. But give butt casting a long practice. Whether your tubing or standing. JGW

11

Parnelli…above…yo question if you had a 3 piece 6 weight and discarded the bottom section, what weight would you have? Well, 2/3 of 6 is 4. A 4 Wt? I rectum that’s too simple. You tossed the heaviest piece…but it was designed to be a 6 weight…heck…I dunno.

Jim