I, like many others I’m sure, am on a budget. This budget is strongly suggesting that this year I’ll be able to afford either a pair of waders or a float tube. I’m just starting out in fly fishing, having only discovered my love for the sport last June, so currently I have neither.
I believe that I will have more opportunities to fish water where a float tube would be more useful than a pair of waders (I have more lakes and ponds around me than rivers or streams I can safely wade), but I also hear tell that you really don’t want to use a float tube without waders. Hopefully everyone can see my dilemma.
I’m looking for some guidance on this. Should I save my pennies to get a nice pair of waders first and pick up the float tube next year, or should I save my pennies for a float tube and get the waders next spring?
I’m missing something here…are you asking if you should buy one or the other implying you have neither? A float tube is not all that useful without a pair of waders…unless you live/fish in a pretty warm climate.
Waders would allow you to comfortably use a float tube in colder weather/water, extending your comfort season. Waders protect you from scrapes and leeches while in your float tube. A float tube will allow you to fish waters you can’t reach effectively with waders only. So I think it really depends on your call based on the waters you intend to fish.
Float tube without waders? brrrrrrrr. I don’t know what your total budget is, but I would suggest you get the waders then look around for a used float tube cheap. They tend to end up on Craigslist a lot. Don’t forget fins.
I’d say waders this year definitely. The float tube will be borderline useless (at the very least uncomfortable for any period of time) for the beginning and end of your fishing season without them. If you’re new to it, waders should open up enough new places for you to fish this year and you can decide if the float tube is worth it next year.
To me this sounds kind of like buying a digital camera before you buy the computer. Sure you can use it, but it’d be better to get the computer first so you can really enjoy the camera when you get it.
While you can technically use a float tube with out waders, it would be fairly uncomfortable and you’d have to check for leeches after every trip. You can get some waders fairly cheaply on Sierra Training Post if you happen to ahve a size 9 foot. The cost with the email flier is around $39 for boot-footed felt soled neopream waders. From there you could shop around for a good used float tube and still keep it around $110 or so. Just a thought…
If you’re on a budget…go with waders, and look for a clearance roundboat. I got one at Cabelas last year for $29. You can find roundboats on EBAY for next to nothing. I don’t know about anybody else…but I ain’t kicking through lilly pads and muck in a floattube…in shorts. Leaches and shorts don’t go together:^)
Thanks everyone for replying. As it stands, it looks like I’ll be saving up for a pair of waders as the first of these purchases and saving the float tube for next year. This isn’t exactly what I wanted to hear (darn you all!) but it all makes sense.
Waders worn in a float tube don’t have to be high end. I’ve got a pair …$80 new…going on 5 years now…float tubes don’t have to be all that expensive for starters…I would get a u-tube though… more enjoyable and safer…check around …you may be surprised at what the budget can cover.
I have no clue as to what your budget is, but if it’s at least $150 you can do both easily and get in a whole season of fishing. That would be the goal for me. Giving up the fishing time is the worst thing you can do. Buy cheap stuff now to get you on the water.
You can get servicable waders for around $50 (I bougth an ‘extra pair’ of waders at that the big box store for $49 and like them just fine). A decent float tube for under $80 (again, wally world has them for $79 and they ain’t bad to fish out of). That’s $130.
Then, after you get out and go fishing you can decide to save your pennies to upgrade as you wish. In the meantime, you won’t EVER have to skip fishing because you don’t have both.