There is no need to explain to readers of this magazine that float tubing is cool: we all know! It is a fantastic way of fishing, with many attractive benefits. Float tubes are way cheaper than normal boats, both in purchasing as in maintenance. You don’t need a big shed to stall them, nor a 4x4 vehicle to transport them. You are able to reach spots where ordinary boats can't go, for instance for lack of a boat launch, or because the water is too shallow. They allow you to fish extremely precisely because the wind does not influence your drift so much. An experienced float tuber uses his legs without thinking to securely comb out a hotspot. You are more discrete than with a normal boat, because your volume and shadow (!) is smaller, and because you produce less noise that boats in aluminum or polyester. It struck me many times show close wild animals venture: carp or water fowl are not afraid; they probably assume that you are one of them… A friend of mine even had a close encounter with a beaver, that came to hit his float tube with his tail! And they are extremely versatile: small ponds, huge lakes and big rivers: no water is too deep or too big for us. It is therefore not surprising that more
getting into the
noble art of
floating around
in an inflatable
chair these days:
they are a more
and more
common sight
on many waters.
However, float tubes do have considerable disadvantages as well. You want to be spot-on, because changing swims is not an option. If you want to have a look at a swim half a mile further down the lake, it will cost you time and a lot of energy. And as some of us may know: a cramp in both your calves is not exactly a feeling that you enjoy. Fishing techniques that require you to move fast are not an option either. Trolling around? Forget it… Diagonal jigging? No way, unless the wind carries you. Fishing a flowing river? Been there, done that – I felt like a marathon runner after a few hours… And if the wind has taken you to other end of the lake, you need a lot of courage to paddle back to your car… It happened to me more than on one occasion that I went ashore and carried all my stuff for miles on my back to get back. Of course, some of these problems can be solved to a certain extent. When fishing a long stretch of a fast flowing river, I first bring a bicycle downstream (where I plan to stop), then drive back upstream, park the car and jump in. After I have reached the end point, I hide my float tube in the bushes
keeps you moving