noob + float tube = bad experience

[returnofthefish]

I went out on my second float tube outing this morning. The tube was inflated all the way and it was easy to move around in . Wore a pfd like I should because I can't swim due to asthma. I started off just drifitng a number 10 black wooly bugger on a 3x tippet. Made one circle around the lake without any bites. Changed to spinners the second round. Ended up with line twist and had a birds nest on the end of my rod. Went back to the car and got my UL rod. I just drifted a weightless worm on an egg hook. It took forever to sink to the bottom. I caught my first fish, so it was a good day. Had two more bites, but I got too excited and tried to set the hook to early. I plan on going again soon and drift with worms. Might add a split shot or two to get the worms down faster. I wonder if the split shots will affect the natural sinking worm presentation. Have a good fourth everyone and thanks again for the comments.

[Amx]

I ended up putting a barrel swivel in front of the spinner on my spinning rod to keep down the line twist. A little more weight also for a longer cast when fishing clear water.

[AaronE]

Float tubing can be a pain until you get comfortable with it. The only way to get comfortable is to repeat as often as possible.

My setup in the tube is pretty simple, but it's similar to yours. I have two rods - one I fish with and a second rigged rod laying across the 'toons in front of me, held down by velcro straps that were already on the tube. The "rod holders" that came on the toon (little foam grooves) were removed and tossed in the trash. They're useless. Don't rely on them if your tube has them.

The key to successful tubing is to have your gear as self-contained as possible. The more you have to go hunting for anything, the better your chances of dropping it in the drink.

I take a Plano 1349 tackle box with me - it's wider than it is tall, has a top section with compartments for cranks and other lures I use regularly, and lots of storage in the lower half for worms, spinners, my hook/weight boxes, my digital scale, needle-nose pliers, smokes, etc. Plano has a 1350 that I'm looking at upgrading to soon- it's the same height as my tacklebox but it's a good 5" wider, so more room for stuff. I have a bungee cord attached to a D ring on the left side of my tube, the tackle box sits on the left 'toon, and the bungee cord goes through the handle and reconnects to the D ring - not extremely stable, but as long as you're not flopping around in the tube it won't fall off. Plus it makes a great armrest for my left reel hand. Here's the tackle box I use now -
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... rchResults

In the right 'toon pockets I have all the plastics I use regularly as well as scent containers. I fish plastics most often, so these are easier to access in the 'toon pockets than in the tacklebox. Plus, plastics won't poke a hole in the 'toons, so having them in pockets is fine. I won't even put a small crankbait box in my pockets - you never know when it might accidentally open and then you've got 30 hooks just waiting to rip into your tube.

As for fins, I have two different types, depending on if I'm wearing waders or not. I prefer to just go out in swimming trunks, but swimmer's itch can be a pain. Still, when the water is 70+ degrees, I'm wearing trunks and a t-shirt and a pair of US Divers split-fins that I got at Joe's a few years ago for 20 bucks. If I'm wearing waders I have a pair of boot fins with a strap that goes across the boot and an ankle strap to keep it on. No problems with the fins ever.

As for your legs hurting, you're out of shape man I can't help you with that hehe....

I've even got a color fish-finder with a 12v battery rigged up for my float tube although I don't always take it with me. If I'm fishing some place I know pretty well the finder stays at home.

But yeah, having someone to go tubing with is a great thing. That's why we started the Puget Sound Float Tube Club and we've met some great local people and had a blast fishing together.

Keep at it. The more you fish from a tube, the easier it gets. Just keep it simple until you get the hang of it.

[AaronE]

I was wearing a life jacket or pfd. The life jacket probably saved me from the water filled waders. Towards the end of my trip, I coule tell that the waders was causing the underinfalted float tube to go lower in the water. Water was starting to come across the top of the float tube sides. I made the decision to come to shore before panic sets in. If antbody plans on float tubing for the first time, I highly recommend that they have a partner. OR just take the tube out without any rods and gear, and just learn how to move in the water correctly with a pfd..

One question - what's the weight rating on your tube? All tubes are not created equally. I'm a big guy so I had to get a tube with a 350# weight rating to carry my tubby ass and all my gear. If you're exceeding your weight rating, you're going to have that problem when the tube starts getting low on air (as pointed out when the air pressure drops due to temp changes) and you'll also wear out the tube much faster and could cause the bladder(s) to weaken over time.

Better to have too much tube than not enough tube, especially since you aren't a swimmer.

[returnofthefish]

The rating on the tube is for 275 pounds. My weight is in the 130's. I did notice that the float tube got softer as the day got warmer. The air molecules should be more condensed when its colder, and they should expand when it get hotter. The air pressure change is interesting.

[AaronE]

The rating on the tube is for 275 pounds. My weight is in the 130's. I did notice that the float tube got softer as the day got warmer. The air molecules should be more condensed when its colder, and they should expand when it get hotter. The air pressure change is interesting.

Yep, as the temp warms up the tubes should fill with more pressure. As the ambient temp drops (around sundown for example) the pressure drops and it feels as if you've lost air. You technically aren't losing air, just pressure.

If your tube lost pressure as the heat increased, you may have a small leak or the valve wasn't closed securely. Inflate the tube, stick it in a room overnight, check it in the morning - if it's losing pressure in a controlled temperature environment like a bedroom then I'm guessing you have a leak somewhere. A few degrees of change won't impact it like 10-15 degrees would when fishing from afternoon to sundown so the room test should help figure it out.

[Bodofish]

One last issue, and this will be controvisial to say the least.

Waders full of water do NOT sink you to the bottom.

A fly fishing ICON, the Late, Great, Lee Wolf, once proved this to a group of reporters many years ago. He had them come to a bridge back East, over a river, and he put on his waders. He then, to their horror, jumped off the bridge. The waders filled, he swam to the shore, got out of them, then spread out a blanket of cheese and wine for refreshments.

It is a fact that water weights the same as water. Let me say that again, WATER weights the same as WATER. So, if you fill your waders with water, they weigh the same as water, plus the weight of the waders. In fact, the only change between the before and after is that they are more bulky, and I suppose, a little less air, and of course you are now cold. Have you ever noticed that WATER DOES NOT SINK IN WATER.

So, why do we hear that people fill their waders with water and die? The same reason that we hear of people that drown in 4 feet of water, when they could very well have just stood up. They panic.

To keep water from filling your waders, or at least keep the waders from forming a big parachute that impeeds swimming, use a wader belt to keep the tops tight to your chest. Now I have dated myself, because most waders already come with these today, built in, or are elastic so you don't need them.

In short, who was it that said that the only thing to fear is fear itself? First time tubers, or tooners, have a lot to learn, and an experienced mentor can make a world of difference. But get serious, kids ride tubes in rivers, so we older kids should be able to fish out of one designed for us.

If you think this really works, show me.

If the jumper was using neo waders then there is a small amount of buoyancy.

I've done this test off the back of a fishing boat and I can tell you from personal experience you will not float with waders on. Period! You won't sink right away but they create an incredible amount of drag and make it hard to stay on the surface. It's sort of like sinking in quicksand, slowly but you will sink.

I am an extremely strong swimmer and have the medals to prove it. I had a very hard time swimming in waders and I'd say impossible in a river.

I'm from Missouri on this one, show me.

As far as water safety goes, unless anyone is eminently qualified, please don't give advice.

Wear your PDF!!!!:cheers:

[Anglinarcher]

If you think this really works, show me.

If the jumper was using neo waders then there is a small amount of buoyancy.

I've done this test off the back of a fishing boat and I can tell you from personal experience you will not float with waders on. Period! You won't sink right away but they create an incredible amount of drag and make it hard to stay on the surface. It's sort of like sinking in quicksand, slowly but you will sink.

I am an extremely strong swimmer and have the medals to prove it. I had a very hard time swimming in waders and I'd say impossible in a river.

I'm from Missouri on this one, show me.

As far as water safety goes, unless anyone is eminently qualified, please don't give advice.

Wear your PDF!!!!:cheers:

Tell you what, I'm from Missouri today myself, if you have indeed done this test, then show us. Aaron and Mike can post videos on this site, so go for it. Of course, anyone can fake sinking, and if you don't use the wader belt or have waders with it built in as I indicated, then all bets are off.

I won't ask to see your medals, and I will not even claim to doubt you, all I can do is report what was reported in a national Fly Fishing magazine may years ago, about someone I did know and did trust. I don't know you from Adam, just as you don't know me.

As for eminently qualified, I sugest that you are right, but we all have different definitions of "eminently" and "qualified". I'm sure that you are the person endowed with such great wisdom that you can indeed define these terms for us so we can have certain and unquestionable convictions to follow. Please provide us with this wisdom.

I did mention that this would be controvisial - to say the least.

[MaxExp82]

Good thread, Ive been wanting to get a Float tube set-up as well, hopefully I learned something by reading this thread.
Im shocked by people out on the water that "Don't know how to swim" that would terrify me ... Close calls happen to much when out on the water, whether its your own , or someone else's fault .


Learn to Swim !! We dont need people drowning in lakes , especially fisherman.






:-)


Happy fishing

[Bodofish]

If you think this really works, show me.

If the jumper was using neo waders then there is a small amount of buoyancy.

I've done this test off the back of a fishing boat and I can tell you from personal experience you will not float with waders on. Period! You won't sink right away but they create an incredible amount of drag and make it hard to stay on the surface. It's sort of like sinking in quicksand, slowly but you will sink.

I am an extremely strong swimmer and have the medals to prove it. I had a very hard time swimming in waders and I'd say impossible in a river.

I'm from Missouri on this one, show me.

As far as water safety goes, unless anyone is eminently qualified, please don't give advice.

Wear your PDF!!!!:cheers:

Tell you what, I'm from Missouri today myself, if you have indeed done this test, then show us. Aaron and Mike can post videos on this site, so go for it. Of course, anyone can fake sinking, and if you don't use the wader belt or have waders with it built in as I indicated, then all bets are off.

I won't ask to see your medals, and I will not even claim to doubt you, all I can do is report what was reported in a national Fly Fishing magazine may years ago, about someone I did know and did trust. I don't know you from Adam, just as you don't know me.

As for eminently qualified, I sugest that you are right, but we all have different definitions of "eminently" and "qualified". I'm sure that you are the person endowed with such great wisdom that you can indeed define these terms for us so we can have certain and unquestionable convictions to follow. Please provide us with this wisdom.

I did mention that this would be controvisial - to say the least.

You miss my point.

I've done the test and I almost died!

I was yanked off the back of a purse seiner while setting the gear in South East AK, just hip waders, not chest waders, half the drag. I know what happens!

Show me it can be done!

If as you say you can't swim, why on gods green earth would you post something like that. It's definately not safe to wade with out wearing a PFD. It's hard enough to swim in a current or any distance in a lake with out a PFD, let alone wearing waders.

Always wear a PFD!!!!!!

Controversial? Try Reckless! I'm sorry but after that post you hold no credibility with me when it comes to water safety.

[topdawg47]

haha, lol

[Anglinarcher]

If you think this really works, show me.

If the jumper was using neo waders then there is a small amount of buoyancy.

I've done this test off the back of a fishing boat and I can tell you from personal experience you will not float with waders on. Period! You won't sink right away but they create an incredible amount of drag and make it hard to stay on the surface. It's sort of like sinking in quicksand, slowly but you will sink.

I am an extremely strong swimmer and have the medals to prove it. I had a very hard time swimming in waders and I'd say impossible in a river.

I'm from Missouri on this one, show me.

As far as water safety goes, unless anyone is eminently qualified, please don't give advice.

Wear your PDF!!!!:cheers:

Tell you what, I'm from Missouri today myself, if you have indeed done this test, then show us. Aaron and Mike can post videos on this site, so go for it. Of course, anyone can fake sinking, and if you don't use the wader belt or have waders with it built in as I indicated, then all bets are off.

I won't ask to see your medals, and I will not even claim to doubt you, all I can do is report what was reported in a national Fly Fishing magazine may years ago, about someone I did know and did trust. I don't know you from Adam, just as you don't know me.

As for eminently qualified, I sugest that you are right, but we all have different definitions of "eminently" and "qualified". I'm sure that you are the person endowed with such great wisdom that you can indeed define these terms for us so we can have certain and unquestionable convictions to follow. Please provide us with this wisdom.

I did mention that this would be controvisial - to say the least.

You miss my point.

I've done the test and I almost died!

I was yanked off the back of a purse seiner while setting the gear in South East AK, just hip waders, not chest waders, half the drag. I know what happens!

Show me it can be done!

If as you say you can't swim, why on gods green earth would you post something like that. It's definately not safe to wade with out wearing a PFD. It's hard enough to swim in a current or any distance in a lake with out a PFD, let alone wearing waders.

Always wear a PFD!!!!!!

Controversial? Try Reckless! I'm sorry but after that post you hold no credibility with me when it comes to water safety.

And you miss my point, and you are one of the people that will probably die in 4 feet of water because they don't try to stand up.

OK, this is getting out of hand, and it is probably a good thing we are never going to actually fish together.

[Anonymous]

I was going to continue on with the tirade but I'll leave it with this.

That article would never make it to print in this day and age.

I hope that no one tries it, just to see if they can.

Fishing would be fine. On my boat you'd be wearing a PFD.

[Anglinarcher]

I was going to continue on with the tirade but I'll leave it with this.

That article would never make it to print in this day and age.

I hope that no one tries it, just to see if they can.

Fishing would be fine. On my boat you'd be wearing a PFD.

Actually, on my boat, you and I would both be wearing a PFD. That was not my point.

I do not advocate that anyone ignore PFD's, and I use a self inflating type for comfort so I have no reason to complain about it.

An old river rafting guide once told me that only swimmers die while white water rafting. He said they always forget to let the PFD hold them up, point their feet down stream, and let the river kick them out into a slow pool. HE understood how fear kills people.

I do not intend to increase fear, but to point out that fear is indeed the bigget thing to "fear".

[returnofthefish]

Good thread, Ive been wanting to get a Float tube set-up as well, hopefully I learned something by reading this thread.
Im shocked by people out on the water that "Don't know how to swim" that would terrify me ... Close calls happen to much when out on the water, whether its your own , or someone else's fault .


Learn to Swim !! We dont need people drowning in lakes , especially fisherman.






:-)


Happy fishing

I am glad you learned something MaxExp82. I posted this embarassing story so that others could learn from it. I have learned a lot of information from other posters myself. Theres more information in this thread alone then on the instructions that come inside the float tube package.