ADD-ONS AND UPGRADES

Float Tube Fishing Float Tubing General
1

:sunglasses:Hey, gang. I am chipping away at putting together a writeup on totally outfitting a flotation craft…tube, kick boat or pontoon. I have bits and pieces in other writings, but decided we need something to have available for newbies and for oldtimers too…who want to upgrade or not miss any tricks.

From some of the exchanges we have had on the board recently, there are some creative folks who drop in here. I am going to post my outline, for you to read. Then, if you can think of something else, that I have overlooked…or that you simply can’t do without on your craft…post it up. I would like to know what it is, how you attach it (or carry it) and how it helps improve either your fishing results, craft performance or safety.

I probably should say in advance, that I never take all of this stuff on every excursion. That would require a pontoon party barge to hold it all. But, part of trip preparation includes knowing what you might need and being prepared for the potential water and weather conditions, as well as fishing.

ADD-ONS & UPGRADES ** **

**LANDING NETS & GAFFS **

FISH HOLDING…BASKETS, LIVE BAGS, STRINGERS

PROTECTIVE APRONS

ROD HOLDERS

SONAR

BAIT HOLDERS…LIVE WELLS, BUCKETS, COOLERS

ANCHORS (BOTTOM, CLIPS & SEA)

RUNNING LIGHTS

SAFETY FLAGS

** ** CARRY-ONS

GPS SYSTEM AND LOGBOOK

THERMOMETERS…AIR & WATER

WALKIE TALKIES/RADIOS

AIR HORNS/DISTRESS SIGNALS, FLARES, FLAGS

LIGHTS

PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE AND/OR FISHING VEST

LICENSE(S)

FIRST AID…INCLUDING ANTISEPTIC, BANDAGES, ANALGESICS, ANTACIDS

SUNGLASSES AND SUNSCREEN (LIP BALM)

INSECT REPELLENT AND/OR PROTECTIVE MESH HEAD GEAR

RAIN GEAR AND/OR WARM CLOTHING

WATERPROOF MATCHES

HATS & GLOVES

WIPING RAGS

FISH BILLY (CLUB)

PLIERS & LIP GRIPPERS

KNIFE & CUTTING BOARD

CLIPPERS & SCISSORS

MEASURING AND WEIGHING EQUIPMENT

BINOCULARS

CAMERA

MAP(S), CHARTS, TIDE TABLES

INSULATED STORAGE (FOOD, DRINK, BAIT)

PLASTIC BAGS

AIR PUMP AND/OR TUBING

AIR BLADDER PATCH KIT

WADING STAFF

FOOD AND LIQUID

EXTRA SET OF KEYS FOR VEHICLE

(OH YEAH…FISHING TACKLE TOO)

2

how about fishin’ rods…or does one just hold line in their hands. I guess you could just drape it over the rod holders :laughing:

3

Hi there TubeDude,

Whew! It took me an hour I found something… Nya Nya Nya Nya…Nya! ha ha

Unless I’m mistaken, we are not all born with frogies feet (and hands too) therefore, where are the, tisk tisk, flippers? Did I miss the entry on the type of flippers avaliable or do those not qualify as add-ons, carry-ons. You know me, I consider tube, flippers, and PFD one inseperable unit. (Oh ya, the fishing tackle too) ha ha

We shouldn’t forget about those all important, bungie type cords and straps we use for lashing down or keeping rods and other stuff for going overboard either.

Nuff from me, All in good humor,

JapanRon

4

:sunglasses:TO TOMEGUN: See the last line…“FISHING TACKLE TOO”. Of course, with you that might be limited to “Dupont Spinners” (dynamite).

TO JapanRon: I will be doing separate writeups on waders and on fins. They are too complex a subject to cover in a few desultory lines. I plan to do pics and evaluations on them, much like I am doing on different kinds of tubes, kick boats and pontoons.

The discussion of straps and fastening systems is a good idea for this effort. We got started on that in another thread. I’ll see if I can flesh it out a bit.

Appreciate the input…even if some people are anxious to torpedo my tube before they finish reading my post.

Any other million dollar ideas? I’ll split the take with ya.

5

***Hey TD, I ran into another one of your disciples saturday at Lincoln Beach. I saw walleyebob with his partner in crime over by the orchard. We talked for about an hour or so. During that time, I was demonstrating the art of how to lose “Tube Dudes” famous home made jigs to the rocks. Thank you very much for the care package. I just hope I could do your fantastic lures justice by actually use them to hook fish instead of rocks. ***

*** Do you have a lure retriever on the list?***

6

:sunglasses:Let me see if I can 'splain it to ya. Ya sposed to fish shallower than the rocks is. Hooks and rocks go together real good, but they don’t wanna let go of each other, so ya gotta keep 'em apart.

Now, let’s go back to that reference to using “Dupont Spinners”…dynamite. That’s the best stuff for getting jigs loose outta the rocks. Utah DWR kinda frowns on it though. It’s hard to convince ‘em you were just tryin’ to get your jigs loose when all them danged fish start floatin’ up and lookin’ dead. It’s also embarrassin’ when KSL TV crews show up lookin’ fer the terrorists that have been bombing our fishermen.

I think I mentioned that I also make up a lot of light head jigs with the mono weed guards. I also think I may have sent a few. It takes a program of light heads, weedguards, slow steady retrieves and controlled “hooksets”. You have to keep your wrist cocked, ready to pop, but resist the urge to cross their eyes until you verify that is a fish on your line, rather than a sneaky rock or stick just acting like a fish. The weed guards will help you bounce off the majority of rocks, unless you jerk on them every time they touch something. If you really concentrate, and develop your “touch”, you get better at discerning the difference between animal (fish) or mineral (rock). The former often has a “rubber band” feel, or actually pulls back when you tighten up. The latter is just a solid, unmoving resistance.

Don’t fret, Grasshopper. Even the masters bury the hooks in fish that turn out to be rocks…and fail to set the hooks on “rocks” that spit the jig because they don’t want to play tug of war with you anymore.

You asked about a lure retriever. In the shallow waters around Lincoln Beach, that ain’t a bad idea. You can make a good one by finding an extendable aluminum or glass rod, with a ring on the end, with just enough of a gap to fit over your line. Get over the jig and run the tip down your line and wiggle and jiggle until it comes loose. If the jig has wedged between a couple of immovable rocks, you will have to consider them as sacrificial offerings to the Gods of Lincoln Beach. I assure you that I must be highly favored by those gods, after all of the sacrifices I have made unto them.

PS…How did Bob’s boat do? And, did you catch anything at all?

7

:blush: ***Father, I am sorry to disappoint. Sometimes, it is hard to talk and fish at the same time :laughing:. I be saving those guarded jigs for the underwater forests of Jordanelle. Since Lincoln Beach ramp is only 28 miles from mi casa, I’ll start trying down there in feb/mar before heading to the smallie waters in apr. Bob saw people catching both at the Provo and Spanish Fark river inlets. Unfortunately, Provo had less than a foot of water and Spanish had every swing … and his brother from south county down there. The weather up here has been changing every 2 days so patterns that actually work don’t last long. Water temps are bouncing up and down like a yoyo and da fiesh are skiddish. I got weds-thurs-fri off this week and I’ll probably keep going out there to abuse myself. If gas wasn’t so expensive(diesel jumped 15 cents this week), I would try Willard or Bear Lake. ***

8

Hi TubeDude,

Ya, I noticed the hasty reading, that’s why I made the little joke on the obvious. I would never try to torpedo your tube because I’m sure you have, like me, a constant stream of ai… well.. bubbles emminating from your tube which would confuse the most sophisticated homing device devised yet on torpedos.

Went out today and met a bunch of new tubers. Hope I turned them on to this website and your/our board.

Million bucks? Give me 2 mil and you’ll see 1 mil in no time. ha ha

JapanRon

9

:sunglasses:Glad to hear you are spreading the WORD. Hope you present a good example for the potential newbies. I wouldn’t want ya to just walk (or tube) up to some self-respectin’ citizens…whilst you’re all slimy and disheveled…and try to convince them that we are respectable and worth checking out. Hey, we got an image to maintain (once we figure out what it is.)

By the way, I have a few BFT sticker/decals…in pretty blue and yellow. They’re about 6" wide and 3" deep. Just right for sticking on your forehead…or even a bumper or in a window. They don’t stick on your tube worth a hoot. If any loyal members would like one…to help spread the word…send me a private message with your mailing address and I’ll shoot one off to you. If you get hung up on the word “loyal”, you probably wouldn’t use 'em anyways.

Speaking of the big bucks, I tell everyone I am working on my SECOND million. Gave up on the first one because it was too hard.

I also have a book it it’s fourth printing. I would have more printed if I could print faster.

10

How’s about the use of drift socks?? I noticed they were listed but it seem to me they’d work nicely on a breeze day to slow down the drift of a tube even better than it does a boat. Whats more, it would put a lot more resistance against the big guys to wear them down quicker.. Of course a drift sock for a tube wouldnt have to be nearly as large as one for a boat.. Just a thought..

11

:sunglasses:Drift sock? If I was fishing in a breeze stiff enough to require a drift sock, I would be heading for shore. And, if you hook a fish big enough to tow you, your craft will provide all the resistance necessary to wear out the fish.

You will find…when you have some hours on your Kitty…that one of the biggest postives of tube fishing is the “hands free” fishing. That includes maintaining position in the breeze, with just a few long slow kicks of the fins. It ain’t like having to fight a boat in the wind.

If you are casting into a productive spot, you just position yourself slightly upwind from the honey hole and cast downwind. Keeping the pointed bow of your craft into the face of the breeze makes it possible to stay out and keep fishing a lot longer than you can in a round float tube. Only when you start taking breakers over the back will you have to rethink your dedication to fishing.

I have had saltwater yellowtail, white seabass, salmon, stripers and other fish tow me. I have also had big channel cats and flatheads pull me around in fresh water. If you have stout tackle and a properly set drag, you just lean back, hold the rod high and let them pull you.

One time in the south marina on Willard Bay I was hooked up to a stout channel cat. It was pulling good and there was a noticeable ripple behind my tube. You should have seen the eyes on a couple of people who idled past me in their boat. I think they actually wondered for a minute when I told them that I had hooked one of the freshwater sharks in the lake.

But, if you really needed a drift sock, I suppose one of those mesh bags would work. It would be better than soaking one of my socks that I had worn for awhile. Then I would get busted for environmental polution. Talk about HAZMAT.

12

LOL, I was going to say that I’ve boosted a few Striper at Powell that have swang the boat around pretty good so I dont see why they wouldnt pull a tube along fairy well, and leave me at drift in middle channel.. lol. Wouldnt be a pretty sight come the last weekend of May!!! Damn place looks like a freeway for boats, and they’d merely use me as a speed bump!