Mel Hocken wrote:
If you happen to loose a flipper it comes in very handy.
Float Tubers Compendium:
Float tubers/ pontoon boat users should invest in a flipper keeper. Mine are just thin bungee cord type material looped through one of the eyelets in each flipper, with a plastic cord clamp for adjustment. Slip the loop of cord over your ankles before slipping on your flippers. That way if your flipper ever comes loose, they at least stay attached to your ankles instead of sinking to the bottom. The most common flipper stealing situation is trying to enter or exit the water in an area with a mucky bottom.
Another equipment tip. You should wear an extra set of neoprene booties in between the flippers and your waders (assuming you will be using stockingfoot waders). The ones I use are made by Remington and are available at most outdoor surplus stores. The booties take all the punishment from abrasion of the flipper straps, rocks, sharp sticks etc., leaving your stockingfoot wader boots unharmed. My current extra booties are starting to wear through the bottom of the heel. Thank the fish gods this is not happening to my actual waders!
IMO, Force Fins are the best for this type of watercraft, though they are pricey. You can expend a lot of energy while float tubing, particularly on a windy day when you are constantly kicking to stay in casting position. The more efficient your fins are, the longer you will stay fresh. Most regular swim fins are a waste of money for floattubing.
Entering, exiting: more flyfishers take a header entering and exiting the water in a float tube than for any other reason. Find a shoreline with a gradual dropoff that is as free of rocks and obstructions as possible. If possible, hold the tube above your knees as you back into the water, and that will help you recover from a stumble. You should not try to sit in the tube until the water is above your kneecaps. Keep your flyrod out of harm's way so you don't fall onto it. If you feel yourself falling in the direction of your rod, toss the rod away from you, it is easily recovered from the water later.
The Call of Nature Problem (wimmen, close your eyes *g*): this is the subject of a lot of jokes, but when you gotta go, you gotta go. You'll quickly learn not to o.d. on coffee and beverages prior to float tubing. On some waters with steep banks or obstructions, it is difficult to get out of the water at the shoreline (Crane Prairie reservoir in Oregon is a good example). In these cases, I carry a plastic pee bottle in one of the tube pockets, so that if I can get to water lower than crotch level, I can do the business.
Wes Wada Bend, Oregon "floattuber since 1978"
Webmaster for: Sugar Creek Ranch http://www.sugarcreekranch.com North Platte Lodge http://www.northplattelodge.com The Inside Angler http://www.insideangler.com
