New Fly Tube

[Marc Martyn]

I look back at it and it probably would have made a good Youtube movie. In the float tube it wasn't funny.

Float tubes were just entering the scene then. I had one of the first ones in the Spokane area.

[kuttkilla]

I look back at it and it probably would have made a good Youtube movie. In the float tube it wasn't funny.

Float tubes were just entering the scene then. I had one of the first ones in the Spokane area.

That's a good point you bring up. When did the float tube come on the market? The pontoon boat you have now is SWEET...what a set-up! Must have been in the mid-to-late 70's? Who came up with the idea of a float-tube? Did it spawn off the ideas of an inflatible boat?

That seat you have looks so comfy...looks like a courtside Sonic game seat...comfy

[Marc Martyn]

LOL! The seat is comfy. Not stock on the new boat. I just changed it last year. Bought it at Sportsman's Warehouse for $69.00. It is actually designed for a fishing boat seat. The bolt holes line up with the swivel mounts you see on boats.
The stock seat that comes with the pontoon boat is a hard plastic fold down seat. After a couple of hours sitting in it you are ready to quit.

The float tube was invented in the mid 1970's. The first model I believe was basically a harness made from seat belt straps if my memory serves me right. I think that it was invented by a fly fisherman or a bass fisherman. The idea was for portability. I once saw an early version and it was pretty crude. They have come a long ways since then.

[A9]

I'm thinking about getting a float tube/pontoon boat myself..Starting to look into it myself...
I've already PM'd fishnislife about his new float tube...Anyone else got any recommendations/tips/advice?

Marc: That thing looks like a great setup...Comfy seat too...Speaking of the sonics kuttkilla, they gave up 168 points to Denver tonight...

[fishnislife]

Nice set-up Marc.




fishnislife

[Marc Martyn]

If you can meet the initial cost of a pontoon boat, I would go with it. You are not restricted to just lakes then. I float rivers with it as often as I can. Here is a picture of me on a float down the Clark Fork River a few years back. What a fun time!

[kevinb]

Marc has a good set up. Last year my wife got me a 10ft. pontoon by Skykomish Sunrise. I had only intended it for fly-fishing but began using it for standered tackle. We both liked it so much,we purchased a second. We've used it many times and will be using it alot this summer. However,I've only used them at our small lake property and working near the shorline at LK.Cushman. Even if your not fishing,find a quiet spot..its very relaxing.

[kuttkilla]

Speaking of the sonics kuttkilla, they gave up 168 points to Denver tonight...

I know, I watched.

[Anglinarcher]

............................
The float tube was invented in the mid 1970's. The first model I believe was basically a harness made from seat belt straps if my memory serves me right. I think that it was invented by a fly fisherman or a bass fisherman. The idea was for portability. I once saw an early version and it was pretty crude. They have come a long ways since then.

Wow, this got me thinking. I moved with the family to the Twin Falls Idaho area in 1970. A couple of years later my brother bought a canvas float tube, with a device that attached to the wader boots that allowed you to walk forward to move, not "swim kick" backward. Trust me, the canvas tube weighed a million tons when you removed it from the water and the walk fins worked just fine, if, and I mean if, you did not get any wind. So, by about 1972, the float tube concept was already born and had gone from straps to an actual sown cover.

Ruel Stayner, a Twin Falls, Idaho fly fishing and rod building legend, and internationally know rod builder, sold swim fins to my brother that same year, so I know that the idea was already going strong.

I think that Bucks Bags out of Boise was the first to make the nylon covers and really start the big push toward float tubes for trout fishing. I was already into a bucks bag by the mid 70's if I recall correctly, with "power fins".

My knees don't allow the float tubing anymore, so I gave my two tubes to my son and his wife a couple of years ago. I use a pontoon to replace my float tube, but, you know what, I miss my float tube. I have fished in a float tube with the wind was so bad that you wore a rain jacket, with hood, to keep the waves from coming down your waders when the waves broke over your head. I would never do that with a pontoon.

Still, the pontoon will take river water (don't skimp on the pontoon if you do this, a broken or torn bladder in class III white water will kill you pretty fast), I can cover more water, and I don't get as cold.

[Anonymous]

Got my tube today!!!!! Can't wait to get it on the puddles out here.
I don't know what all the bad reviews about Dick's online were because I just ordered the tube Sunday night and it showed up today in the afternoon. WOW! Powershipped! Didn't even have to pay extra shipping for this either.

I would like to say that I am very pleased with the contruction and setup of this tube. It looks and feels great. I am staring at it blown up in my living room right now. I thought about filling the bathtub up and sitting in it to test it out but decided I will wait for the lake.
I will give a product review on it in the Products and Gear - Reviews and Discussions forum once I get a feel for it on the water.




fishnislife

[kuttkilla]

Got my tube today!!!!! . I am staring at it blown up in my living room right now.
fishnislife

Congrats fishnislife! I'm looking at the Fat Cat with close eyes. Question to all: Can you keep the tube inflated at all times or do you have to manual inflate and deflate the tube each time you want to go fishing? The reason I ask is because it would be pain to have to inflate the tube every time you wanted to go fishing, and then have to deflate to get it back in the car/truck. I'd hate to see it strapped down in a truck and somehow come loose and go onto oncoming traffic and cause a horrible accident. What do you guys and gals do with your tube? Do you inflate and deflate every time you use it?

[fishnislife]

Thanks man! I can't wait to get back into a couple of spots that I have been eyeballn for awhile now. Stealth is what it's all about.
Your question:
Depends on how much room you have. It is best to let some air out of the tube after every time out, so that if it gets too hot it won't pop. Just get in the habit of doing this. And store them in a cool spot. If you can get away will keeping it 3/4 full all the time then do that. But you will want to always tighten them up at the lake, so be sure to get a pump. You'll save yourself a lot of lightheadedness. And I have always inflated and deflated my tubes. It really doesn't take long at all.



fishnislife

[Lotech Joe]

Float tubes can be a lot of fun. I really enjoyed mine while I had it. Inflation is a key thing when it comes to the tubes performance. When you are at lakeside is the best time to fully inflate your tube. The Togiak tube has two bladders. I used to inflate them to what I thought was equal pressure, then thump each tube and listen to the ping. If both pings were the same pitch, I would call it good. When you have the tube inflated and you put it on the water, the cold temperature of the water will cause the air in the tubes to actually shrink a bit. You will have to top off the pressure a bit at that point. I would not recommend traveling with fully inflated tubes on a roof rack or trailer. Especially on a hot or even just a sunny day. The heat from the sun will cause the air in the tubes to expand to a point not safe for the integrity of the tubes. The size of a float tube is not so much that it will take long to fill with air. I would suggest getting one of the two way pumps. They only take about 2 minutes to fill that way. I actually used to carry the pump on my tube, behind the seat. That way if you have an undetected slow leak, you can go ashore and refill. That happened to me at Medical Lake one day, and I was very glad I had the pump with me. I hope this information helps. Have fun, be safe, and above all wear flotation.

[fishnislife]

I just put up a review of the Trout Unlimited Togiak float tube if anyone is interested. It is in the Product and Gear -Reviews and Discussions Forum.
Here is the thread - http://www.washingtonlakes.com/Forum/vi ... php?t=2886



fishnislife