Finally broke down and used a tube for the first time.

[Bmarsh]

Well I have to explain after almost drowning a few times while growing up, I have a thing against lakes, massive anxiety being out in a body of water that I don't feel like I can swim to shore on. So I have had a Caddis float tube, fins, and one of the pfd's that inflates when you rip the cord for about a year now but haven't used it. Just too many horror storys on henrys, and didn't know many other small lakes to try er out on. Well I was lucky to get introduced to this lake by a snowmobiling buddy in august and had made up my mind the next time I fished it would be on a tube.

I finally got a free day from school and job interviews yesterday so I headed back, prob wasnt the safest place to try it out, remote, solo, a mile hike in, and no cell service.
I had my fly gear but honestly didn't want to use it while doing the tube thing the first time. Making sure my spinning gear was setup right I gave a couple of casts before getting wet and yanked in this nice big mature brook


I then kicked out and after getting used to I started to feel comfortable and ended up having a top shelf day. Had the place to myself, had a big 40+inch bull moose feed along the shore while I fished. Ended up not catching another brook, but did manage 15 cuts and none were under 16 inches. No I didn't take any pics. The camera stayed on the bank. Its awesome to see the fishing coming right in to you while following your lure in. Had a couple that slammed it with in feet of the tube! I now get while some of you guys love these things! Weird having to worry about a fish diving under you and feel it hitting your legs while trying to land it though. All in all just what the DR ordered for me. Here's a couple of pics of the scenery.


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[Bmarsh]

Here are a few pics from the first time we went in there. Lots of big cuts in there guy who showed me the place is a fish eater so we kept a few.




and earlier in the year the shore is lined with these tasty treats

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[MatchT]

Nicely done.....with a type II sinking linw you shall enjoy kick trolling leach patterns....

Match
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[truchas_ole]

You are killing me! Why can't I find a place like that. Nice photos.
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[windriver]

Very nice. Glad you had an enjoyable time.

Windriver
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[kochanut]

awesome, way to get over your fears and get some!
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[drowning_flys]

Great pics [cool]
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[Bmarsh]

Thanks for the comments guys. Was a cool experience and I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous most of the time. Not sure I could do it on Henrys yet.

As far as finding that place, I've known about the honey hole for about 6 years now. Finally it took a trade of a secret Huckleberry stashs location to get him to take me in there and I can see why. In the two days I've fished it I haven't seen a fish smaller than 14 inches caught.
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[Untangler]

I got my first float tube in 1986 and have spent thousands of days on the water in tubes since. Except for being blown across lakes several times and having to walk back, I've never felt unsafe or had even one close call in a tube in stillwater. That being said, I've never come close to drowning so can totally understand why you would have that fear but I feel they are very safe, especially in smaller water. I have a nice 9' pontoon but prefer to fish out of my FatCat float tube, especially for schooling fish like perch, because you have so much more control over positioning and in the wind. You may want to consider an upgrade from the Caddis sometime - there can be some good deals on used U shaped tubes that will keep you higher out of the water and make feel even safer. Welcome to the wonderful world of tubing and congratulations on conquering your fear.

If anybody out there wants to trade a fishing hotspot for a huckleberry hotspot.......I'm in.
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[flygoddess]

[quote Untangler]I got my first float tube in 1986 and have spent thousands of days on the water in tubes since. Except for being blown across lakes several times and having to walk back, I've never felt unsafe or had even one close call in a tube in stillwater. That being said, I've never come close to drowning so can totally understand why you would have that fear but I feel they are very safe, especially in smaller water. I have a nice 9' pontoon but prefer to fish out of my FatCat float tube, especially for schooling fish like perch, because you have so much more control over positioning and in the wind. You may want to consider an upgrade from the Caddis sometime - there can be some good deals on used U shaped tubes that will keep you higher out of the water and make feel even safer. Welcome to the wonderful world of tubing and congratulations on conquering your fear.

If anybody out there wants to trade a fishing hotspot for a huckleberry hotspot.......I'm in.[/quote]



Different strokes for sure. I have had a SFC and now Pontoons, I will never go back to a smaller tube. Any tube/toon is going to get blown all over, just with a toon, you have oars to help. Less drag in a pontoon as well.
I think newbies should go with the bigger tubes. They feel much more secure in them. By bigger tubes I am talking about the H3, the Escape, The Predator, The Trinity.
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[Bmarsh]

[quote Untangler]I got my first float tube in 1986 and have spent thousands of days on the water in tubes since. Except for being blown across lakes several times and having to walk back, I've never felt unsafe or had even one close call in a tube in stillwater. That being said, I've never come close to drowning so can totally understand why you would have that fear but I feel they are very safe, especially in smaller water. I have a nice 9' pontoon but prefer to fish out of my FatCat float tube, especially for schooling fish like perch, because you have so much more control over positioning and in the wind. You may want to consider an upgrade from the Caddis sometime - there can be some good deals on used U shaped tubes that will keep you higher out of the water and make feel even safer. Welcome to the wonderful world of tubing and congratulations on conquering your fear.

If anybody out there wants to trade a fishing hotspot for a huckleberry hotspot......I'm in.[/quote]
It's a weird deal for sure, I can run a jet on a river all day long, get the same boat on Henrys and it still bothers me.

On tube selection, the one I have actually kept me pretty high. It's a u model with the spreader bar/apron that pulls back over the lap. I felt pretty safe after about 10 min of getting used to it.......plus catching nice fish kept me distracted.

Fg I lean to wards your stance and would prefer a toon. In fact if the job hunt doesn't take me to AZ ill be in the market for one come spring. The tube I have is just what I could do on a college senior that's getting married budget
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[flygoddess]

I see the Assault being perfect for you. If we ever fish same waters, you are welcome to use mine.
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