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Went to Bear Lake for the weekend and I couldn't help but go out and fish Saturday morn. The big issue of the day was, what was gonna carry me out to the rock pile? To the chagrin of many of my fellow fishers I took out my float tube. There was no wind or waves, but it was definitely cold floating there in the water.
I didn't want to risk taking out my fish finder on my tube so I was flying blind. I had one rod with a jig tipped with some Cisco and the other one was a full Cisco that I dead sticked. Didn't mind the cold too bad but after a few hours of no bites and my waders developing a slow leak I took off around 12 with nothing to show for my efforts.
The thing that disappointed me most was some of the things that some of the other boats were saying about me for taking out my tune including the 'stupid is as stupid does' quote I put in the title. It was like they expected that being in a tube would effect my hearing so I wouldn't hear all the insults. Even had a couple boats stop to take pictures of me. Just disappointed in the lack of courtesy and the rudeness of some people. I can't wait to get out there again and prove em wrong. Good luck out there everyone!
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Good on ya fishfighter. I do the same thing in alpine lakes at ice-off and late fall when the water and weather is as cold as now. Hopefully you'll catch a big laker or cutt next time and they'll get to watch you fight it!
I'll bet Tubedude would have had something to say to 'em!
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Those of us that spend time in toons know how to dress and what to take to stay warm. Good on ya for getting out. My toon is coming out of storage here in acouple of days to get it ready for the fishing time. I am seeing DC as a spot to hit soon.
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Saw you out there! I must say I thought you where nuts at first glance as well. But I think you are likely one of bravest tubers around. Bear lake wheather can change for the worst in a minute. +1 to you for braving big blue and finding a way to get out on the pile. The only thing stupid about Saturday was the bite!
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I would be saying the same thing if you decided NOT to fish a perfectly good lake and with perfectly good tune!!!
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Gotta admire your willingness to brave the cold and wind.
Them who scoff and jeers at you they know where they can go. Next time when you hook one of those Macs you wont even notice them.
Funny selfy
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eff those guys. awesome you had the cajohnes (i cant spell) to float tube up there!
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Don't choose to be offended. Too bad the bite was off. it has been great and you can't catch fish on the couch[  ]
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[#0000FF]About the only thing I can find "questionable" about your jaunt was electing to not take sonar. Tough to fish that lake...or any lake...without underwater intel.
Dirty Harry said "A man should know his limitations." That is definitely true of tubers and tooners. As long as you have a good idea of what you are up against (and the weather) it is your call alone as to what you do. Nobody else's business. Just don't take unnecessary chances and trust to luck and Mama Nature. She don't always play fair.
Believe me, I have heard anything and everything wafting clearly across the water over the years. I have been the first tuber on a whole lotta ponds and have usually been the only tuber on others. I have the theory that some anglers voluntarily give up half their brain when they climb in a boat. That leads them to shout those stupid comments like you heard. Or "Yeah, they're probably fun but you can't ketch no fish that way."...or "They got little waders sewed into 'em."...or "He's just walking on the bottom" (in 50 feet of water).
Because I usually have about 5 rods in my vertical rod racks, I hear a lot of comments about that. They loudly wonder why I need so many rods...when they only gots one pole. Duh.
With my advancing age, declining physical ability and (hopefully) improving wisdom I seldom respond to the inane comments. I prefer to remain silent and "maintain my ascendency". I simply allow the unenlightened to wallow in their dumbness. The others in their lives have to endure them full time. I don't.
Probably the funniest thing is when TubeBabe is out with me...with her "tricked out" rig just like mine. Boats go by and you hear "Man, that guy sure has a lot of poles. Oh look, he hooked a fish. Wow, that ain't a guy. That's a woman. Oh $%#@&."
Glad you got out. Always purty up there. Sorry you didn't get more love from the fishies and sorry you got a leak. That cold water inside your waders can ruin a day big time. But happy you made it back in without having to surf to Cisco Beach.
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Good on you! Nothing tried, nothing gained. Its easy to criticism someone else if one sits in a superior position....like in a boat.
I hope you try it again and this time get some fish and post them. Don't give up. Look forward to seeing your post again.
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keep at it my friend there was a day two years ago i was on deer creek with my inflatable pontoon and there were sheets of ice on the Charleston side and in the main body and a few guys had there boats on the ramp and didn't launch because they were afraid of hitting one.... that's the same reason i took my toon and not the boat up. as i trolled in 25-30 feet of water in front of them fishing from the bank i killed the walleye and left with a limit of eyes and sent all the bows back to be caught another day. as i pulled off the lake they were all questions and no more funny remarks or cut downs form them. they were wanting to get a set up like mine and wanted to know how much it would cost them and they were astonished at how i didn't sink and that i was able to get around with my 34# trolling motor at a good speed. if they aren't making fun of you your doing it wrong. that doesn't mean to go out and be stupid and put yourself in a dangerous situation.
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Probably the same people that leave their bird's nest of line and worm containers on the bank.
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Some boaters can be jerks. Just be carefull going that far from shore out on big blue. When the wind comes up that lake can turn into a first class nightmare. Two years ago I was fishing for whitefish along the west side south of the marina in about 12ft of water. The wind came up and we had 3 foot rolers in about 15 min. The engine to my boat had a coil pack crap out (great timing). So I thought no big deal I'll troll in on the electric. The electric could keep the boat into the wind but I wasn't making any head way on the waves and we were getting blown out into the lake. My battery got drained after almost 40 min, so out came the oars. I ended up rowing for about 2 1/2 hrs to make it to shore (thats hard on a fat kid). Then I threw on some waders and waided my boat back to the marina. My boat now has a new four stroke motor. I doubled the size of my electric, and I have a back up battery. Going for unexpected rides across a lake can be terrifiying at best and deadly at worst.
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The boaters may have been rude, but if the wind would have started up (as it often does there), you would have needed them to save your life. If I would have been in my boat, I could not have left you there.
Good luck.
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A guy out trying to enjoy himself deserves better than insults, sounds like you had fun!
Now comes the serious part. I live on Bear Lake and fish it all the time. Had I been one of the ones out there boating by you I certainly would not have lectured, chided, or insulted you in any way. You were doing what you felt comfortable doing and having a good time doing it! I would, however, have pretty much hung around until you were too cold to take it anymore (just in case) because I've seen far to many drownings up here as a result of people being out where it was just too much for them when the 3-4 foot waves hit (and it can happen within 10 minutes). The rockpile is at least 1/4-1/3 of a mile from the nearest shore and in a tube that can take a loooong time to kick back under those circumstances, even on a beautiful day it can change that quick. Given the 35 degree water temps and all I would have thought you were nuts, but I would have admired your determination and realized that sometimes we risk a little to gain a little.[laugh]
Too bad you didn't get a big laker to tow you back to shore, it can be a hoot!
If you are up this way again with your tube, your best bet would be to head over off of Cisco beach and fish exactly how you were doing it in about 35-60 feet of water and your odds will be good. You will also only be about 30 yards from shore should the sneak attack from mother nature catch you off guard.
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I watched you kick all the way out there. We left about the time you got to the big glob of boats on the rock pile. I was wondering it if was cold. It was cold in the boats, of course we did not have the areobic activity of kicking. Good for you to get out how you can, but i would make sure and check the weather report before you go to make sure a big blow is not coming. This is the reason more people do not float tube there. Even the smaller boats can get sunk some days out there. If i see you in a big wind, we will pick you up. Fishing should only get better, hope you pick a better day next time for all the work.
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I think the boaters were more concerned about your safety more so than they were trying to be rude even though it might have seemed like they were being rude! This is a take it for what its worth story but here it goes! 11 years ago i was on bearlake in my 16ft tracker with a 50hp motor i was fishing the rockpile it was eairly feb and there was two other boats also fishing the same spot! A storm rolled over the south mts and i knew to get off the lake. The lake was not glass but it didnt have any waves really to speak of! But i knew it was time to go so i secured my gear and headed to the state marina! From the time i seen the storm to the time i made it to the marina was 15min! And i was riding white caps i to the marina! One of the other boats followed me in. But the third boat was not so lucky and that man drowned! Some ppl might remember that story his name was israelson! So please take it for whatbits worth i am not bashing you or trying to discurage you! I would just incourage you to have a back up plan like having buddys in a boat just incase things take a turn for the worse! Because when ppl talk about bearlake getting nasty in mins they are not joking! 15 min was all it took for a FELLOW fisherman to lose his life! Good luck on bearlake and besafe!
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Thanks for the support everyone. I have grown up around Bear Lake and have done several mile swims and such there and am very aware of how quickly the weather can change. That's why I had neoprene clothes and a love preserver on under my heavy coat and an anchor to keep me teathered if a wind popped up. Also, I had checked 10 different weather sources to make sure that wind and weather would not be a factor, and just in case I had a friend waiting at the cabin to come pick me up in case I did get blown off to another beach. I have a hard time with people assuming that I was just being an idiot out there, when I had agonized over details and made sure I could fish safely. I am however a sucker for a challenge so I can't wait to get out there again and start hooking up. And for any of you that are interested, catching a large fish from a tube or a toon. It's amazing! Hope to see you guys out there. If you see me just holler, I'm a pretty friendly guy as long as you aren't a fish. [  ]
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I appreciate the concern. However hearing several convos word for word I can assure you that there was a lot less concern on their part than you might think. I lost a friend several years ago at the big blue and never take anything for granted up there. That's why, if you look back to last week I was on here asking if anyone would be up there in a boat and if they could help me out, but since I had no offered help and no boat of my own I made sure that I was 100 percent sure that I was twice as prepared as I needed to be. Appreciate the story though. That sort of experience always hits close to home.
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Unfortunately i also know how rude and plane mean ppl can be on bearlake i was just giving the benefit of the dought . It sounds like you forsure have the confidence and determination in yourself to be verysuccesful on the lake ! Hell anyone that will take a floattube out to the rockpile especially this time of the year! I have to tip my cap because younhave bigger chaonies than i do!!! Good luck to you bro and hope you land a huge cut or mac!!!
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