09-20-2003, 10:11 PM
[cool]Hey, Bro, I lived in Utah and fished those mack lakes in a float tube. Let's see, there's Bear Lake, The Gorge, and Fish Lake for decent macks...by US standards. All of them can be effectively fished from tubes. You can't troll with a downrigger, but you can darn sure put a hurtin' on them with vertical jigging techniques. And, you can land the biggest mack that grows in Utah from a tube. They have taken them up to 50 pounds in several of the waters in Canada and the Northwest Territories.
Of course, in Utah you may be fishing over 80 feet deep for macks, whereas in the frigid waters of the FAR NORTH, they can be taken in shallow water almost all year. Hooked straight down in deep water, you will have a slugfest on your hands with a big one. But, rather than taking off on long blistering runs, they tend to just keep the line over their shoulder and keep pulling back toward the bottom. The point is that with good rod, reel and line...and some stamina...you can stay in the game.
I have never hung any really big macks from a tube...but I usually prefer to fish for smaller and more active fish, on light to medium tackle. Just a personal preference. I have taken a few pups and a couple over 10, but again, you will not catch big fish on every trip. If you spent enough time on the right waters...fishing the right way...you would definitely score a biggun or two.
There was mention of weather. That is probably a bigger concern than being towed far offshore. Always pay attention to the weather whenever you go forth upon the waters. And, the bigger the lake, the more attention should be paid to the weather forecast. I have known guys that got blown clear across big lakes and had to hitch a ride back when the weather laid down. If you get wet and cold in the process, that could be life threatening as well as embarrassing.
But, if your goal is to do hand to fin combat with a big mack, go for it. Good places for tubin' are off Cisco Beach in Bear Lake, when the macks are close enough in. And, Antelope Flats area has been known to be kind to float tube mackers on the Gorge. In Fish Lake, first get some perch to decorate your hooks and then go out to where the macks and splake are, to vertical jig them.
That suggests a thought. Do you have sonar on your tube. If not, you will automatically limit yourself to the "chuck and chance it" category. That is not the way to score on those hard to find and finicky fish. You have to stay in high percentage water. They are hard enough to catch, but you can't catch them where they ain't.
Don't listen to the detractors. But do listen to your inner voice of common sense.
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Of course, in Utah you may be fishing over 80 feet deep for macks, whereas in the frigid waters of the FAR NORTH, they can be taken in shallow water almost all year. Hooked straight down in deep water, you will have a slugfest on your hands with a big one. But, rather than taking off on long blistering runs, they tend to just keep the line over their shoulder and keep pulling back toward the bottom. The point is that with good rod, reel and line...and some stamina...you can stay in the game.
I have never hung any really big macks from a tube...but I usually prefer to fish for smaller and more active fish, on light to medium tackle. Just a personal preference. I have taken a few pups and a couple over 10, but again, you will not catch big fish on every trip. If you spent enough time on the right waters...fishing the right way...you would definitely score a biggun or two.
There was mention of weather. That is probably a bigger concern than being towed far offshore. Always pay attention to the weather whenever you go forth upon the waters. And, the bigger the lake, the more attention should be paid to the weather forecast. I have known guys that got blown clear across big lakes and had to hitch a ride back when the weather laid down. If you get wet and cold in the process, that could be life threatening as well as embarrassing.
But, if your goal is to do hand to fin combat with a big mack, go for it. Good places for tubin' are off Cisco Beach in Bear Lake, when the macks are close enough in. And, Antelope Flats area has been known to be kind to float tube mackers on the Gorge. In Fish Lake, first get some perch to decorate your hooks and then go out to where the macks and splake are, to vertical jig them.
That suggests a thought. Do you have sonar on your tube. If not, you will automatically limit yourself to the "chuck and chance it" category. That is not the way to score on those hard to find and finicky fish. You have to stay in high percentage water. They are hard enough to catch, but you can't catch them where they ain't.
Don't listen to the detractors. But do listen to your inner voice of common sense.
[signature]