Color of tube

[macfly55]

.. here is a bit of background.. I was at a local Sport Chalet last night and found a fish cat 4 for $150.00. From what I remembered I thought that was a good price but to double check I have been doing some on line comparison shopping..

.. during my search I found several site with the fish cat 4 deluxe (a little more money) in a safety orange color.. my first thought was that its color would solve any federal, state, and local requirements for safety while tubing.. then I had another thought.. may sound silly but Im gonna ask the experts anyway..

most of the models you see are darker in color.. yet models like the hc3 are a bright red.. this tube is a bright orange.. .. so my question is ..

[font "Trebuchet MS"][black][size 3][#800000]does the color of the tube have any adverse affects on catching fish..[/#800000] [/size][/black][/font]
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[black]MacFly [cool][/black]
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[Saberfish]

[black][size 3]Color of a device should make no difference to the fish.[/size][/black]
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[size 3]If they can tolerate the kicking of feet, they would not notice color of the craft. The fish is much more sensitive to it's lateral line than it's eye sight.[/size]
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[size 3]However, the colors that you are looking at, could be a very good safety feature. A tuber on the water is a small target to see for a speeding boat.[/size]
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[macfly55]

...like I said the safety idea is the first thing that came to my mind.. instead of being a darker color that tends to blend in with the water and horizon I would think a safety orange colored one should stand out for the most part..

MacFly
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[AdictedBassTard]

I agree with Sabre. I doubt color has anything to do with fish, at least definitely not bass or pan fish.
I had a green FC4 Deluxe before my mustard Fat Cat and the fishing stats have basically been the same.
My wife has a green fc4 deluxe. Sometimes she out fishes me and sometimes I her .... I honestly believe fish are impervious to the color of your vessel.

-ABT
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[macfly55]

...that would make sense to me...especially the safety factor of this color..

..I have seen several discussions on the subject of what colors a fish may or may not see.. but those discussions center primarily colors under water.. I have also seen discussions on colors you wear while on the shore and what, if any of those colors, the fish may or may not see.. so in my newbie mind [angelic] I am curious what colors on top of the water may or may not affect fish activity...

MacFly [cool]
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[flygoddess]

I agree that the color won't matter to fish unless maybe they are right under you.
Most Boats or Tubes however have a Black or a Neutral colored bottom.
I know Scadden went bright red on the H3 for the safety factor plus great pictures in white waters.

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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I'll pretty much echo what the others have said...better for safety and no noticeable negative affect on the fishies. I have fished out of just about every color on the market. The bright colors do help the power squadron find you easier, so they can use you as a racing pylon.[/#0000ff]
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[macfly55]

hmm racing pylon huh..maybe we should go back to that post with the big boats and the 50 cal machine guns etc.. [sly]

... I figure .. for the extra 40 or so dollars it would be worth it to get a brighter colored one..

.. on the other hand.. if I should happen to get skunked I can always blame it on the bright color of the tube.. []

MacFly [cool]
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[Illinoisgiller]

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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Most of the extra $$$ for the Deluxe is for the inflatable seat. Save your money and put it into a bigger satellite dish or BBQ.[/#0000ff]
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[macfly55]

if I do that I wont have room for the freezer... so many things to add to the tube.. so little room to do it.. [sly]

MacFly [cool]
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[Illinoisgiller]

Made a mistake on my reply earlier and it didn't show the print. Sorry for my limited computer skils.
Last year I had the chance to purchase an "on special' Outcast Fat Cat in yellow only. I was assured by the members that color would not affect fishing and found that to be the case.
Since I do the vast majority of my fishing in standing timber and small lakes, I would rather have a standing timber camo pattern. [] Tough to melt into the background when the fishing is good sitting in a bright yellow tube. []
I actually enjoy my Fish Cat 4s in their blue color more, but the sun heats them a bit faster.
If you fish open water a lot like some on here, I would think that any loud color would be advisable to avoid the "hey, look at me " crowd.
Whatever tube you choose for your own reason, I'm betting you will have many pleasant memories from fishing in it. Mike
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[IrishFloatTube]

In the past I have learned that the very best fishing results are (partially) a result of keeping a low profile.

I don't want the fish to see me. They don't like being pulled out of the water. They move away or dive to deeper depths to feel secure. Some good advice I received as a young angler was to imagine every fish I angled for was armed with a gun, and would use it if an opportunity presented itself. Stalking is very effective, and being in open water does not change that principle, it makes it more difficult, but more necessary than ever to "try to make yourself seem small".

I don't want boaters to see me. I am an attractive "sight" and they close in rapidly. I don't want other anglers to see me catching. They leave litter.

Study your disturbence. When your fishy prey are disturbed by you, the "effective taking zone" may extend from lure touchdown, to 20-30 feet away ... a band of distance limited at the far end by your casting ability, and at the near end by the fear you instill in fish who see/hear/feel your presence.

You can't move the far edge of "the taking zone band", but by stealth you can move it's near edge ... towards you, and making the "taking zone" wider.
The biggest indicator you are doing everything right is getting takes at all distances, including right up to your rod tip. When a following fish is willing to take a lure within a rodlength "your personal taking zone" is maximizes and life is good. [cool]


So after learning the "rules of the game" all of my recent tubes have been camo, clothing is neutral/camo, if I have a white shirt my jacket is zipped up to hide it and if I knew how to become invisible I would!

Here is a humourous example of what we anglers should strive for ....
[url "http://www.theonion.com/content/video/ninja_parade_slips_through_town"]Video Ninja Parade Slips Through Town Unnoticed ! [/url][]

Maybe I should write the first book on Ninja Angling Technique ? [sly]
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[macfly55]

...as I read the replies here I am convincing myself to hold off for Santa.. lol. I have my maiden tube trip set up for the 18th and then will see how things go from there.. I have a feeling I may delay a bit and make sure and make a good purchase on a good product but have as strong a feeling that it wont take long before I decide to buy a tube.. maybe when that day comes Ill shanghai tn2 and go to a local store and pick it up then.. []

MacFly [cool]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]As with most elements of fishing, one cannot overgeneralize and be right 100 percent of the time. The occasional need for "ninja" tactics is subject to different waters, different species and different conditions on different days.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I too have had times when the fish were super sensitive and would "flush" well ahead of my approaching craft. And, in most cases, we will usually catch more fish with the "fine and far off" stealth mode. Fish that have not been alerted to the approach of a potential predator are more likely to accept whatever it is that you are casting in their direction.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]However, the reverse situation can also be true. I have had many "close encounters" with fish while making no effort to be especially quite and sneaky. This includes watching fish take my lure or bait as I drop it straight down to them in very clear water. They sometimes seem to care not about me or my silly floatation system. And, to take it to the extreme, there have been times whe I have observed fish schooling in the shade cast by my tube on bright sunny days.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In short, I believe the actions and reactions of fish...pertaining to float tube stealth...are as dependent upon the mood of the fish and other factors as they are upon the color of one's ride.[/#0000ff]
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[IrishFloatTube]

I suspect the low visibility approach pays off mainly by not attracting anglers and boaters. A camo tube fits in with that because I can usually do better without their disturbances.

I too have occasionally noticed fish come in ridiculously close, trout rise so near it wasn't practical to fish for them, but easier to try for more distant ones!

The worst tube caused disturbance I know is (also not colour related) when you tube into a bay which is both shallow and flat calm, during bright sunshine.
A gentle bow wave precedes the tube and the refraction of the sunlight through the (small) but very smooth wave causes a band of shadow to zoom across the lakebottom. The shadow darkens the bottom, and also suspended algae in the water up to the surface (the bottom of your bow-wave). It looks like a moving wall of darkness, and many species get back to the deeps fast when they see it coming.

One time the sharp vee bow of a boat wins out every time. []
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[tubeN2]

Shanghai is an understatement. I will bring 3 different models for you to play with. 2 of them are ideal in the majority of weather conditions. 1 is not for wind.

You will get to try before you buy. Not many people get that chance.[cool]
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[macfly55]

..... now that sounds like a plan Stan.. all I have to do now is figure out which rods and reels to bring.. just toooooooooooo many choices for this old mind to wrap around.. [sly]

MacFly [cool]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]When people ask me if I have trouble making decisions, I just say "Welllllll, yes and no."[/#0000ff]
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[macfly55]

...[sly] .. you forgot the maybe part..

MacFly [cool]
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