float-tube, pontoon ,or small boat????

invicta

For small mountain lake, good fishing, hard to get at. problem is from mid may reeds make it unfishable from shore. What are your thoughts on either or??

zziplex

Kayak?

bitemybanger

100% a float tube. I'll be dusting the cobwebs off mine for some summer piking.
Most lakes I fish would be unfishable from the bank, best craic ye can have with your "waders" on

invicta

how safe is float tube? non swimmer in the middle of nowhere(.Even with life jacket or vest.:)

SeaFields

invicta wrote: »

how safe is float tube? non swimmer in the middle of nowhere(.Even with life jacket or vest.:)

Big no no in my opinion. Recipe for disaster - alone, not being able to swim, mountain lake. The winds can be very strange in mountain lakes and blow up a gale out of no where. Stick to the bank invicta unless you can get somebody up there with you.

coolwings

Can't swim? No big deal.
Either give up fishing, or ...... use the next few weeks to learn in evenings at the local municipal pool?
Well worth doing, and you'll get fitter while you learn. It's all positive!

On topic: I vote for the tube.
Kayaks will draw you into trolling since they drift complicated for fly fishing.
Pontoons, very nice, go further than a tube. But pontoons are heavier to carry in away from road access, and not as windproof as a float tube.
On a big water with lowish wind, the 'toon gets the edge.

In my signature there is a link to pretty thorough float tubing info.

bitemybanger

SeaFields wrote: »

Big no no in my opinion. Recipe for disaster - alone, not being able to swim, mountain lake. The winds can be very strange in mountain lakes and blow up a gale out of no where. Stick to the bank invicta unless you can get somebody up there with you.

Float tubing anywhere alone is a no no.
They are very safe tho, even a puncture (which I've experienced) they always hold more than enough air to stay afloat and most have more than one air compartment.
Hmmm, Might even head out Sunday on mine.

coolwings

bitemybanger wrote: »

Float tubing anywhere alone is a no no.
....

It's a sensible advice to give.
Though I have to admit I always tube alone, and have for years.
Everything is organised and in it's place, and everything has a failsafe backup in place too.
Small watercraft safety practise must be observed.
I'm firmly of the view tubes are more safe than small open boats. The tubes can not be swamped, are virtually uncapsizable, and don't shatter and crack when a rock is bumped, all of these are weaknesses in hardhulled boats of small size.
But newbies must learn the tricks and pitfalls without risk taking.

bitemybanger

coolwings wrote: »

It's a sensible advice to give.
Though I have to admit I always tube alone, and have for years.
Everything is organised and in it's place, and everything has a failsafe backup in place too.
Small watercraft safety practise must be observed.
I'm firmly of the view tubes are more safe than small open boats. The tubes can not be swamped, are virtually uncapsizable, and don't shatter and crack when a rock is bumped, all of these are weaknesses in hardhulled boats of small size.
But newbies must learn the tricks and pitfalls without risk taking.

Can't disagree with any of that, it's more of a comfort thing for me.
Myself and my tube mate:D would head out and fish different areas but would always be in sight of each other, we use two way radios too, more for the craic than anything else.
By far my favorite way to fish.

ironbluedun

i have seen a few people out in pontoons and kyaks on larger loughs in recent years, nearly always in the evenings dryfly fishing during calm summer conditions and generally staying close to the shore. that's probably where they excel, where there is little or no wind. i have never tried them but often thought about trying them in suitable conditions. i think the pontoon looks more stable to me rather than the kyak. I cant recall seeing too many in float tubes, but that's probably just to do with the loughs i normally fish.

on the face of it i would opt for the pontoon in calm conditions only.

coolwings

bitemybanger wrote: »

...By far my favorite way to fish.

Same here.

invicta

Thanks for the feedback lads.Must try to convince one or two of the lads to purchase too!That looks like my best option, next question,which tube??? I was looking at an outcast fatcat. but seems expensive. Then what price safety.? Transport not a problem as lake is accessible by quad.

aidanf

Was just looking at a review of the super fat-cat.

"A similar design can be found in a smaller lighter version...the Original Fat Cat. Interestingly the smaller version features two independent pontoons and two air bladders, while the Super Fat Cat has a very aerodynamic design that makes use of a single air bladder."

I don't know much about float-tubes but if I was getting one I'd make sure it has more than one air bladder.

bitemybanger

invicta wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback lads.Must try to convince one or two of the lads to purchase too!That looks like my best option, next question,which tube??? I was looking at an outcast fatcat. but seems expensive. Then what price safety.? Transport not a problem as lake is accessible by quad.

Depends on how much you have to spend and what you intend to use it for.
I have the Round Boat made by the creek company.
Its very sturdy and safe and has loads of pockets but I think it's more suitable for fly fishing as the tube is exatly that... A tube so it surrounds you, not ideal when trying to land a thrashing pike with lures or treble hooks dangling from it's mouth.
If I was to get another one I would get a V or U shaped tube with an open front.
There are a couple for sale on Adverts.ie including a new Round Boat with fins and pump for €100.

Superdaddy

Angling Kayak is the way to go, check out this website www.irishkayakangling.com
The modern fishing kayak is a super stable craft and can handle all conditions that a tradional lake boat can and believe it or not you are safer on a kayak when properly kitted out. The lads in the forum will sort ye out, a great bunch of lads will kit you out to let you try the sport before you spend a cent. They have regular meets all over Ireland, most of the fishing is at sea but they also fish freshwater lakes and rivers.

rpmcmurphy

The advice about learning to swim is excellent advice. I asked Coolwings a similar question when I was new to tubing and took the plunge (no pun intended ) and learned to swim as a result of it. I unfortunately have to tube alone, which i hate as I can never get anyone to accompany me. So if the option is there, always bring a colleague.

beer enigma

I was float tubing in the UK last year & unbeknown to me my smelts had come in contact with the water leaving a slick behind me.....it was only when a pike starting circling me that I realised :eek:

Think Jaws on a budget film basis lol

ironbluedun

Superdaddy wrote: »

The modern fishing kayak is a super stable craft and can handle all conditions that a tradional lake boat can and believe it or not you are safer on a kayak when properly kitted out.

Is a kayak really safer than a 19 foot lake boat?

coolwings

I would think that a kayak angler is more likely to dress for the water temperatures, a tube angler in-between, and a boat angler is more likely to dress for the air temperatures.

When things don't work out as planned it will be the water temperatures we have to survive.

All the rest is horses for courses and you set your own preferences. But smaller water craft require more dicipline in their use.
Careless anglers in a lake boat might take longer to get themselves in serious trouble.

coolwings

Andip wrote: »

I was float tubing in the UK last year & unbeknown to me my smelts had come in contact with the water leaving a slick behind me.....it was only when a pike starting circling me that I realised :eek:

Think Jaws on a budget film basis lol

Absolutely hilarious!

Bruthal

Superdaddy wrote: »

Angling Kayak is the way to go, check out this website www.irishkayakangling.com
The modern fishing kayak is a super stable craft and can handle all conditions that a tradional lake boat can and believe it or not you are safer on a kayak when properly kitted out. The lads in the forum will sort ye out, a great bunch of lads will kit you out to let you try the sport before you spend a cent. They have regular meets all over Ireland, most of the fishing is at sea but they also fish freshwater lakes and rivers.

I think your link needs to be edited, probably forgot to remove the boards.ie bit from within the brackets of the URL thing.

coolwings

One thing neither a float tube, a pontoon boat or a kayak can do is match a lake boat for horsepower, the power is purchased in the filling station so it's dear but easy got. So if you are portly type and need to go 2 miles upwind to get home, a petrol engine is the one for you!

Both kayaks and tubes are self powered so we tend to assume a little fitness, and we also happen to get fitter by fishing from them which is a nice bonus. They take more time to cover distance, and have less space inside for gear addicts.

Against that boat anglers write off a larger radius of water around their boat without realising it. In short fish are aware of boats even well managed ones, and the more wary fish steer clear. For "wary" you can substitute the word big.
If you require proof of this I ask you to recall the last time you were peacefully bank fishing, and a boat motored by within 100 metres. Recall your feelings at that time. Did you feel your chances of catching fish got better or worse after the boat passed by? ... and that was 100 metres away ....
Now substitute a rowed boat - for the quiet bank angler it is not a lot better. The water is obviously disturbed and will take 15 minutes or more to recover.

Tubes, toons and kayaks are simply a more stealthy form of fishing, with some power limitations, which should be weighed against their extra effectiveness in fishing when one is deciding what is most suitable for the lake/day/weather/person.
The best choice is not the same for all. With watercraft it depends on the user's needs and abilities.

the_syco

bitemybanger wrote: »

100% a float tube. I'll be dusting the cobwebs off mine for some summer piking.
Most lakes I fish would be unfishable from the bank, best craic ye can have with your "waders" on

Waders + walking stick to look for holes to not step into.

coolwings wrote: »

In my signature there is a link to pretty thorough float tubing info.

Wow. Never saw one of them before: they do look cool. Question though. If you hook a big fish, will they bring you for a trip around the lake?

They look very cool, though. How much would a basic one be?

ironbluedun

coolwings wrote: »

One thing neither a float tube, a pontoon boat or a kayak can do is match a lake boat for horsepower, the power is purchased in the filling station so it's dear but easy got. So if you are portly type and need to go 2 miles upwind to get home, a petrol engine is the one for you!

some pontoons can accept electric motors and this might be a good option.

ironbluedun

coolwings wrote: »

Against that boat anglers write off a larger radius of water around their boat without realising it. In short fish are aware of boats even well managed ones, and the more wary fish steer clear. For "wary" you can substitute the word big.

true to a certain extent, trout are wary of boats and a sloppy approach in a boat is a bad thing, and its sooooo common to see people tearing around the lake like they are in some form of watery grand prix.........:mad:

with a very careful approach larger trout will come close, many times fish are caught on the lift as the flies approach the boat;) especially when fishing deep or sub-surface.

coolwings

Big ones are very wary.
I have watched them dive to the bottom when touched by the sonar beam on hundreds of occasions.

ironbluedun

coolwings wrote: »

Big ones are very wary.
I have watched them dive to the bottom when touched by the sonar beam on hundreds of occasions.

is that a sonar beam from a fish-finder? if so interesting the way they can feel it.

coolwings

Yes.
The fish arch looks like a comma with the right hand side descending.
A long time ago I learned to turn the "gain" down and not leave it hammering away with enough power for 500 feet of water.

You can feel the pulses yourself, if you put your hand on the transducer. It feels like there is a clock ticking inside .....

Superdaddy

ironbluedun wrote: »

Is a kayak really safer than a 19 foot lake boat?

coolwings wrote: »

I would think that a kayak angler is more likely to dress for the water temperatures, a tube angler in-between, and a boat angler is more likely to dress for the air temperatures.

When things don't work out as planned it will be the water temperatures we have to survive.

All the rest is horses for courses and you set your own preferences. But smaller water craft require more dicipline in their use.
Careless anglers in a lake boat might take longer to get themselves in serious trouble.

Sorry haven't been online in a while
Very well put Coolwings. Kayakers usually wear a drysuit and PFD, it is very easy to get back on a kayak if you fall off but it is next to impossible to get back on a boat without help, this is where people usually die and its usually from hypothermia not drowning. An angling kayak will ride any wave that a 19foot boat will handle. They are super stable, self bailing, the worst a wave can do is sweep you off it and roll the kayak, but it's no problem flipping it and getting back on. I'm at it nearly 4 years and i've never fallen off yet and i've faced large Atlantic swells, tidal overflows and surf beaches with no problems.

robbie7730 wrote: »

I think your link needs to be edited, probably forgot to remove the boards.ie bit from within the brackets of the URL thing.

Thanks, not sure what happened, here it is again http://www.irishkayakangling.com

coolwings wrote: »

One thing neither a float tube, a pontoon boat or a kayak can do is match a lake boat for horsepower, the power is purchased in the filling station so it's dear but easy got. So if you are portly type and need to go 2 miles upwind to get home, a petrol engine is the one for you!

Both kayaks and tubes are self powered so we tend to assume a little fitness, and we also happen to get fitter by fishing from them which is a nice bonus. They take more time to cover distance, and have less space inside for gear addicts.

Against that boat anglers write off a larger radius of water around their boat without realising it. In short fish are aware of boats even well managed ones, and the more wary fish steer clear. For "wary" you can substitute the word big.
If you require proof of this I ask you to recall the last time you were peacefully bank fishing, and a boat motored by within 100 metres. Recall your feelings at that time. Did you feel your chances of catching fish got better or worse after the boat passed by? ... and that was 100 metres away ....
Now substitute a rowed boat - for the quiet bank angler it is not a lot better. The water is obviously disturbed and will take 15 minutes or more to recover.

Tubes, toons and kayaks are simply a more stealthy form of fishing, with some power limitations, which should be weighed against their extra effectiveness in fishing when one is deciding what is most suitable for the lake/day/weather/person.
The best choice is not the same for all. With watercraft it depends on the user's needs and abilities.

One of the lads has an electric motor fitted to his kayak like a rudder, he gets 10hrs trolling with it on a single charge. Great for following rising trout on the lakes and for fishing close to rocky shores for Bass. You steer with your foot peddles, hands free control:) It's one of these http://www.bassyaks.com/index.html

This is it..