Hi All,

Just thought I would share my first Float Tubing adventure with you all.

I purchased a shakey tube over the winter and managed to get santa to bring me fins and a lifejacket, had some 5mm waders so was all set for the start of 2010.

Well I took the plunge last week and launched the shakey for its first trip, Loch Chon, Aberfoyle, nice calm day, picked a quiet parking area got the gear ready, blew up the tube, started of by mouth and topped up by hand pump, I use a cheapo plasting thingy for blowing up ballons, loaded up the pockets with flies, leader, spare reel etc, (note to self remember my lunch) donned waders, jacket, lifejacket etc and headed for the shore, started putting on flippers and then the tourists arrive via minibus, murphy again.... found it quite easy to "get aboard" without falling over, so of I went not much wind and a nice sunny day...... had a great time was out on the water for more than four hours managed to catch, and release 4 broonies.

Been out twice since, with various degrees of success and different weather, rather surprised that my old legs have held up, no aches or pains at all, must be all the walking to and from the pub!!!! last outing two sessions of 3-4 hours and quite windy.

Looks like thats me hooked on the tube.

Will have to maybe think about a fins upgrade as I only have the small tube fins and find moving quite slow...... also do any of you tubers use a drogue? if so what size, style etc....

All I need now is for the water to warm up a wee bit so the fish become more active...

Any other Float Tubers in the Central belt of Scotland fancy a day out?

Tight lines all.

Dunk

P.S. Thanks to all who contribute to this site, all the tips and hints certainly helped get me afloat.

Good for you Dunk!! Sorry, not in Scotland so I can't join you but just wanted to say that getting a new set of larger fins is a very good idea as they give better control and speed when you need it. I'd also suggest getting divers boots, the simple zip up ones as the reduced weight saves on energy. Most decent fins will fit onto these with a simple quick release mechanism making it easier to get in and out of the water.

Isn't it funny how people react to somebody in a tube? The looks you get are priceless and that's part of the fun for me. Even other anglers seem to find it unusual and I'm constantly surprised by the numbers who have never seen or heard of tubing before.

Best of luck in the future!

Welcome to the brother hood Only way to fish ! I see your in my neck of the woods PM me i usally tube once or twice a week

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Englander

"Barbless since 2008"

Vision GT Four catapult 9' 6#
Vision GT Four SW 9' 9#
Vision 3 Zone 9' 5#
Vision Cult 9' 3#
Shakespeare Trion 9' 5/6#
Cortland Endurance 9' 6#
Shakespeare Expedition float tube
Vosseler DC3 reel
Okuma Helios 8/9 reel
Greys G series 3/4 reel
Snowbee Geo 3/4 reel

Me too!

Having recovered from some surgery I've just managed two trips this season, both in my recently acquired float tube. First trip to Ravensthorpe and the second yesterday to Elinor.

I can honestly say that it's been a very long time since I had so much fun with my trousers on. Something you learn very quickly with tubing is the need to be organised ... landing, dispatching, bagging a fish .... a place for everything and everything in its place is a good mantra ... it's good to know where your droppers are and a tube is not the place for yards of 'unmanaged' line.

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[I]"I still don't know why I fish or why other men fish, except that we like it and it makes us think and feel."[/I] Roderick L Haig-Brown

[url]www.wildfly.net[/url]

[url]http://www.gameanglinginstructors.co.uk/[/url]

Today was the first time I have used my float tube I was up at The New Howwood fishery went out with Big Chris from the forum it was great fun hooked a big fish and got pulled all over the place looking forward to the better weather

Tam

Leaving tomorrow for a week in Sutherland where I will do some float tubing on Little Loch Shin for the wild Browns cannot wait. Also interested to see that Howwood allows float tubes used to fish here often but have only been out once since the takeover and had an excellent days fishing.