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Float tubes and kick boats

A traditional round float tube.

First, let's talk a little history. Float tube evolution has gone through some pretty dramatic changes since tubes first arrived on the fishing scene some 50 odd years ago. Some of the greatest refinements have taken place only recently.

Today's modern kick boats only vaguely resemble their predecessor, the float tube. Yet in its day, the old fashioned tube seemed to me to be a modern marvel. I recall my admiration as I watched float tubing fly anglers catch fish after fish near the mouth of Indian Creek at Utah's Strawberry Reservoir. Though the craft have changed, their effectiveness hasn't.

Tubes back then were certainly crude by today's standards. The ones I saw were nothing more than a cloth seat, strapped into the middle of a big inner tube. No pockets, back rest or protective covering. I'm not sure where those anglers purchased them, but it probably wasn't locally. Perhaps they were even homemade.

The first one I recall seeing for sale was about 1980 in a local sporting goods store. It was an old gray Fishmaster brand, made out of canvas and vinyl -- simple and rugged. And unlike the previous models, this one had 2 pockets, one on each side. Remembering the success of those Strawberry fly anglers, I knew I had to have it and bought it the next day. I also picked up some strap-on heel flippers that allowed the tuber to "walk" forward through the water. The tube was neat, but the heel flippers were almost worthless. Thinking back I believe my hands would have been more efficient at moving my tube from spot to spot.

A U-tube is easier to get into and out of.

Scuba fins soon replaced the heel flippers and nylon fabric soon replaced canvas. Tubes were beginning to change quickly in the mid-80's, and tubing was beginning to gain in popularity. One of the most cumbersome maneuvers in float tubing has always been stepping into and out of your round tube while wearing fins. Manufacturers soon solved this problem by developing a U shaped tube that was open in the front. Easy in, easy out. And high pressure vehicle inner tubes were replaced by low pressure air bladders. Tubes could now be inflated with your mouth. How convenient. What would they think of next?

Well, next came the kick boat. Which was really a small one man pontoon craft. Very popular now days, kick boats allow you to sit in a hard back chair, at least a foot higher up above the water. Many even come with oars to quickly move you from one place to the next. You can stay warmer, see farther and cast easier than you could in the old style round tubes.

That brings us up to today. Tube fishermen have never had it so good. There are so many choices in stores and catalogs, the main decision is more a question of how much you want to spend, rather than what's available. I have owned and used all different styles of tubes from several different manufacturers. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of each style based upon my own experiences.

Round tubes are the original float tube style, and remain popular with budget-minded fly fishers Most models are very inexpensive, and are a good choice for beginning tubers. Their main drawback is the cumbersome inconvenience of climbing into and out of a round tube, while wearing fins. They also set you lower down into the water. With more body exposed to the surrounding cold lake water, round boaters generally have a harder time staying warm in Spring and Fall, prime times for big fish. On the flip side, with a low center of gravity, I'm not sure it's humanly possible to tip one over while sitting in it on a lake. They are extremely stable. Worth noting is that ound tubes have a crotch strap with a release buckle that runs from the seat to the tube. Once snapped in, there is no way you can wiggle out of your seat and tube, no matter how hard you try. I've chosen this style of tube for my younger children just getting started in the sport. Once snapped in, kids can't come out unless they purposely un-snap the buckle. That's great peace of mind for dad.

U-shaped tubes offer all the same advantages and disadvantages that round tubes do with one major exception. Because it is shaped in a U, the tube is much easier to get into and out of. Great for adults, not necessarily an advantage with kids.

A kickboat with either fins or oars.

Pontoon style kick boats are the most popular and the most expensive. They are comfortable to sit in, warmer because they set you up higher out of the water, and offer easy-in, easy-out seat access. Most come with large pockets and lots of storage space. They are wide and stable. But if you fall asleep in one, on some warm summer afternoon, you could easily fall over board. It's not that it would necessarily prove fatal. But I'm confident you wouldn't want to do it twice. They come in both framed and unframed variety. Unframed are light and something of a hybrid between a U tube and a kick boat. Framed weigh more than twice as much, are built to be very sturdy and generally have oars. When fitted with oars, most are also suitable for river fishing.

One not-so-obvious downside to pontoon style kick boats is when you sit up higher, you can really get knocked around by the wind. A major inconvenience when attempting to troll. It's even worse if attempting to remain stationary. If you decide on a framed kick boat with oars, don't make the mistake of assuming that oars make fins unnecessary. Fins allow you to move with your feet, while you fish with your hands. The other way around obviously won't work.

Life jackets are a contentious issue with many tubers. Life jacket laws vary widely from state to state concerning float tubes and can be confusing. As an example, I know of one state that requires life jackets to be worn if your kick boat uses oars. If you remove the oars, from the very same kick boat, you don't need a life jacket. Another state requires life jackets in a kick boat, but not in a round tube. Confused? The best rule of thumb, regardless of state laws, is to wear a life jacket. Especially in cold water. Or at least have one with you, strapped to the side of your tube. Some styles of life jackets are much more comfortable in a tube than others. Choose one that won't kink your neck, for that's been my biggest complaint wearing life jackets in a tube.

One last thought is that any style tube is superior to no tube at all. Tubing makes you "mobile, agile and hostile" to fish. You'll cover more area. Spend less time casting, more time with your fly in the water. And you'll never have to concern yourself with shoreline brush snagging your back cast Put simply, on small lakes and reservoirs, float tubes and kick boats will make you a more successful fisherman.