# Any float tubers here?



## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

I just ordered me a nice one today along with fins and also a anchor.


----------



## LittleMiamiJeff (Oct 1, 2005)

Isn't a tuber something like a potatoe? Potato?  
Have fun, count your toes every time you get out, though.
LOL
LMJeff


----------



## Steel Cranium (Aug 22, 2005)

Yep. Try steelheading from a float tube for an interesting experience. A big one will take you for a ride.


----------



## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

Man that does sound like fun. I can't wait to hook into something big.


----------



## sgofish (Apr 12, 2004)

Some of those big catfish in AEP can get you to make a wake too!!!


----------



## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

Yea AEP is one of the spots I am for sure going to be checking out this year. I aint ever been there, nor know where it is. But I sure will soon enough.


----------



## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

AEP is the best place for belly boats. The best thing to do is get a battery pump and pack in your tube in a back pack and blow it up by the lake you want to fish. You need to get off the beaten path to get to the great fishing and there is no way you can pack in a tube that is blown up without tearing it up. I caught a 22.5" large mouth from my tube at AEP and it was a blast! Lots of nice big gills in there too. What kind of tube did you get?


----------



## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

twistertail said:


> AEP is the best place for belly boats. The best thing to do is get a battery pump and pack in your tube in a back pack and blow it up by the lake you want to fish. You need to get off the beaten path to get to the great fishing and there is no way you can pack in a tube that is blown up without tearing it up. I caught a 22.5" large mouth from my tube at AEP and it was a blast! Lots of nice big gills in there too. What kind of tube did you get?


Click on this link and it will tell you everything that I got http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41828 . A pump is the only thing I have left to get. I noticed lastnight when looking, that it didn't say anything about sending a pump. But I am waiting until I get my tube first to see if I even need to buy a pump. But if I do, I will just settle for a manual double action pump. It fills with air in both directions (when pressing pump handle in and when pulling out). Plus this kind of pump would be lighter, and thats one thing I am shooting for. My anchor is only 1LB. 
 I want to also get me a digital camera soon.


----------



## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

You will certainly need a pump and the 2 way pumps are the way to go. I have one like this http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3561426 and it only take a few minutes to pump up but can not get enough pressure for my tube. I have a round boat that has a rubber inner tube so it takes a lot of pressure to infate because of the stretch of the tube, i think your air bladder will be plastic and you wont need the extra pressure because there is hardly any stretch to them. I have one of those small anchors also but have never needed it, but they are kinda cool.


----------



## sgofish (Apr 12, 2004)

I second the double action pump. I too have the older round skin with an inner tube. After going through the same thing with under inflation, I found that a piece of fuel line hose fits tightly over the valve stem and the narrow nozzle of the pump. You have to be quick to get the valve in place but a little over-inflation will do the trick. I have suffered too many leaks over the years from taking an inflated tube through the woods. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.


----------



## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

I have one of these pumps and it works great. http://motorcyclecruiser.com/accessoriesandgear/airmaneval/

It will fully pump up my tube on a full charge in about 6 or 7 minutes so by the time I have my rods ready to go and my flippers on my tube is pumped up and ready to go. Works great!


----------



## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

I checked on ebay and there are a few of these pumps brand new for 30 bucks, thats a great deal. Mine were about 70 bucks when I got them.


----------



## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

twistertail said:


> I have one of these pumps and it works great. http://motorcyclecruiser.com/accessoriesandgear/airmaneval/
> 
> It will fully pump up my tube on a full charge in about 6 or 7 minutes so by the time I have my rods ready to go and my flippers on my tube is pumped up and ready to go. Works great!


Great pump, but that is exactually what I am trying to stay away from. It is battery operated and can't get wet. And thats not to mention the whole weight issue. I want as light as I can find. The yellow one you showed on the first page of this thread is what I am looking for. I think this is the one I will get http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...tube&noImage=0&returnPage=search-results1.jsp but I will also check out wal-mart first to see what all they have.


----------



## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

I have seen the one at Cabelas and I think its just about the same as the cheaper one from Wal Mart. The battery one is a little heavier but much smaller so its kind of a trade off. My tube has a nice big pocket in the back that my back pack fits in with the pump so I have never had a problem getting it wet. I have used both and both work fine but I like the battery cause I can get more pressure into my tube but I dont think you will have to worry about the pressure as much because of the tube you got. I'm sure you will love using it, they are a blast. I would also get a rod holder. I have one that straps on the side and really like it.


----------



## Header (Apr 14, 2004)

I'm a newbie to the belly boat world this year. Got the $99. u-boat w/flippers from Calbela's last year and the chest 3.5m neophrean(sp) waders for Christmas and waiting to go to AEP. I've been there on the bike a few times but never camped, until this year want to hit it a few times. The problem was the wife, I'm wondering if she woould like it to just stay at the camper while I go wet the line. We've talked and she said she would like the quiet and take some reading material. There we go. Seems like a good idea to back pack the tube in and blow it up at the ponds. I do have a pack pack rack. What do you do with your equipment while your tubing, just leave it on the bank? No one bothers it hopefully?


----------



## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

What equipment are you talking about? I plan on having all mine on my boat. Unless you are talking stuff like tent and sleeping bags. I guess put it in the car (this coming from somebody that has yet to go here), or hide it in the woods by the ponds I would be fishing. Or just set up camp at the pondside and fish it all the while having the camp in site (again this coming from somebody that has no clue what this place is like).


----------



## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

All of my stuff fits in the pocket on the back of my tube so I dont have to leave anything on the shore. I fish through one lake get out at the other end and walk down to the next one. If you are hiking in to a place where you need to take you tube in by backpack I dont think you would have a problem leaving some stuff on the shore if you need to. There has only been one time that I have seen some one back in the lakes that I fish.


----------



## Header (Apr 14, 2004)

Ya sure, rod&reel I'm gonna backpack my camper and all the camping stuff to each pond, thanks man. The extra fishing gear if any, backpack frame, tube air pump, maybe lunch & drinks. What do you do with these items while your on each pond.


----------



## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

Well I wouldn't have a camper, I would have a tent and sleeping bag. These are the items I would leave in the car or hide in the woods near where I was fishing. If I had any extra fishing gear it would be just that "extra" so it would stay in the car unless for some reason I needed it (like a pole breaking). If I had a backpack frame, it would be for the tent and sleeping bag, so it would follow them items. Pump, food, and drinks would all be on my float tube with me. If I had a big cooler of food, It too would follow the tent and sleeping bag. I aint big on bringing alot with me. Maybe thats why it seems so simple to me. Oh and most of my food would be stuff that doesn't have to stay cold. My drinks I would tie to a rope and drop in a pond to stay cool. As would I do the same with whatever drinks I have with me that I aint drinking on. Your willing to bring alot more than I am. I only bring what I REALLY need. And I also think light. As in my tent would be a 1-person tent. I aint into carrying alot of weight, so everything is as light as I can find. Just look at my 1LB anchor. Only thing I would be taking to the water would be the float tube, food, drinks, and fishing equipment and thats about it. And if this was to much, the backpack frame would come with me to carry it and just either go on the tube with me or in the woods near the pond. My float tube has a 300LB weight limit. I only weigh 210LB-215LB. That leaves me with room to carry things on the water with me. I guess in the end, we are 2 different kind of campers, and thats why I wouldn't have a problem with what all I brought with me and what to do with it. So half the stuff you listed would stay at home and collect dust or rats or something. I guess it is more of a ruffing it survival thing to me and not a lets see how many luxurys from home I can bring with me.


----------



## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

I use a back pack that does not have a metal frame so it rolls up and fits in the pocket on the back of my tube. As far as drinks go I just freeze a bottle of water and take it in with me and it will stay cool enough for most the day.


----------



## sgofish (Apr 12, 2004)

Are you fellows sure that you can pitch a tent at some of these remote ponds? Some of the ones I get into are pretty well highwalled on one side and no bank on the other. It would be nice to stay there for a couple days, but, I think that you can only camp in the designated areas. Not carrying in all that other gear leaves room for a little more tackle on the way in and a lot of fish on the way back out.


----------



## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

You are right you can only camp in the campgrounds at AEP and most of the lakes would be hard to camp at anyway like you said high walls most of the way around. The lakes I fish are hard to even get into sometimes because of the trees and brush around the shore.


----------



## Wormdunker69 (Apr 8, 2004)

Just make sure that you have the mouth blow up tube with you when you are on the water. Read post in the lounge about needing a license on your float tube or belly boat.


----------



## sgofish (Apr 12, 2004)

Thank God for the good old truck tire. How would you, or could you, get the decals to stay on a bellyboat?


----------



## Biodude (Nov 5, 2004)

Does anyone know where u can get truck tires cheaply? Or do you specifically need to buy bladders foryour tube? Reason I'm asking is because I had an old float tube that had a punctured bladder that got tossed. Old as in round, one bladder. I found some places that sell round bladders for float tubes, but the price seems rather exhorbitant.


----------



## sgofish (Apr 12, 2004)

I get mine at a discount tire store like Tire America. I think the last price I paid was $14.00, but, I have had it(with a fewpatches added ) for three years now. It is time for another.


----------



## twistertail (Apr 10, 2004)

I guess I have been lucky, have had the same tube for 10 years and it still holds air with no leaks. I have had to patch it a few times from blue gill fins but other than that its been great.


----------



## Rod&Reel (Jun 4, 2005)

Well I just got my float tube. Man this thing is made tuff. It has 2 bladders. I can't wait to drop it in the water. Has plenty of space for both me and my equipment. I just need to get a backpack to carry everything, or a duffel bag.


----------

