Fishing Forum

Okay, I haven't used the Fat Cat yet, but I am getting things so when I do go out for the maiden voyage I'll be happy.

I've bee looking at some type of anchor for it & found a few, but either they were not worth the money or just too much to spend.

Now I work at a sporting goods store part-time & the thought hit me. Use a 5 lb dumb-bell that is coated. You can then tie on a nylon anchor rope. The dumb-bells are as cheap as $5 & the rope maybe a couple dollars or so. Since it's coated w/ some hard rubber I don't have to worry about the metal getting thrashed on the lake bottom & it scraping & cutting into the Fat Cat. And if I ever need to change out the anchor it'll be cheap. I don't think I need to go more than 5 lbs in weight for a float tube anchor.

I don't need anything fancy, just something to keep me in place while I fish. I think I found what I need.

Also I'll be getting Hotspot fins via California from a friend that works at a sporting goods store that carries the Hotspot fins. The more I looked at some Calif fishing sites, the Hotspots seems to be the ones to get for float tubing. I was surprised that these fins cost as much as $80, but my buddy can get them w/ his discount for $50. The fins I bought at BPS, Thrusters were $40 & the Hotspots $10 more??? The Thrusters are going back to BPS & I should be getting the Hotspots next week or after. I like it that the Hotspots float, so if they happen to come off your foot(even though I have fin leashes), they will float back to the surface. The paddle area looks wider than the Thrusters, so I would think that I would get better propulsion from them. Also they come in black or camo, I'm getting the camo, just to be different.

School ends next week & the weather is warming up. I'll be float tube fishing w/ another buddy from my area. He's been scouting around finding places to float tube locally.

Can you imagine if I fish some lakes that have musky or pike? If I hook into one, especially a big one; it would be an Indiana sleigh ride for sure! I don't know if I want the tooty critter coming close to my float tube though. Or the thought my feet are dangling down & would be a nice bait for one of them to come after.

Now I wonder if Northern Indiana or Southern Michigan have any water snakes I need to be aware of.....
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[cool][#0000ff]First of all, anchors are not a big thing with float tubes. If you are fishing in wind strong enough that you need an anchor, you should probably get off the lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you insist on having an anchor, there is no need to spend money to buy one. Find a mesh bag, take it to the lake and add a few shoreline rocks before you go out. Tie off the end with your anchor rope and when you need an anchor the rocks will hold you in all but the strongest wind. When you get back to shore, dump the rocks and stow the bag.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Lots of pike and muskies are caught from float tubes. You just need to be careful when you get them close. You need a large net to control them and watch for the teeth. If you don't plan to keep them, try reaching over and removing the hooks without lifting the fish from the water. They are big and tough but they die quickly from rough handling, or from being out of the water too long. Not many tubers fish for them specifically, but if they are in the water you will catch a few by accident on the lures you throw for bass or other species.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Whenever you hook any large fish, you need to know how to properly battle it from your tube. Don't let the fish get right below you or you risk getting the line wrapped around your legs..."fish tied". Use your fins to keep a short ways away from the fish and to keep an angle on them. That tires them more quickly than trying to pull them straight up and keeps them away from you or your tube. Wait until they are mostly whupped before bringing them across the top to your net.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]These are all things we learn by experience. Enjoy the learning experience. No test at the end of the class. The fun is in the learning.[/#0000ff]
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I bought a grappling anchor from Cabellas for something like $10. It only weighs a pound, and folds up nice. As long as it has something to grab it holds well.
[url=[url "http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0023257313434a&type=product&cmCat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&No=40&Ntt=anchor&noImage=0&Ntk=Products&QueryText=anchor&Ntx=matchall&N=4887&Nty=1"]http://www.cabelas.com/...amp;N=4887&Nty=1[/url] ]link to cableas anchor[/url] [/url]


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[cool][#0000ff]I bought two of those...for me and Da Babe...two years ago. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]They have never been wet. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just cain't abide fishin' in water sloppy enough to have to use an anchor. Also don't like big fish wrapping my line around stuff. That happens with the fish I catch.[/#0000ff]
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[font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1]Post:[/size][/black][/font] [font "Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"][black][size 1][cool][#0000ff]I bought two of those...for me and Da Babe...two years ago. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]They have never been wet. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just cain't abide fishin' in water sloppy enough to have to use an anchor. Also don't like big fish wrapping my line around stuff. That happens with the fish I catch[/#0000ff][/size][/black][/font]



[#bf0060]AMEN![/#bf0060]
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