Fishing Forum

New to the forum and just wanted to say hi!

I'm an old tuber from way back and just getting back into the adventure. My first tube came from Fishmasters in Oklahoma City in 1977. It was a canvas covered truck tire tube that lasted me a surprising 11 years.

I can honestly say in my fishing years I've never enjoyed fishing as much as I do when I'm tubing. I've recently purchased a fish cat and while it's different than my old Fishmaster tube, it's not bad. I think I'll always prefer the old style simply because it's what I'm used to and learned in but these new "V" styles and plastic bladders appear to offer some advantages.

I've only had the fishcat out once so far and weather permitting, I'll have it out again this weekend. 10 large mouth and 1 small mouth on the maiden voyage made for quite an enjoyable afternoon.

My only question so far, why didn't it come with some darn shoulder straps?

Rob
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Ha, you sound a lot like me! [] I had one of those old canvas Fishmasters too, and I STILL have a more modern Fishmaster tube (truck tube but with nylon-coated canvas). Still have the Fishmaster strap-on rod-holders and tackleboxes too.

Oh, and WELCOME to the forum!

If I remember right, the old tubes came with shoulder straps so that you could step into the tube on dry-land, and have the straps hold the tube up above your knees so that you could get into the water without killing yourself (tripping).

The new open-front tubes allow you to place the tube in the water and then just "sit into" them. No straps needed for that...

On the other hand, I usually have to carry my tube a ways to get to the farm ponds that I fish. They DO make sturdy padded back-pack styled shoulder straps for that! As I recall, they run $20-$25.

Being the cheapskate that I am, I was going to try to make my own... but a "wiser-me" just opted for the padded straps. I don't think I could fish (transport my tube) without them!

Creek Company makes some inexpensive ones ($10):

http://creekcompany.com/product.php?prod...250&page=1

Here are the padded ones made by Outcast:

http://www.outcastboats.com/outcast/prod...t=11&id=52

Fish safe...
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Seems like there were some donut tubes straps for carrying on your back. Maybe just rigged up by some.

Tripping is hard to avoid if you're wearing your tube, waders, and can't see in front of your feet especially on uneven ground and with fins on. Where do you put on fins? If you don't walk with them on to the water, don't you have to get out of your donut at water's edge? Water's edge installment seems easier to me...

Pon


[quote ydoc]Ha, you sound a lot like me! [] I had one of those old canvas Fishmasters too, and I STILL have a more modern Fishmaster tube (truck tube but with nylon-coated canvas). Still have the Fishmaster strap-on rod-holders and tackleboxes too.

Oh, and WELCOME to the forum!

If I remember right, the old tubes came with shoulder straps so that you could step into the tube on dry-land, and have the straps hold the tube up above your knees so that you could get into the water without killing yourself (tripping).

The new open-front tubes allow you to place the tube in the water and then just "sit into" them. No straps needed for that...

On the other hand, I usually have to carry my tube a ways to get to the farm ponds that I fish. They DO make sturdy padded back-pack styled shoulder straps for that! As I recall, they run $20-$25.

Being the cheapskate that I am, I was going to try to make my own... but a "wiser-me" just opted for the padded straps. I don't think I could fish (transport my tube) without them!

Creek Company makes some inexpensive ones ($10):

[url "http://creekcompany.com/product.php?productid=16186&cat=250&page=1"]http://creekcompany.com/...p;cat=250&page=1[/url]

Here are the padded ones made by Outcast:

[url "http://www.outcastboats.com/outcast/products/accessories.aspx?cat=11&id=52"]http://www.outcastboats.com/...spx?cat=11&id=52[/url]

Fish safe... [.img][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/images/gforum/happy.gif[/img][/quote]"]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/...y.gif[/img][/quote][/url]
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Thanks for the links.

Personally I always just grabbed my straps and slide my hand to the farthest point towards the back of the tube where I could hold both straps in one hand and pick up the tube and carry it where I needed it.

I suppose they aren't as important with this fishcat tube as they were with my fishmaster tube and it's just an old habit and I'm going to get used to this new style.

Still it felt kind of strange backing a tube into the water that wasn't already against my butt, hoping my butt found the right place when I got deep enough.
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