03-24-2009, 10:09 PM
Sounds like it's kind of a problem specific to where you fish. No waves anywhere I tube (even in salt water), and although there's sometimes a little walking involved, it's not like I have to blaze trails.
I do try to only use quality tackle (nothing extravagant, my rod/reel combos are in like the $300 range). I just try my best to be aware of keeping it all out of harm's way. I specifically measured and tested my rodholders to keep everything dry, even my 7 1/2 foor swimbait rods with long handles. When I have to walk a reasonable distance to launch, I use rod wraps to keep them all lashed together.
I have to say though, if my gear was any more high-end and using it from a tube started to be detrimental to it, I would probably get a couple of combos that were a "small" step down in quality just for tubing purposes. I guess that would bring me back to where I am now. :-)
For the record, I use mostly 7 foot rods with standard handles (mostly cork) in weights to handle line from the 8 to 20 pound range.
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I do try to only use quality tackle (nothing extravagant, my rod/reel combos are in like the $300 range). I just try my best to be aware of keeping it all out of harm's way. I specifically measured and tested my rodholders to keep everything dry, even my 7 1/2 foor swimbait rods with long handles. When I have to walk a reasonable distance to launch, I use rod wraps to keep them all lashed together.
I have to say though, if my gear was any more high-end and using it from a tube started to be detrimental to it, I would probably get a couple of combos that were a "small" step down in quality just for tubing purposes. I guess that would bring me back to where I am now. :-)
For the record, I use mostly 7 foot rods with standard handles (mostly cork) in weights to handle line from the 8 to 20 pound range.
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