FLOAT TUBE NOOBIE

Howdy;

I am new to float tubing but love to fish. My son and daughter-in-law gave me an allowance for Christmas to go out and purchase a float tube. I am very excited but have a few questions. I am looking at the Togiak Pontoon or possibly the Outkast FishKat. I believe you sit farther out of the water with the Outkast. I would really like to hear from people about what their likes and dislikes are. I want to make my first purchase a good one.

Thanks,

Welcome to the forum hparrett! I have the outcast fish cat4, it's a very nice tube but the foam seat gets to you after a long session. I would recommend the fish cat deluxe it has the seat/backrest bladder that's very comfy.

This is a popular question here and I'm pretty sure somebody asks the answer is always the same:

Fish Cat 4!!!!

Other tubes are great though, don't get me wrong. With the fish cat 4's 5 year warranty and added durability you have a little more confidence out on the water than you may have with other models.

Awesome welcome to the site.... sorry cant help with the toon question only got a u tube but theres a ton of guys who could help you out.

welcome to the forum. whatever tube you get try and get one with bladder (air) seat and not foam. After floating for 6hrs the foam will start to get to you.

Hey hparrett, Welcome,
Your gonna love this place!
Higher?, Lower?,.. I used to tube in the old style sling seat tubes where you sat in the water up to your waste. I then graduated to the u-boat style, which were a little higher. THEN!, I stepped up to a pontoon boat that now has me sitting no deeper than my calves
When I sat low I was slow, got colder sooner, got lot's of cramps, and had to cast with my arms stretched out cuz I was so low to the water. When I moved up a bit things got better. The higher you sit the faster you are, you don't get cold as fast, (fewer cramps), and casting is sooooo much better.
But!, you can actually, sit too high which is the case with my pontoon boat. No matter how slowly I try and kick, I cavitate and make lot's of noise, also I have to kick with only my knees and calves.
The new u-boat designs seem to be the best compromise regarding this issue keeping you low but not too low, and the Fish Cats, as you will soon see are probably the most popular around.

hope this helps

bodfish

Welcome to the site hparrett. Like bodfish said, you'll love this site. Welcome to the fun of working your legs to the core, and make them into the size of tree trunks. Let us know if we can provide you good info, such as fishing spots, tips on using your floats, and best of all, modify your tube until it sinks.

Welcome to the forum glad you found us these guys will help you just like i am sure they already have. My 2 cents stay high out of the water much better that way. Again welcome good luck on your new tube.

yes wecome you will like it here lots of great guy here full of info,you ask it,it will be answered
so welcome a board and i float the cumberland float tube whick is in my book a great tube it has a 350lb capcity so i can carry more gear but i make sure i am not far from launch site wow

Greets

I actually had a chance to try out several float tubes before I purchased mine. A local lake owner host a float tube demo day a few times a year where he brings out demo tubes for users to try out. He had the prowler, fishcat, fishcat deluxe, a pontoon boat, and a few other brand tubes. It was clear that the fish cat deluxe was a lot more comfortable over some of the less expensive tubes and you do sit higher, but the deluxe was also $100 or so more. Then you look at the prowler and it sits a little higher and seems to have a lot more room in the back and storage behind the seat, but again that's another $150 more than the fishcat 4 deluxe. I went with the prowler because I wanted it to last for several years without having to worry about what if questions.

welcome to the forums

First of all, thanks so much for the responses. I am going to go down to Bass Pro this weekend to look at some tubes. I am leaning toward the Fish Kat Deluxe. Once I purchase everything I will come back with a million questions. I think the first place I will go to try it out will be Convict Lake this spring.

That's a great tube! Ask as much as you want, we were all there once.

this spring thats far away get in that tube now hahah

Im with fisher if u wait for the fishing u wont be catching till then to go drop that thing into a lake and soke some line once u get that first one on the tube u will understand why waiting is no good

HEADCASE881 wrote:Im with fisher if u wait for the fishing u wont be catching till then to go drop that thing into a lake and soke some line once u get that first one on the tube u will understand why waiting is no good

x3, dont wait. Get that thing wet

miller wrote:

HEADCASE881 wrote:Im with fisher if u wait for the fishing u wont be catching till then to go drop that thing into a lake and soke some line once u get that first one on the tube u will understand why waiting is no good

x3, dont wait. Get that thing wet

I agree with the boys, go get that line wet. I'm sure you can get a couple of guys off this forum to go.

I know, I know! I am going down to buy everything this weekend with a friend of mine. I am hoping to talk him into getting the same thing. Anyways, I have taken all of your advice and am going to go to Lake Mohave at the end of this month and try it out. I will keep you updated.

Good luck bro have a good time on your first float

Good luck and don't forget to post results...