How much water can you cover?

I've only made about three trips now in my Cumberland. I use CA turbo thruster fins. I was wondering how much water you guys typically cover in a few hours - maybe it's just "greener pastures" calling my name, but I always seem to want to go a little (or a lot) farther than has been reasonable. I move pretty slowly! (I did, though, catch my first LMB from my tube today!)

Congratz on the first LMB from the tube!
I try to NOT head further than 1 mile when I am planning my trips. That way I can fish hard and head back home a mile leisurely, 2 miles is plenty for me. I have gone almost 3 miles a time or two, but I would really not plan that. I do like to be out 4 to 6 hours or so.
I am 55 years old and I weigh 200 pounds.
I hope this helps.

Definitely helps. That sounds about right- probably covered a half-mile to a mile today. Tops of feet hurt from the fins, but otherwise ok.

Squirrelbane wrote:Definitely helps. That sounds about right- probably covered a half-mile to a mile today. Tops of feet hurt from the fins, but otherwise ok.

Yep, once I got the Cumberland I would stay out a LOT longer and travel further. My old Force Fins in M\L fit perfect on bare feet, but beat up the tops of my instep. I moved up to a size and added comfort insteps, and that makes all the difference in the world. I have Omega Fins that I use their comfort Inserts as well.

I use Force Fins that come with the top of the boot padding, very comfortable and I was able to use my Super Fat Cat two times for 5 to 6 hours with no discomfort. No idea how many miles I covered but it is no where as near as I can cover in my Hobie Pro Angler pedal kayak (first trip in my Pro Angler I did 11 miles at a 7200' elevation lake easily). It is a lot easier to troll for Trout using the Pro Angler. I mainly got the SFC for lakes that I have to walk to and don't have access to with the Pro Angler (the Pro Angler is 130 lbs.). The Pro Angler costs 8 times as much as a SFC.
I have also used a Fish Cat 4 two times for 5 hours each time using Outcast fins and cheap booties with waders with no discomfort.
I am 6'3" and 205 lbs. and almost 60 years old.

Really? This is a question
Where is the common sense here. Really, you "X" amount of time to fish so your only going to cover "X" amount of water no matter what pair of fins you use.

This is a valid question I feel might be hard for me to quantify but I believe it is a valid question, respond on everyone.

Miller,
I my doughtnut I never traveled more than a 1/2 mile, that is 1/4 mile out and back. It was just too slow to be safely pushing that far. With the Cumberland it easy travels 4 times as fast.This is a valid question for a newby and anyone else who has limited experience.
The question at hand is how far is "X"

Last year I pushed it and did a couple of miles out. I'm not sure if I'll ever push past that. But I built a small cooler barge since then and it makes a big difference having supplies. So... who knows?

I don't like pushing it hard if I do distance to avoid cramps. I was a SAR swimmer in the Navy so I don't have a fear of the water. Plus I make sure I have my cell phone (water proof case) and a hand held GPS if there is an emergency.

Distance and speed aren't all that important to me in regards to Float Tubing. For me it is like fishing from my recliner and is very peaceful.

Anyone getting in a Float Tube should pay close attention to safety. Things can go bad fast. And doing distance presents other risks. I hope everyone out there stays safe.

Ok maybe I read his comment wrong but I don't think so, the question is how much water can you cover.
The answer is you can cover as much water as you want so as long as you have the time. We aren't talking about safety, what tube you have, btw he has a Cumberland.

This is where your common sense comes into play. If you only have 2hrs to tube let's say at lake perris, your not gonna kick over the island!! Reason being, duh common sense you don't have enough time !!

Miller, the reason I ask is that I am trying to figure out what size of body of water I should shoot for. I was also wondering if I am doing something wrong, in that I had vastly overestimated the distance I could safely and comfortably travel. I had dreams of really moving it down the line and covering a good amount of area. So, the responses have really helped, as I now see that what I feel like I can do and what I have done in only 3 trips out is, in fact, reasonable and expected. This will play into decisions about bodies of water that I visit and launch points, etc.

Squirrelbane wrote:Miller, the reason I ask is that I am trying to figure out what size of body of water I should shoot for. I was also wondering if I am doing something  wrong, in that I had vastly overestimated the distance I could safely and comfortably travel. I had dreams of really moving it down the line and covering a good amount of area. So, the responses have really helped, as I now see that what I feel like I can do and what I have done in only 3 trips out is, in fact, reasonable and expected. This will play into decisions about bodies of water that I visit and launch points, etc.

Just keep in mind there's a lot of factors that also play in as well.
Are you fishing salt or fresh? You have to consider current and or wind but really you can travel as far as you can in a tube so as long as your legs can do it and your comfortable doing it.
For me when I tube i cover a lot of water and go the distance and I take my 9yr boy with me on these trips as well and I'm not talking about a half day trip either where we are only staying with in a mile of the launch spot.

I'll be fishing fresh water. There are a couple big lakes around me, so
I've been to those. Might have to work on my leg stamina (really, my feet and ankles) and technique before taking too long of a trip from my launch point.

I would like to develop a work out program that would help with leg stamina, Ankle, Knee strength for us. Maybe some day I will find the time

Squirrelbane wrote:I'll be fishing fresh water. There are a couple big lakes around me, so
I've been to those. Might have to work on my leg stamina (really, my feet and ankles)  and technique before taking too long of a trip from my launch point.

I'm not sure how big of body of water you are talking about but here is a picture to give you of a example of a area that I fish and how much water I'll cover at night.
The red circle is the launch spot the line is the path I take well fishing boats on the mooring. Now this body of water is in the bay so I'm dealing with current and sometimes wind

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And here is a lake that I tube something's and the path I took the last time I was there. Now the water was really low but it was still a good amount of water covered in one day

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Hope this info help but only you know what you're capable of doing and using common sense

miller wrote:

Squirrelbane wrote:I'll be fishing fresh water. There are a couple big lakes around me, so
I've been to those. Might have to work on my leg stamina (really, my feet and ankles)  and technique before taking too long of a trip from my launch point.

I'm not sure how big of body of water you are talking about but here is a picture to give you of a example of a area that I fish and how much water I'll cover at night.
The red circle is the launch spot the line is the path I take well fishing boats on the mooring. Now this body of water is in the bay so I'm dealing with  current and sometimes wind

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

And here is a lake that I tube something's and the path I took the last time I was there. Now the water was really low but it was still a good amount of water covered in one day

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Hope this info help but only you know what  you're capable of doing and  using common sense

I was going to do the same thing this should help out a bite nice work.

jeffcpr wrote:

miller wrote:

Squirrelbane wrote:I'll be fishing fresh water. There are a couple big lakes around me, so
I've been to those. Might have to work on my leg stamina (really, my feet and ankles)  and technique before taking too long of a trip from my launch point.

I'm not sure how big of body of water you are talking about but here is a picture to give you of a example of a area that I fish and how much water I'll cover at night.
The red circle is the launch spot the line is the path I take well fishing boats on the mooring. Now this body of water is in the bay so I'm dealing with  current and sometimes wind

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

And here is a lake that I tube something's and the path I took the last time I was there. Now the water was really low but it was still a good amount of water covered in one day

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Hope this info help but only you know what  you're capable of doing and  using common sense

I was going to do the same thing this should help out a bite nice work.

This should actually give a better example than just saying I cover only "X" amount of water but again like I said there's too many factors that come into play. Mother nature, age, physical shape Etc etc

Here is a little exercise that should help

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No that is what I do every night and it is not helping yet

That Irvine lake loop looks to be 2 1/2 miles and the Newport looks to be just under 2 miles.
Could we classify those as advanced loops (for the old guys)?

jeffcpr wrote:No that is what I do every night and it is not helping yet

It looks like a prescription for a broken neck to me.
That S**t is pretty manly tho.

Jerdon wrote:That Irvine lake loop looks to be 2 1/2 miles and the Newport looks to be just under 2 miles.
Could we classify those as advanced loops (for the old guys)?

I can't comment on how many miles it is as I don't keep track of that.
Irvine loop is kinda easy as your just fishing and working your way down the bank.

Newport loop that requires a lot of time in order to do it as your fishing ever slip, boat, mooring etc.

Here is a question, how many miles is it from the launch ramp to the tire reef at LP? What would you call that loop?

I've never kicked to the Tire Reef myself.
From the boat launch it is about 1 1/4 mile kick straight out, which is as far as I would ever plan. I'd call that a 3 mile loop or better because fishing on the way would take me right across the West End of the Island. I do know some guys use to park at Bernasconi and hike in to launch from the South side of the Tire Reef. I've never been that ambitious though.

Squirrelbane, I don't think it really matters what others can do.  That is what, I think, Miller may be alluding to.  If you think the reason you are moving slowly is an equipment, you can always try/borrow/get advice on different fins. Also, there have been threads on kicking techniques that members employ. A quick search should get them in front of you.

Hey, the next trip out will be your fourth, just make it an enjoyable one.  You just need to kick where the fish are hanging.  Catch some fish and I bet you won't even care what distance you have gone.