Float Tubers Etiquette

I am curious have you had any experience both good or bad in Etiquette, while float tubing with others.  


What I am looking to do is build an etiquette list which we can share with everyone including our newer members.  Not that I think anyone does anything wrong but we can always strive to do better.

I always try n keep my distance unless I know them or they paddle on over to me and I make a friend. I have a general rule of if I can cast and hit their tube im too close. Of course this applies mostly to strangers unless we're having a float meet and only where I can keep distance. But I always greet a nearby tuber as well to get a feel of how warm they are

Thanks for your input Test Tackle.

I always bring my best Christian aboard!
What can I say!   lol

SP Dan

Test Tackles wrote:I always try n keep my distance unless I know them or they paddle on over to me and I make a friend. I have a general rule of if I can cast and hit their tube im too close. Of course this applies mostly to strangers unless we're having a float meet and only where I can keep distance. But I always greet a nearby tuber as well to get a feel of how warm they are

GREAT policy. However, I chuckle a bit because this season, almost all of my float tube experiences have seen tubers within 5 feet of each other en-masse. Why? Because there is where the schools of fish are at. And no one minded. THis is freshwater fishing for trout.

FloatTubeIQ wrote:

Test Tackles wrote:I always try n keep my distance unless I know them or they paddle on over to me and I make a friend. I have a general rule of if I can cast and hit their tube im too close. Of course this applies mostly to strangers unless we're having a float meet and only where I can keep distance. But I always greet a nearby tuber as well to get a feel of how warm they are

GREAT policy.  However, I chuckle a bit because this season, almost all of my float tube experiences have seen tubers within 5 feet of each other en-masse.  Why?  Because there is where the schools of fish are at.  And no one minded. THis is freshwater fishing for trout.

I am not saying thats how it should be across the board. What im saying is that is how I prefer to treat others. Ive had other tubers and boater as well as shore fisherman aim at me casting. It is funny most times to me and I chuckle because I do it with ducks to help me improve my aim lol.   When it does not become funny anymore is if a sudden gust carry's my lure in to another tuber. I risk popping their tube or hooking them. On top of that ive met other tubers who do not like their " SPACE" budged by another tuber. I personally do not care. But I try to be courteous unless like I said they're friendly. Being on a school of fish I could see being different as that would lift most everyone's spirits lol. For the most part 95% of tubers are cool man i have more trouble with bass boaters because I'm in their favourite spot and especially jet skiers who like to buzz us or spray us at Lake Perris.

So here is what I think I agree with Test Tackle sometime you think you have a friendly on the water they you realize maybe he's not so friendly LOL. I have had dude just zip there lip and kick away, what ever. Most I have come across are pretty cool dudes but every once and a while they are not into it.

I think it is always important to keep your spacing if you don't know the other tubers, when you know everyone you can stay close. I also wonder what is your thoughts on conversation when you are on the water. Is it cool if we are yelling to each other from across the water or should we keep it down. When we get close should we avoid splashing our fins in the water.

Also is it cool if you catch a few fish out of one spot can we start casting in your fishing whole without asking. Do we share Intel with others is it cool to pass on a good spot to your friends.

I might be crazy this is just something I was wondering about what do you guys think.

jeffcpr wrote:So here is what I think I agree with Test Tackle sometime you think you have a friendly on the water they you realize maybe he's not so friendly LOL.  I have had dude just zip there lip and kick away, what ever.   Most I have come across are pretty cool dudes but every once and a while they are not into it.

I think it is always important to keep your spacing if you don't know the other tubers, when you know everyone you can stay close.   I also wonder what is your thoughts on conversation when you are on the water.  Is it cool if we are yelling to each other from across the water or should we keep it down.  When we get close should we avoid splashing our fins in the water.

Also is it cool if you catch a few fish out of one spot can we start casting in your fishing whole without asking.  Do we share Intel with others is it cool to pass on a good spot to your friends.  

I might be crazy this is just something I was wondering about what do you guys think.

I definitely think its ok to share SOME Intel but everyone has their fisherman's secrets that they withhold. As for casting in to my hole while I am? That usually does irritate me. I know a bunch of other fisherman that feel the same way about that lol it is somewhat an unwritten law unless offered, in my own experiences and knowledge.

As for yelling across water its completely dependent on the species hunted dont ya think? I grew up trout fishing and those fish can be very skiddish, but while bass fishing ive not noticed a real discernable difference in catching while its loud to quiet. Talking carried real well on the water if you've ever noticed. So I mean... Species dependent, and use our best judgement I suppose on that 1

Best thing about tubes is we are already stealthy as we are basically oversized ducks lol. There's no motor vibrations ( unless you have a Cadillac. Its what I call decked out tubes with everything on board) and we cast a very small shadow like a clump of loose weeds just a floating by.