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Maybe the better way of saying it is float tubing spoiled me?
I have been fishing all my life. It is one of the consistent loves afforded me since my earliest childhood memories. I never had a boat in those early years but my parents would drive me to various lakes or streams (not being fishermen themselves) where I would happily while away the days fishing from shore.
I got my first Caddis (round) float tube after graduating high school in 1979, and began fishing every body of water in Colorado that I could. Rainbow, German Brown, Cutthroat and Brook trout, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel and Blue Catfish and my favorite; Largemouth Bass all fell victim to me in that tube in Colorado.
I joined the navy in 1982 and moved to California where I have lived ever since. I bought an early model Fish Cat and began fishing the local resevoirs and bays. I added Striped Bass, Spotted Bay Bass, Halibut, Covina, Bat Ray, Shovelnose and Leopard Shark, assorted rock fish, Mackerel and even a Yellowfin Tuna to my float tube resume.
Eventually, my financial situation improved and I purchased a house and subsequently a boat. I fished in it, and had some success, but somehow it was never the same. The intimate connection to nature achieved by sitting directly on the water was not there. I was forever concerned with positioning the boat with the trolling motor. I wasn't as fully immersed in the sunrise over the misty water. Instead of slowly methodically working an area, tantalizing a fish into striking, it became a numbers game. Covering water quickly and moving on. Much like my corporate life, it became a hurried grind and I slowly drifted away from one of my favorite activities.
By the beginning of the Pandemic, I had my own business. It was doing well, but I had my life savings tied up in it. Covid literally killed it and I lost everything. I sold my home and boat, business equipment and drastically downsized my life. I moved full time into an RV to live a nomadic lifestyle. Living simply suited me fine. I bought an 13 foot inflatable and basically turned it into a full bass boat. It had seats, a livewell, rod holders, anchors, a fish finder, and trolling motor. Still, I took half a day to get it inflated and all set up, and nearly as long to stow away. Besides, I still could not achieve the intimacy I remembered from my float tube days.
So I did my research, found this group, followed some recommendations and bought my Cumberland. Yesterday as I watched kayakers put all their equipment on their boats and wheel them toward the lake, they watched me in turn. I backed up to the lake, put my tube in the water, put on my fins and kicked out. I was fishing before most of them were even unloaded.
Is float tubing an addiction? I dunno. I am 61 years old, overweight with arthritic knees kicking against the wind, and loving it all over again! Will float tubing kill me? I dunno, but if it does I will surely die with a big smile on my face.
Dan
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I have been fishing all my life. It is one of the consistent loves afforded me since my earliest childhood memories. I never had a boat in those early years but my parents would drive me to various lakes or streams (not being fishermen themselves) where I would happily while away the days fishing from shore.
I got my first Caddis (round) float tube after graduating high school in 1979, and began fishing every body of water in Colorado that I could. Rainbow, German Brown, Cutthroat and Brook trout, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel and Blue Catfish and my favorite; Largemouth Bass all fell victim to me in that tube in Colorado.
I joined the navy in 1982 and moved to California where I have lived ever since. I bought an early model Fish Cat and began fishing the local resevoirs and bays. I added Striped Bass, Spotted Bay Bass, Halibut, Covina, Bat Ray, Shovelnose and Leopard Shark, assorted rock fish, Mackerel and even a Yellowfin Tuna to my float tube resume.
Eventually, my financial situation improved and I purchased a house and subsequently a boat. I fished in it, and had some success, but somehow it was never the same. The intimate connection to nature achieved by sitting directly on the water was not there. I was forever concerned with positioning the boat with the trolling motor. I wasn't as fully immersed in the sunrise over the misty water. Instead of slowly methodically working an area, tantalizing a fish into striking, it became a numbers game. Covering water quickly and moving on. Much like my corporate life, it became a hurried grind and I slowly drifted away from one of my favorite activities.
By the beginning of the Pandemic, I had my own business. It was doing well, but I had my life savings tied up in it. Covid literally killed it and I lost everything. I sold my home and boat, business equipment and drastically downsized my life. I moved full time into an RV to live a nomadic lifestyle. Living simply suited me fine. I bought an 13 foot inflatable and basically turned it into a full bass boat. It had seats, a livewell, rod holders, anchors, a fish finder, and trolling motor. Still, I took half a day to get it inflated and all set up, and nearly as long to stow away. Besides, I still could not achieve the intimacy I remembered from my float tube days.
So I did my research, found this group, followed some recommendations and bought my Cumberland. Yesterday as I watched kayakers put all their equipment on their boats and wheel them toward the lake, they watched me in turn. I backed up to the lake, put my tube in the water, put on my fins and kicked out. I was fishing before most of them were even unloaded.
Is float tubing an addiction? I dunno. I am 61 years old, overweight with arthritic knees kicking against the wind, and loving it all over again! Will float tubing kill me? I dunno, but if it does I will surely die with a big smile on my face.
Dan
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Last edited by Dannicus on Sun Jun 05, 2022 3:29 pm; edited 1 time in total
