Noob from Ontario, Canada.

hey everyone, I grew up fishing but stopped for about 20 years, got into bowhunting and am looking to get back into fishing. I kind alook at belly boats as the bowhunting of fishing.

Looking at getting all new gear, which is a money sink.

I have some questions.


What kind of flippers work best?

Do people wear hip waders? If so how do you get the flippers over the feet of the waders?

What is recomended for a fish finder? I gave been looking at the Garmin Striker Vivid series as I have used Garmin products for hunting and like the quality and durability.

I was looking at the Cumberland Float Tube, is this a decient model? Im a big beliver in buy once cry once so I dont mind forking out extra cash for a piece of gear that will last a while.

Thank you all

First of all welcome to the forum Jimmy Wallhanger you are in the right place.  Welcome back after 20 years and I like the idea that you feel float tube fishing is the bow hunting of the fishing world we are unique and specialty for sure.

Let's talk about the boats.  The Cumberland is a very good tube which will serve you well.  And of course there are so many more out there as well. The Cumberland is a very traditional float tube and many people love it and use it.  There is another kind that has been around for years in Europe and is now making it way here to North America.  The hybrid float tube.  There boats are not canvas over inserted bladders these are bladderless float tubes.  And these types offer more options customization as well as last longer if cared for right. I currently have a Float Plus 1 which I very much enjoy and I have been in many different tubes over the years.  I can share a thread with you later breaking them all down.

Now since you are looking at a Cumberland let's talk waders.  The hip waders if you are talking traditional hip waders are not for float tubing.  Myself I stopped using chest high waders years ago and now only use pants type waders.  These type only go to my waist hence they are just pants.  

And then there is fins. If you have a boot style wader then you will need a boot style fin.  These are pretty basic and don't provide much option for the user.  If you wear a stocking foot wader the sky is the limit on choices.  Now for me dive fins are the way to go.  The are cheap in most cases and with a medium length blade will work great.  My position on fins is what ever you have just use it the more you do the more you muscles will build there memory and efficiency. People will tell you force fins are the best and fastest and I will not disagree I just have not used them and have done great over the years with my dive fins.  Now I currently use a pair that are dive fin looking but built for the Float tube they are called FLTB-fi Fins from Decathlon.  They fit over your boots (which I know where neoprene boots over my stocking waders) and also float in the water which is a nice feature for us.

I am sure this is a lot of info and you will get more. If you have any more questions please ask this is what we are here for.  Again welcome to the wide world of Float Tube Fishing, We're We Are Always On The Fish.

Welcome aboard .
Cumberland will do you no wrong. Light and agile, good weight capacity, and fairly durable. Waders are personal preference . When I’m on the Cumberland I like the chest waders with a stockingfoot and a surf/dive bootie (just to add durability walking around on the gravel and parking lots) . When I take the hybrids I have the pants like Jeff does, but still use the booties since they are stockingfoot also. The Classic Accessories Turbo Thruster fins are cheap and really good. They are very similar to the Fltb-fi fins but they don’t float . Only $47 on Amazon. I use these over my stockingfoot and booties and my daughter uses them over her wading boots.




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

Here is a thread I did on all the tube I have tested in the past.

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

BigMaxFloats wrote:Welcome aboard .
  Cumberland will do you no wrong.  Light and agile, good weight capacity, and fairly durable.   Waders are personal preference . When I’m on the Cumberland I like the chest waders with a stockingfoot and a surf/dive bootie (just to add durability walking around on the gravel and parking lots) . When I take the hybrids I have the pants like Jeff does, but still use the booties since they are stockingfoot also. The Classic Accessories Turbo Thruster fins are cheap and really good.  They are very similar to the Fltb-fi fins but they don’t float . Only $47 on Amazon. I use these over my stockingfoot and booties and my daughter uses them over her wading boots.  




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

Thanks, so you put "booties" over the stocking foot? Is teh stocking foot water proof also?

I will look into those fins $77 CAD on amazon.

jeffcpr wrote:First of all welcome to the forum Jimmy Wallhanger you are in the right place.  Welcome back after 20 years and I like the idea that you feel float tube fishing is the bow hunting of the fishing world we are unique and specialty for sure.

Let's talk about the boats.  The Cumberland is a very good tube which will serve you well.  And of course there are so many more out there as well. The Cumberland is a very traditional float tube and many people love it and use it.  There is another kind that has been around for years in Europe and is now making it way here to North America.  The hybrid float tube.  There boats are not canvas over inserted bladders these are bladderless float tubes.  And these types offer more options customization as well as last longer if cared for right. I currently have a Float Plus 1 which I very much enjoy and I have been in many different tubes over the years.  I can share a thread with you later breaking them all down.

Now since you are looking at a Cumberland let's talk waders.  The hip waders if you are talking traditional hip waders are not for float tubing.  Myself I stopped using chest high waders years ago and now only use pants type waders.  These type only go to my waist hence they are just pants.  

And then there is fins. If you have a boot style wader then you will need a boot style fin.  These are pretty basic and don't provide much option for the user.  If you wear a stocking foot wader the sky is the limit on choices.  Now for me dive fins are the way to go.  The are cheap in most cases and with a medium length blade will work great.  My position on fins is what ever you have just use it the more you do the more you muscles will build there memory and efficiency. People will tell you force fins are the best and fastest and I will not disagree I just have not used them and have done great over the years with my dive fins.  Now I currently use a pair that are dive fin looking but built for the Float tube they are called FLTB-fi Fins from Decathlon.  They fit over your boots (which I know where neoprene boots over my stocking waders) and also float in the water which is a nice feature for us.

I am sure this is a lot of info and you will get more. If you have any more questions please ask this is what we are here for.  Again welcome to the wide world of Float Tube Fishing, We're We Are Always On The Fish.

Thanks for the detailed reply, Im going to stop by the Decathalon Store as its right by Bass Pro, which is going to cost me a fortune as its on my way home from work lol.

Happy shopping bro.

* I’ve always enjoyed the Cumberland float tube over the rest.
* I live in SoCal, so I wear just boards shorts year around.
I wear Force fins over very thin water shoes.
*The Deeper Pro+ Fishfinder works perfectly … and I’ve landed plenty of fish with it.

Good luck to you on your re-introduction to float tube fishing!

SP Dan    <“))><

Jimmy Wallhanger wrote:hey everyone, I grew up fishing but stopped for about 20 years, got into bowhunting and am looking to get back into fishing. I kind alook at belly boats as the bowhunting of fishing.

Looking at getting all new gear, which is a money sink.

I have some questions.


What kind of flippers work best?

Do people wear hip waders? If so how do you get the flippers over the feet of the waders?

What is recomended for a fish finder? I gave been looking at the Garmin Striker Vivid series as I have used Garmin products for hunting and like the quality and durability.

I was looking at the Cumberland Float Tube, is this a decient model? Im a big beliver in buy once cry once so I dont mind forking out extra cash for a piece of gear that will last a while.

Thank you all

Hello Jimmy,

I'll try to keep my response short.

"What kind of flippers work best?"
The Turbo Thruster (and it's many identical variations) works fine, I eventually replaced the heelstrap with a none-adjustable (coiled steel spring) version that didn't have any plastic in it (the buckles suck and fail...so did the post attachments).

I sized my fins to fit my wading boots...because I always wear stockingfoot waders with wading boots for comfort, and because I have had to ground my float tube, and walk past cattle, barbed wire, sticks, stones, and poop to get back to my car...I've also hiked into my water-entry point so it's easier (and more comfortable) if I just run the same setup every time I fly fish.

===
"What is recomended for a fish finder?"
Whatever fits your budget, but I'd avoid the kind that use your phone for a display. A simple rubber-ducky style is very useful...same with a color, one piece Fishin' Buddy...anything else requires more gear and planning.

===

Float tube?

You want to buy once, cry once?

You can spend a thousand dollars (Big Max?) or you buy a Fishcat Deluxe (~$300) or you can buy a pontoon boat ($400-$600 new for a decent one).

If you have a good used marketplace app like OfferUp in your area, you can troll them for used setups, you just have to figure out if you want to pay close to retail (everyone wants to sell for close to what they paid) or for only a "song" (some people just want to get rid of gear that they don't use)...just this past week I turned down what would have been a really, really nice (~$3,000 new), used kayak, for basically free, because I can't get it up my small stairwell and into my apartment (17' 7"), and a storage unit  long enough is very expensive in my area...I could store it at the local aquatic center but I have to be a member first, then wait for an opening for kayak storage.

I really, really liked my old FishCat Deluxe...then I downsized by getting rid of everything, and of course ended up slowly getting replacements.
===

You didn't ask about wading boots, and yes, I use them when float tubing...I don't recommend felt bottoms, unless you get replaceable soles like Korkers... in my state felt bottoms are problematic due to invasive species, so a rubber  bottom is best, and if you fish around slippery creeks/rivers rubber bottoms with spikes work great.

For waders, I have chest waders so I use chest waders and if you end up in the water they won't drag you down, but you can't one-hand yourself onto a dock or a boat either...you need to walk onto dry shore.

I run cold, so I like to wear fleece under my waders, the kind made for using under waders, with stirrups.

I'm short and squat (5'2" and 200+ pounds) so high-end waders aren't made for me (my calves are larger than most people's necks), so I get low-end breathable waders and just replace them as needed...I don't send them back to the factory for repair, I don't try to figure out where the hole is, I just replace them.

Everyone wants to start with neoprene waders, but they are heavy and tire me out...if you get these, get them large and roomy so you can put something underneath to either keep the clammy feel off your skin, or to help with insulation (but neoprene waders are generally very warm, especially in the Summer).

Good luck and post pics

Hey Jimmy it looks like the guys are taking good care of you. Just to let you know I'm from California and have been staying now in the quinte region here in Ontario, Canada. As soon as it warms up I'm going to begin to fish the lakes around me. My favorite fins are the float tube force fins. They are expensive but do a great job. Tight lines and hope you catch lots of fish.

- Fly62

Thanks, so you put "booties" over the stocking foot? Is teh stocking foot water proof also?

I will look into those fins $77 CAD on amazon. [/quote]


Yes. Everything is water proof. The little boots have a hard rubber bottom that add some traction and protection from rocks glass and gravel out of the water. Helps the stockingfoot last longer . I’ve seen a few guys just wear a sandal to and from the water and just take it off before launch if you’re using a slip in type fin . If you’re going with a boot fin like the force fins. You just wear your wader boots or a water proof shoe and the fins strap on over the boot.