Managing line in a float tube

Tim Lockhart said:
Over the side to the left. That's naturally where it goes off the strip (right handed) plus over there it's out of the way.
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Exactly what I do, except I gather it in loops so that it will shoot easier from not all being in the water when I recast.
 
Haggis57 said:
I've used the new LCS stripping apron on both a Fish Cat 4 float tube and on a Fish Cat Scout pontoon. I was initially annoyed with how weak the front of the apron was. However, I came across a couple of threads on the old site that included a number of suggestions for stiffening the front of the apron. I chose a piece of round grey water pipe insulation held on with a couple of zip ties for my Scout. That made all the difference for me. I've put another piece of the same insulation on the Fish Cat 4 stripping apron.

I've being using the Scout almost exclusively for the last 3 years and don't have an issue with height I think because I sit quite a bit higher than in the Fish Cat 4. When I do get back to the Fish Cat, I think I will try Wanative's idea of shortening the legs of the apron to get it a bit lower.

Ken

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Great idea with the foam. I'm on that pronto.
 
RichS said:
Sinking lines which sink around your tube are a significant safety hazard. It is highly undesirable to have line in your fins or around your legs. This means you have to get a leg out of the water so that you can clear it. This entails either kicking to shore or lifting your leg out of the water ( risking slipping into the water) Use your stripping apron.
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When I was younger it wasn't as much of an issue but for some reason at 72 my arms don't quite reach my feet like they used to.:unsure::ROFLMAO:
 
Dennisoft said:
I'm typically fishing a 9ft 6wt. Does the extra foot make a big difference?
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I was just coming here to ask this very same question. I have only two rods. One is a 9 foot 3 weight and the other is a 8-1/2 foot 5 weight and I’ve wondered which one is beneficial to fishing from a float tube, especially if you are short.
 
Dennisoft said:
It's certainly better than nothing, but yeah, I tend to start having problems once I get head plus 15 or so feet of running line off of the reel. Coils in the line start to catch on each other and knot up, even with a good stretch.
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The coiling problem could be in your casting. If your rod tip is going in a circular or oval pattern instead of straight back and forth, you can put twists in your line with every false cast. Then you get tangling coils once you have retrieved the line, and you can also get spinning flies as you retrieve.

A short term solution is to strip out more line and troll for a while to let the twists unwind. The better solution is to work on your cast. “Tracking“ is the buzzword to search for.
 
Haggis57 said:
I've used the new LCS stripping apron on both a Fish Cat 4 float tube and on a Fish Cat Scout pontoon. I was initially annoyed with how weak the front of the apron was. However, I came across a couple of threads on the old site that included a number of suggestions for stiffening the front of the apron. I chose a piece of round grey water pipe insulation held on with a couple of zip ties for my Scout. That made all the difference for me. I've put another piece of the same insulation on the Fish Cat 4 stripping apron.

I've being using the Scout almost exclusively for the last 3 years and don't have an issue with height I think because I sit quite a bit higher than in the Fish Cat 4. When I do get back to the Fish Cat, I think I will try Wanative's idea of shortening the legs of the apron to get it a bit lower.

Ken

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I did the bottom option for my fat cat stripping apron based on those old posts. I have two more clips and then I glued some foam to the top and about 1/4" down the front and rear of the clamps. I do not have pic at moment that I can share of it.
 
Jojo said:
I was just coming here to ask this very same question. I have only two rods. One is a 9 foot 3 weight and the other is a 8-1/2 foot 5 weight and I’ve wondered which one is beneficial to fishing from a float tube, especially if you are short.
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All of my rods, except for one, are 9 foot. A few years ago I purchased a 10 ft. 4 wt for the float tube. The idea was that the longer rod would enable me to better keep the line off the water and secondly, when bringing the fish to net, the longer rod lets me bring the fish closer without having to reel my leader through the guides.
 
Bruce Baker said:
All of my rods, except for one, are 9 foot. A few years ago I purchased a 10 ft. 4 wt for the float tube. The idea was that the longer rod would enable me to better keep the line off the water and secondly, when bringing the fish to net, the longer rod lets me bring the fish closer without having to reel my leader through the guides.
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So what do you think of the 10 footer? Do you notice the difference when you're out in your tube?
 
Dennisoft said:
So what do you think of the 10 footer? Do you notice the difference when you're out in your tube?
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I know this is directed to Bruce so forgive me for jumping in....... I primarily fish 590's and a 10 foot rod from my float tube. Honestly, either rod length works just fine for me. At least for me, the 10 foot rod isn't an advantage for casting. I'm also a bit crazy and fish a 7'-6" glass rod from time to time: typically I'm fishing it with a dry fly and casting short distances.
 
Longer rod will help with line management. Personally, I fish 7.5-8.5' and never have a problem....in fact I find it easier than with longer rods for landing fish. I'd just use what you've got rod-wise. Personally, I prefer an apron...
 
Jojo said:
I was just coming here to ask this very same question. I have only two rods. One is a 9 foot 3 weight and the other is a 8-1/2 foot 5 weight and I’ve wondered which one is beneficial to fishing from a float tube, especially if you are short.
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Since the rods are only 6” difference in length, it would be better to decide what flies and presentation you want to fish and choose based on that. It probably wouldn’t be very fun to cast and strip a type 7 sinking line or an indicator rig with an 18’ leader with your 3 weight. Dries and small wets with a floating line? No problem.
 
Dennisoft said:
So what do you think of the 10 footer? Do you notice the difference when you're out in your tube?
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I concur with @Buzzy. I have been wanting to you some of my other rods just to get them in the rotation. I honestly cannot say if it has improved my ability to cast. My thought process was that it might reduce the number of times my backcast will hit the water and I don't think it really made a difference. My line management would be that it helps to get the fish closer the the tube to net with less of an effort with the 9-footer.

I kind of sidelined the 10-footer this year, so I will need to return it to the rotation.
 
Bruce Baker said:
All of my rods, except for one, are 9 foot. A few years ago I purchased a 10 ft. 4 wt for the float tube. The idea was that the longer rod would enable me to better keep the line off the water and secondly, when bringing the fish to net, the longer rod lets me bring the fish closer without having to reel my leader through the guides.
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Thanks Bruce! This makes sense to me. I haven’t used my float tube since i bought it. I am a lazy fly fisher and look for VRBOs on the water. And at the time i had found a VRBO on a lake that we vacationed at twice before I decided i needed a lighter weight because we were going back. The lake had small rainbow, bass and lots of blue gill. That’s why i wanted it, plus it was a four piece. I still haven’t fished much with this rod yet but it does match the size fish i catch better than my 5 wt! This VRBO is not longer available so I’ve been looking for different ones preferably near a small stream.

It occurred to me soon after buying the 9 ft rod that it might be more of a problem if i ventured out to skinny water with lots of brush. I do like this 3 wt (it’s a Sage), but in retrospect i wish i had bought a 8-1/2 Echo and saved some money.
 
Tim Lockhart said:
You're right! Sorry Lue, somehow I posted the wrong pic..

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Does this belong in the thread talking about hardcore? Sitting down in the water, donut, allow line to dangle everywhere, snow on the ground.... THAT'S hardcore!

And here I'm debating NOT fishing Merwin out of my Commander for Tigers with an air temp of 50 and a water temp likely in the low 40s...I'm definitely NOT hardcore.
 
clarkman said:
Does this belong in the thread talking about hardcore? Sitting down in the water, donut, allow line to dangle everywhere, snow on the ground.... THAT'S hardcore!

And here I'm debating NOT fishing Merwin out of my Commander for Tigers with an air temp of 50 and a water temp likely in the low 40s...I'm definitely NOT hardcore.
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Definitely hardcore. @Starman77 invited me to fish with him this morning, he's hiking his float tube into a lake we've fished before. I'm guessing the water is 40F, it's 30F at my house right now. He asked me if we're men or wimps; he's not a wimp. I, on the other hand, am not so hardcore.

I still don't get the let the line dangle thing, loops - yes, but dangle over the side. Obviously, Tim has better line control than this old fart.
 
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