![]() I bring this history of float tube design up to stress that anglers should avoid buying any “round style” float tube. The pontoon style float tubes were popular due to easier maneuverability and had more features. The invention of pontoon style float tubes quickly supplanted round style float tubes. As the angler kicked, the round shape prevented the float tube from “cutting through the water.” Lacking any aerodynamics, the round float tube functioned as a water-borne snowplow and created significant drag. ![]() In particular, round float tubes were difficult to maneuver because of their drag. The problems with round style float tubes were many. Pontoon Style Float Tubes – The first float tubes made were round and resembled an inflatable donut that an angler squished themselves into. With the floorboards installed (which weigh about 10 pounds), the angler can stand fully erect in the boat with no danger of tipping (weather conditions permitting). The PackFish has a weight capacity of 300 lbs, can be safely used on rivers with Class I and Class II rapids and inflates in just minutes.įloorboards are also optional for the PackFish. For this reason, the weight and bulk of the PackFish pretty much equal out to the weight and bulk of packing in a float tube with all the extra required gear. Anyone who has tried to stuff waders into a small pack knows how bulky and awkward they are.īy contrast, with the PackFish all you need bring is the boat and your fishing gear. And this “other gear and clothing” needed for float tube fishing weighs a lot and is far from compact. With a weight of 21 pounds, float tube diehards likely will say “too heavy.” However, remember that to use a float tube the angler also needs to bring along fins, waders and other clothing to stay warm. The Sea Eagle PackFish is a very small, lightweight portable raft specifically designed for fishing. Happily, Sea Eagle recently introduced a unique inflatable boat that neatly solves both problems. Should then angler go for ultra-portability with limited versatility, or should the angler forsake some portability for versatility? Even small backpackable pontoon boats still weigh more and are far bulkier to pack than float tubes. Of course, the reason anglers still use float tubes is because of their sheer portability. The Packfish is a bit of a hybrid between a tiny raft and a small pontoon boat. A great example of a true backpackable raft. Float tubes simply lack the versatility that other boats provide. But if you can only have “one boat,” I’d suggest buying a small pontoon boat, inflatable kayak or inflatable raft. This leads to a choice-buy a backpackable pontoon boat or a float tube? If money and storage space aren’t an issue, get both. By contrast, with a backpackable pontoon boat (or very small inflatable raft), waders aren’t needed. The need for waders adds significant weight and bulk to the anglers backpack. Of course, because most backcountry waters are cold, you’ll have to drag waders along to stay warm. Float tubes are highly packable, far more than even packable pontoon boats. Fishing in Remote, Backcountry Watersįishing remote waters is the ideal use for a float tube. Unlike pontoon boats, inflatable kayaks or inflatable rafts, float tubes are dangerous when waves are present.įor fishing smaller lakes or along the shoreline on larger lakes (so you can get the heck off the lake quickly because of fatigue or high winds), then a float tube will work just fine. Float tubes are also dangerous to use on large lakes during windy conditions (not to mention exhausting to maneuver). The problem is, on large lakes, pontoon boats and inflatable kayaks (which are much easier to paddle) are far superior fishing platforms. ![]() Lake Fishingįloat tubes are ideal for fishing in small ponds and isolated lakes in the backcountry. In short, if you’re looking to buy a boat for river fishing-a float tube is the wrong choice.įor river fishing, pontoon boats, inflatable rafts, and inflatable kayaks are all excellent fishing platforms. On rivers that have strong currents or rapids, float tubes can be downright dangerous-especially when wearing waders. This is especially true if the river has a current or, worse, rapids. River fishing and float tubes do not mix. Whether a float tube is the right boat for your fishing needs depends on one factor-where will you be fishing? Once an angler answers that question, deciding whether to buy a float tube is simple.
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