Conference wahoo::fishing

    OPPS, forgot one very IMPORTANT thing about fins in the last entry:
    
    If your fins don't float, tye a rope or nylon string from the fin
    to your ankle.  This way if the fin gets knocked off by a fish you're
    fighting or ????? you can at least get to shore and still have the
    fin.  Even if they're cheap fins, fishing for a day with only 1
    fin aint fun.

      Anyone out there ever used bellyboats for duck hunting?
    Kind of off the subject, but thought I'd ask.
    Jeff

    	I guess I could entitle this Murphy's Law of Releasing Fish.
    The following are a couple of things I have learned about releasing
    warm water fish frome a belly-boat.
    
    	I was wading last week-end using the belly-boat for protection
    from stepping into holes and etc.  I was just almost at the point
    of floating in the tube but still had both feet on the bottom fishing
    along a drop in the moss line.  I hooked and landed a bass about
    18" and 4#s.  Nice fish but no Hawg.  So, I unhooked him and was
    releasing him.  Now, I had made it a habit to let the fish down
    into the water until he was below the surface and then let go of
    the lip (less shock to the fish, right?).  This time, the fish being
    dis-oriented, he dove right under the tube.  I was paying attention
    to the next place I wanted to cast since the fish was already gone.
    RIGHT!  Next thing I know, I feel something like a hammer being
    pounded into the side of my knee between the joint and the tendon.
    RESULT = TORN LIGAMENT!!!
    
    	Well, having learned from lesson #1, I decided it was best to
    just get rid of the fish the easiest and fastest way possible. 
    So, I had learned that when using long shank hooks, if you just
    grab the hook and apply some pressure toward the barb when you catch
    a Northern Pike, he will just flip off.  Since the water was warm
    enough and the outside temp. was warm, I was wearing my featherlites
    rather than the neoprenes.  I hooked a small northern, about 26"
    and 5-6#.  So, as I get him next to the belly-boat, I see the fly
    in the side of his mouth.  I reach down and grab the fly, twist
    it, fish flops once and is gone.  Next thing I know, I am soaked
    to the waist.  Seems the pike when he flipped went right down the
    back of my leg and lacerated my waders for about 6". 
    
    	So, control the fish when you catch it before release and STAY
    AWAKE.  Otherwise, Murpy's Law might bite you too.

    reL-1
    Wayne,
       Sounds like you had a good time. ;^)
                                             Denny

    Denny,
    	All in all, I had a fair day.  Other than a shredded pair of
    waders which will hang on the wall next to the rods and reels as
    a reminder, I caught 26 Bass from 12 to 21" and 8 Northerns in about
    8 hours.  So, other than not being able to travel quite as well
    as normal, it was a fairly productive day fishing.  It was also
    VERY educational and I will remember the lessons for quite a while.

re: .0
    
    	While I've a canoe, and generally have it with me most of the time 
    during spring and summer. I've always wanted to use a belly boat.
    My wife says, why do want a belly boat when you have a canoe?  Well, I 
    can think of several reasons, with the biggest being less pain in my 
    lower back after unloading and loading by myself.  

	This past weekend I dreamed a tad with the BASS PRO cataloge
    in hand.  I came up with a price of $82.00 +- a couple bucks for all 
    that I'd need (tube 40.00, chest wader - stream lite 18.00, suspenders
    11.00, duck feet 15.00).  
    
	Now, with that in mind, I've got some questions for you.  The
    tube...the cheaper one above has a low back rest, where the more
    expense one has a high back rest, and lap cover.  Both have quick
    release seat and a couple pouches.  Is the back rest usefull at all?
    I don't really see how it's of any use, small or large.  I can see
    where a lap cover can be useful. How do rig a lap cover if one doesn't 
    come with what you buy? 
    
	Waders - for a belly boat, their purpose is clear.  However, I've 
    used hip waders may be twice, while stream fishing.  I don't like
    waders.  When I go out and the potiential for wading is there, I take
    an extra part of pants, shoes and socks, and change when I'm done
    fishing. Therefore my theory for waders with a belly boat is buy
    cheap.  Any thoughts on waders and belly boats?

	Duck feet, or fins... With fins, to move around in any direction
    seems like you have to move in a backwards direction, then twist
    around toward your target.  The duck feet (vertical fin that straps to 
    heel of wader) seems more appropriate for forward motion, but how the 
    hell do you use them?  The "Big Feet" you mentioned, what are they?
    Can you explain motion and manuveralbility (sp?) in a belly boat with 
    fins and with these duck feet type fins?  What would you recommend?  I 
    guess it's like anything new, practice is what it will take to learn
    how to move around in these things. 

	Oh. A couple last questions.  How, where do you hold/keep your rod
    when changing flies, lures, or bait?  And, where do you keep the beer 
    supply and what your drinking?  Do you pull the draw string tight in
    your waders, fill the upper part with ice and beer, or do you float a 
    cooler behind you and rig a harness around your neck with a cup holder
    attached?

	Bryan 
    

    
    
    Ref .6 Quick answers to many questions from Bryan!
    
    I have used a belly boat in Maine for three + years and NEVER use
    my canoe anymore atall. Catch more trout from it than ever before
    too. Also great for bassing at evening/ night in those smaller ponds where
    Ranger Ron cant even get his trailer down the access road...:^)..!
    
    1) $40 to $80, cost versus features. Backrest is unneccessary unless
    you tube all day, in which case it does provide some back support
    and is a great place to store raingear, gloves, sweaters and so
    forth. May offer extra floatation in a pinch. There is definitely a
    need for pockets/pouches to carry your stuff, the more the better.
    If there isnt a apron you can count on losing anything not tied
    to your person immediately upon entering the water! It is about
    impossible to add a apron to a tube if not designed in. BOTTOM LINE
    is forget the cut rate tube in the Cabelas catalogue and spring
    for a midprice tube at $60 to $70. I suggest the Caddis delux in
    the lowback version (The highback has problems with going flat).
    If you want first class the BUCKS BAG at $120 + is vedy nice..!
    
    2) Tube waders, cost vs frozen appendages and sore dangles. I would
    not consider cheap waders as a bargain if your really serious about
    tubing. They chaff and leak, they chaff and leak and they chaff
    and leak. Spring for at least a DECENT $50 pair of good rubber waders
    and make sure they are LARGER than normal fit, this will minimize
    the pinched important parts as well as the chaff and leak syndrome.    
    Also they will allow room for sufficient sweatpants and longies
    to allow some reasonable time in the water in any month but July
    and August...when in a tube hypothermia becomes a VERY REAL RISK.    
    Apparently "WARM" 55 deg water will sap your energy level to zip
    in a hurry when you are up to your keister in it...:^)...(Is this
    too risque????). That water is COLD, plan accordingly. If you buy
    BOOTFOOTS get INSULATED bootfoots, else your tootsies will turn
    blue in split time (experience talking here!!!) I strongly suggest
    neoprene waders if you are SERIOUS...and want to live long..
    especially in the northeast.

    3) Forcefins, powerfins or anything that makes you go backwards is
    about useless unless you like to have a very sore neck or ave eyes
    in the back of your head. DONT BUY THESE FIRST ...........They are
    NOT significantly faster than Paddlepushers or "duckfeet" as you
    call em...and many types wont fit on ANY type of bootfoot wader. I own 
    and use both types and use the fins only for transit..switch to the paddle
    pusher for close in work on fish....The only disadvantage with paddle
    pushers is you CANNOT back away from the fish, this makes a 6 pound bass
    VERY interesting on a 1:1 flyreel..heheh!!!     
    
    4) Manuverability...no problem..a little awkward at first but soon
    a straight line is no problem, understand that NO TUBE GOES FAST,
    we're talking a walking pace at best. At full bore it will take
    a afternoon (6 Hrs) to fish around the edge of a 66 acre pond. But
    when you want to sneak back into the weeds and fool old bucketmouth 
    NOTHING is quieter or sneakyer...I have had bass shelter UNDER the
    tube on a sunny day (trout too)...GREAT.   

    5) Beer supply..put it in the pocket or backrest, I use one of the
    softpack type minicoolers..it works....! Rod holders are usually
    velcro strips on the front you can secure the rod with these..they
    are standard on CAddis tubes. I have added D and V rings all around
    my tube for attaching nets, creels and all manner of junk...even
    tryed my LCD experimentally last summer.
        
    6) The real Bottom Line costwise is like this:
    
        DECENT TUBE     $70              Topline pro tube  $120
        DECENT WADER    $50 (3 Yrs tops) Good Neoprenes    $130 Last forever
        PADDLE PUSHERS  $13              Wader boots       $ 40
                       ----              Pushers           $ 13
                       $133                             -------
                                                           $303

     Big range here, dont go super cheapy or you will not enjoy the
     result...if you live...:^)...!
  
   Turned into a rather long discourse, for more information try 
   DNEAST::FLYFISH and check the directory for the TUBE note..around
   note 60 +- (Maybe). Or just ask for more here.   Good luck!

                                  Tight lines and good tubing!        

                                              Ed    
        

    
Addendum to .7 for Bryan.......
    
    A GOOD tube is like fishing from your best easychair, I have went
    to sleep in mine..try that in your canoe. 
    
    A tube is good for as long as you can stand the cold water or until
    you drink too much beer..but then again pissin from a canoe is no fun 
    either..:^).  

    A tube doesnt hurt your back to load or unload or fish from..More
    than I can say for "most" canoes. I have spent numerous 10-14 Hr
    days in the water, fishing all day with minimum shore time in my tube 
    with no sore back afterwards...try that in a canoe.    
        
    I can carry my tube and tube gear, lunch and all, four miles over
    a mountain before breakfast and be ready to fish all day no problem...
    try that with your "ultralight" 45 Lb canoe..heheh!!!
    
    
                                      Ed    
    

    
    Being from Mass and usually fishing in MA I have never seen anybody
    ever use a Belly Boat.  Does anybody out there no if it's legal
    and if it is then why aren't they being used?
    
    461.8 
    
    Fast Eddy let me ask you something is there boats on the lake/ponds
    that you are fishing?  If so aren't you afraid of being run over
    by some crazy water skier?
    
    
    					Bart Lasky

    
    
REF;  .9, 

         Bart:        

        Knowledge of tubiferous activities is somewhat limited to
    what is commonly known as "The flyfishing fraternity" Unless you
    run with the crowd or frequent trout ponds its unlikely you'll see
    one. Hardly anyone in Maine has ever seen one and one does run into
    skeptical locals quite frequently....! 
    
        As far as legality there should be no legal reason why one cant
    go tubiferous in Assachewshits. There is a somewhat obscure legal
    question as to wether one is required to wear a PFD while in a tube,
    I have never been approached by a warden on this subject in Maine
    and plenty of them have spent time glassing us on our favorite pond.
    Actually the tube would likely be considered as a PFD in itself
    albiet not CG approved.....as I said VERY OBSCURE legally....I dont
    were a PFD and dont intend to.
    
       As for boats, one doesnt tend to tube where there are either
    water skiers or toolheads in powercraft in large numbers. Big water
    (Over 66 acres to me) is not well suited to tubing due to the distances
    involved and the slow pace of locomotion. If one did wish to tube
    in a potentually hostile environment one could be very well find
    oneself at the mercy of any beer/drug crazed toolhead in his Searay 23 
    flybridge. If I was presented with this alternative I would recomend 
    carrying some "boat repellent"...preferably in magnum or special 
    sizes...:^)...MAKE MY DAY SEARAY..POWPOWPOW>>>!!!
    ...seriously this has not been a problem for me YET, but I do know
    someone who forgot to buckle his seat pan up and slipped down thru
    the hole in his tube when a powerboat washed him with wake. Fortunately
    he survived!    
                                 
                                 TIGHT LINES
    
                                     Ed    
        
    
    
    

    re .10:
    Ed,
    	Don't know about you local regulations about PFD.  In Colorado
    the regulations are that if the lake is over 40 acres, you must
    either have 3 chambers in the tube or a seperate PFD vest.  Out
    here in Colorado, water is a little more scarce than in other places.
    I have found that on the larger lakes, if I wear some type of highly
    visible and reflective headband on my hat, I haven't been bothered
    too much.  3 foot waves from wind can be fun, though.
    	At night, I attach a small flashlight to the top of my hat with
    a reflector that keeps the light off me.  Have had some very strange
    stares and looks from some of the boaters but have had no problems
    at night.  It even met the regulations for night lighting for the
    coastguard auxiliary people down at Pueblo Reservoir.  The only
    thing I try to do is stay out of the middle of the lakes with the
    belly-boat if skiers or crazies are out.  Other than that, I haven't
    had any problems from boats.
    	Now all I need to do is figure out how to mount the remote control
    for the Electric trolling motor.  :-)

    	Well, I have a poor report to give on my new belly-boats.  I
    purchased the standard Bass-Tracker belly-boats for Christmas. 
    I have only used mine about a dozen times.  I had to send one back
    about a month ago because the seat ripped out and almost dropped
    me into the bottom of the lake.  Well, the second unit is having
    the same problem with seat rip.  My son's boat had the pocket on
    the side rip off when he zipped the zipper closed.  So, I will be
    returning both units for a refund.  Now to find Browning or Trout
    traps at a REASONABLE fee.  The extra fee is worth the peace of
    mind of knowing that I am safe while out in the middle of the lake.

    	After using the Browning Belly-boats for about 3 months, I have
    some good reports on them.  The only thing I have found with them
    is the lack of side pockets.  I do like the stripping apron.
    	Now for the next question.  Has anyone out there had any experience
    with the neoprene waders from Bass-Pro.  I am looking at my Christmas
    present.  If anyone has any knowledge or recommendations, let me
    know.

    	I am happy to report that my Christmas present of a pair of
    neoprene waders showed up on time.  I have already used them many
    times in water that varied from cold enough to be forming skim ice
    while out on the lake in the belly-boat to yesterday with 61 degree
    water temperatures.  I WILL be taking the feather-lite waders with
    me next trip if it stays this warm.  I almost sweat to death yesterday.
    	One of the most useful things I have found for an accessory
    to my belly-boat is one of the tire pumps that plugs into the cigarette
    lighter socket.  Get one of the high volume pumps.  That way, you
    can semi-deflate the boat to take up less room for storage and travel,
    and then inflate it again when you get to the lake.  Also, get one
    of the tools or valve stem caps that has the valve core remover.
    Makes life a lot more simple.  While you are getting your waders
    on or off, you can inflate or flatten your tube.  Leave some air
    in the tube during storage so that the rubber inner tube doesn't
    get pinched.  Blow outs on the lake aren't any fun.

    I have been really looking hard at these belly boats and am curious to
    a question asked a long time ago.  Anyone in this area use them?
    
    Brian

    Better late than never...
    
    I have been using a float tube in Mass. and N.H. this spring and
    summer.  I haven't been hassled by any authorities yet, but then I've
    never seen any authorities in my five years of fishing in Mass..  The
    tube never fails to draw attention from anyone around when you launch
    or come out.  I used the tube on Lake Pawtuckaway while camping at the 
    state park, but the majority of my tubing has been on Flint Pond and 
    Flushing Pond in Tyngsboro and Chelmsford respectively.  These ponds
    are small, with minimal to non-existant boat traffic.  The only time I
    have been nervous is in the evening on Pawtuckaway when some jerks in a
    power boat thought it would be fun to throw a wake at me.  They stayed
    well clear of me though, and were probably dissapointed to see that the
    tube and I bobbed through the wake without breaking speed.
    
    I bought a Buck's Bag Deluxe from L.L. Bean, along with the Buck's
    Bladder System.  The bladder system is four orally inflatable bladders
    which replace the rubber inner tube.  It's advantages as I see it are:
    greatly reduced weight, easy inflation without pump, and safety (one 
    flat bladder won't sink you).  The disadvantage is they don't hold the
    pressure of the tube, so you have a softer tube.  This hasn't proven to
    be a problem.
    
    The bag is great!  I can not imagine a more comfortable way to fish,
    and I can pass through any water that's at least twelve inches deep. 
    The bag has lots of cargo space for shoes, raingear, beverages, etc..
    I keep the bag inflated all the time, and even inflated, it fits behind
    the driver's seat in the extended cab of my S10 Pick-up.  Normally,
    however, I just throw my waders and fins into the seat of the tube,
    throw the tube in the bed, and away I go.  I don't even have to tie it
    down.  When I put in or take out it takes five minutes tops.  I have
    not tried backpacking the tube yet, but have carried it fully inflated
    with all my gear a mile into the woods, and was suprised at how light
    and manageable it was.
    
    I use neopreane waders, with jeans underneath, and found them equally
    comfortable last night, as they were in April.  I use Power Plana
    diving fins and they work great.  I can't imagine using anything
    smaller.  You do have to move backwards, but I find that when I get
    where I'm going, one kick with one foot can spin me 180 degrees into
    fishing position.  The only problem I have with this set up is that the
    fin does not have a heel, so the waders are unprotected.  Therefor, I
    have to be careful where I step so I don't put a hole in them
    
    Got to go now.
    
    Happy Tubin'
    
    Al

    re: .16
    Al---
    
    I can suggest some decent full-foot fins for you, if you're interested.
    Also, you might be interested in checking out Long Pond in Tewksbury,
    which is loaded with lm bass and nearly maximum size black crappie.
    
    John H-C

    where is long pond in tewks?
    
    Bruce

    Long Pond is on Pond Street, which runs between Whipple in Tewskbury
    and Salem in Billerica. There are two places to put in, both in 
    Tewksbury. The better of the two is just south of the Pine/Pond
    intersection.
    
    This pond is eutrophic and headed for death by suffocation in the next
    decade. Catch the fish before they die of other causes.
    
    

    Al
    
    I use the kickapoo kicker fins instead of divers types.  The kickapoo looks
    like an inverted snowshoe.  You simply walk forward underwater and they
    propel you forward.  They work really well in wind and still water. 
    The only drawback I have found is when you enter really mucky water the
    tend to get sucked under the muck and takes a little finagling to get
    them free.  I recommend that over going backwards in the tube.
    
    Brian

    
    Paddle pushers by FishTec out of Oklahoma City beat even the Kickapoo
    Kickers.
    
    At 16.40 a pair parcdel postpaid they're the baws.
    
    Go forward with these too..
    
     e

    Ed
    
    How do these paddle pushers work and how are they diff from the
    kickapoos.  
    
    Always looking for easier way to propel long distances
    
    Brian