A whistle or air horn is required in Yellowstone on any boat. They consider float tubes “boats” and you need a permit, PFD and a whistle or horn.
Float Tube Safety
- Thread starter jaredoconnor
- Start date
BTW, NRS currently has their Chinook on major sale (Mens and Womens). Worth picking up, I'm using it myself and can't say enough about how easy and comfortable it is. I do a ton of casting from a float tube and I don't know it's there. Designed for fishing. Bummer I paid full price.
www.nrs.com
2019 NRS Chinook Fishing PFD (Previous Model) | NRS
Previous Model: With all the organization and attachment points needed for your fishing accessories, the NRS Chinook Fishing PFD is the world's best-selling life jacket for kayak anglers.
www.nrs.com
A few comments.
I've never seen a log acting like a torpedo in a lake. I'm not sure if I even heard of that happening. I sure am not worried about it.
Swimming rattle snakes. Yeah, that makes me nervous, have seen a couple, but from a distance.
And last, and most important, Good reminders on wearing a PFD at all times when on the water. I have a couple of the NRS Chinooks, and a couple inflatable. I generally wear an inflatable on lakes, and my Chinook on rivers I float. Good deal on the NRS Chinooks.
Whistle is a good idea too. I need to find mine.
Sam
I've never seen a log acting like a torpedo in a lake. I'm not sure if I even heard of that happening. I sure am not worried about it.
Swimming rattle snakes. Yeah, that makes me nervous, have seen a couple, but from a distance.
And last, and most important, Good reminders on wearing a PFD at all times when on the water. I have a couple of the NRS Chinooks, and a couple inflatable. I generally wear an inflatable on lakes, and my Chinook on rivers I float. Good deal on the NRS Chinooks.
Whistle is a good idea too. I need to find mine.
Sam
A lot of good advice and stories on this thread…I remember over 40 years ago when I was learning how to scuba dive that my “instructor” ( I was diving six months before I actually took a cert course…of course a no-no) told me something I never forgot…the majority of scuba drownings were experienced divers, not newbies…old timers begin to become complacent and are more cavalier in their diving preparation…it probably also applies here as well…
Dogsnfish
Steelhead
I use a much older version, but still works very well for fishing. I am tempted to go after the one on closeout, nicer than my old one.BTW, NRS currently has their Chinook on major sale (Mens and Womens). Worth picking up, I'm using it myself and can't say enough about how easy and comfortable it is. I do a ton of casting from a float tube and I don't know it's there. Designed for fishing. Bummer I paid full price.
2019 NRS Chinook Fishing PFD (Previous Model) | NRS
Previous Model: With all the organization and attachment points needed for your fishing accessories, the NRS Chinook Fishing PFD is the world's best-selling life jacket for kayak anglers.
Big reason I have the standing platform and lean bar on my Scadden X5
I too like the inflatables , there is no doubt they work well , getting ready standing in knee deep water fumbled mine , and it just barely touched the water before I grabbed it , way too late . Needs a new cartridge . A friend left his in his pontoon bag , slight sprinkle , surprising how it can rip a zipper open , and ruin the bag .
Old406Kid
Life of the Party
This might be a bit beyond the topic but good info for boating in general.
www.parks.wa.gov
I had a friend that got cited for no sound device on his inflatable pontoon...and yes, the guy that wrote the citation was a real prick.
Boat prepared | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Learn what safety equipment is required by law. Requirements vary according to size and type of boat or paddlecraft.
www.parks.wa.gov
Same here in Utah , sound device. Have always carried one .This might be a bit beyond the topic but good info for boating in general.
I had a friend that got cited for no sound device on his inflatable pontoon...and yes, the guy that wrote the citation was a real prick.Boat prepared | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission
Learn what safety equipment is required by law. Requirements vary according to size and type of boat or paddlecraft.
Same in Oregon, I have been checked at the takeout when kayaking, I have a Fox40 whistle on both my life jackets.
Always bring a PFD and a patch kit that you’re comfortable with! M16 inflatable belt is better than nothing.
Go braid up a paracord section and tie it off to your tube indefinitely, uses include: fixing parts, towing something, backup laces etc.
For hike in locations I like a float tube that’s inflatable by mouth and valves accessible while floating. I usually semi-inflate and hike or sometimes bring a pump.
Go braid up a paracord section and tie it off to your tube indefinitely, uses include: fixing parts, towing something, backup laces etc.
For hike in locations I like a float tube that’s inflatable by mouth and valves accessible while floating. I usually semi-inflate and hike or sometimes bring a pump.
Jim in Anacortes
Life of the Party
There is also a benefit of wearing a life jacket that some people do not consider. If you die suddenly from a stroke, heart attack, drowning etc. often times your body will sink. At that point it becomes a very unpleasant situation, where great efforts are needed to recover your body. Often times with your loved ones, anxiously waiting on the lake's shore. Body recovery dive teams are not necessary if the person was wearing a flotation device.
Jim in Anacortes
Life of the Party
Personally I fear crippling leg cramps when I am fishing from a tube. Generally a leg cramp is nothing more than a painful nuisance. However they can quickly become life threatening in water sports such as diving or float tubing. Dehydration is often to blame. Having a bottle of Gatorade and a banana with you, could very easily save your life.
I have been threatened with leg cramps while wading - right above the chute in waist deep water - horrifying, fortunately the cramps didn’t take hold and I was able to finish my wade across the river.
More PFD talk… I’ve been using a bright orange Astral Ronny kayak vest in my float tube 
for cold weather. It’s very comfortable. In warm weather I use a Mustang Hydrostatic auto-inflating horse collar type.
for cold weather. It’s very comfortable. In warm weather I use a Mustang Hydrostatic auto-inflating horse collar type.
jaredoconnor
Peabrain Chub
Reviving this thread. How many folks here float tube alone? Is that a bad idea?
There’s two lakes (Pine Lake and Beaver Lake) really close to my home that I want to hit up, but I think I’m unlikely to find anyone that I can go with. I’m considering joining the Overlake club. However, the last club I attended had a much older crowd and most of them weren’t very active. It was a bit of a waste of time, which I’m hoping to avoid.
I feel like lake fishing is actually safer than what I already do, fishing rivers alone; getting myself into questionable wading situations and walking through bear/cougar/fentanyl country.
There’s two lakes (Pine Lake and Beaver Lake) really close to my home that I want to hit up, but I think I’m unlikely to find anyone that I can go with. I’m considering joining the Overlake club. However, the last club I attended had a much older crowd and most of them weren’t very active. It was a bit of a waste of time, which I’m hoping to avoid.
I feel like lake fishing is actually safer than what I already do, fishing rivers alone; getting myself into questionable wading situations and walking through bear/cougar/fentanyl country.
I almost always fish alone, wading or float tube. I think the float tube is safer. I always wear a PFD and my tube has two air chambers.
While wading on the other hand, I have often slipped and fallen. Sometimes it happens so fast that I'm on the ground before I realized I fell. If my head kissed a rock during one of those falls, it would have been bad.
J Watrous
Legend
I joined Overlake when the club I was part of celebrated their 50th anniversary. When the president asked “who was there that first year?” Every hand but mine went up.
Overlake is very active, has folks of all ages (including a youth education program), and is everything I’d hoped it’d be.
Though they’ve got tons of outings, I do go often fishing alone, whether it’s in a float tube, canoe, or power boat. I’ve always got a marine radio attached to my vest in the salt. As for fishing Pine or Beaver Lake, I'm happy to meet up. I've family in the area, and it's fairly close for me anyway.
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I'll second Zak's comments. I also feel safer on my 2 chamber Fish Cat Scout but I always wear a higher end, self-inflating PFD with a hydrostatic sensor. I've never had it go off by accident. Punctures or seam failures might not be in my control but a PFD is.
I accept that I am taking more risk while wading and that I can't mitigate all the risks while wading.
Beaver lake is a great place to get started on the tube - easy launch, calm water, and usually a few people around so you can't really get into too much trouble. Let me know if you'd like to meet-up sometime, I'd be happy to come out for a float.