Float Tube Tips

[whoahkarebear]

Hello all!
Thank you for creating such a welcoming environment.

I have been float tubing and still water fly fishing. However, I have been having a difficult time staying well anchored and stationary while casting chironomids/watching the indicator.
Could anyone share their tips and tricks on staying still while float tubing for successfully chironomid castings?

 

[Wanative]

Hello all!
Thank you for creating such a welcoming environment.

I have been float tubing and still water fly fishing. However, I have been having a difficult time staying well anchored and stationary while casting chironomids/watching the indicator.
Could anyone share their tips and tricks on staying still while float tubing for successfully chironomid castings?

Use a small anchor.
@Stonedfish showed me a nifty setup,
perhaps he will chime in here.
How about it Brian?

 

[troutpocket]

It’s a challenge, isn’t it? I don’t have a good solution for anchoring a float tube. My compromise is carrying a depth finder. If I’m confident that fish are around I don’t stress too much about being completely stationary but I pay close attention to the depth and make sure I’m not leaving “the zone”, if that makes sense.

 

[Wanative]

This picture is how @Stonedfish anchors his float tube.
A one quarter inch braided rope slightly longer than the deepest water you anchor in and a 2 or 3 pound weight is needed.
Additionally a small carabiner, a small float and a about 4 or 5 ft of small rope
is needed.
The picture illustrates the carabiner, float and 4-5' rope part of the setup.
The anchor attaches to your 20 or 30 length of 1/4" anchor line or whatever length you decide on.
Note the position of the carabiner. When you lower your anchor let an extra 6 to 10' of line out. Then tie loosely a simple overhand loop in the line.
Clip the carabiner into the loop you tied and let the loop, carabiner and float swing out directly behind the float tube making sure the end of the anchor line opposite the anchor is attached to your tube where you can reach it to retrieve the anchor.
To retrieve the anchor simply pull the anchor line to the loop/ carabiner, unclip the carabiner from the loop you tied and clip to side of tube within reach.
Retrieve the rest of the anchor line and anchor in and that's it. Easy peasy.
The loop you tie in the anchor line can be adjusted for whatever the depth your anchored in.
I hope this makes sense.

 

[Wanative]

Use a small anchor.
@Stonedfish showed me a nifty setup,
perhaps he will chime in here.
How about it Brian?

I borrowed your picture Brian to help explain the set up.

 

[Buzzy]

This picture is how @ Stonedfish anchors his float tube.
A one quarter inch braided rope slightly longer than the deepest water you anchor in and a 2 or 3 pound weight is needed.
Additionally a small carabiner, a small float and a about 4 or 5 ft of small rope
is needed.
The picture illustrates the carabiner, float and 4-5' rope part of the setup.
The anchor attaches to your 20 or 30 length of 1/4" anchor line or whatever length you decide on.
Note the position of the carabiner. When you lower your anchor let an extra 6 to 10' of line out. Then tie loosely a simple overhand loop in the line.
Clip the carabiner into the loop you tied and let the loop, carabiner and float swing out directly behind the float tube making sure the end of the anchor line opposite the anchor is attached to your tube where you can reach it to retrieve the anchor.
To retrieve the anchor simply pull the anchor line to the loop/ carabiner, unclip the carabiner from the loop you tied and clip to side of tube within reach.
Retrieve the rest of the anchor line and anchor in and that's it. Easy peasy.
The loop you tie in the anchor line can be adjusted for whatever the depth your anchored in.
I hope this makes sense.

View attachment 10680

Thanks Fred! I may have anchored my float tube, but I can’t remember ever doing so. Herb Superb gave me a folding anchor: my issue is an added two or three pounds is a lot of weight when backpacking the float tube, fins, rods, reels, dozen or so fly boxes, essential gear, food, water, sonar, net… . So i have a mesh bag that I can fill with gravel/rock for that time I might anchor. Herb’s anchor was passed on to a buddy.

To the OP - practice will get you to remain close to stationary without an anchor

 

[Wanative]

Thanks Fred! I may have anchored my float tube, but I can’t remember ever doing so. Herb Superb gave me a folding anchor: my issue is an added two or three pounds is a lot of weight when backpacking the float tube, fins, rods, reels, dozen or so fly boxes, essential gear, food, water, sonar, net… . So i have a mesh bag that I can fill with gravel/rock for that time I might anchor. Herb’s anchor was passed on to a buddy.

To the OP - practice will get you to remain close to stationary without an anchor

I'm convinced you don't have to anchor to fish indicators. I like the rock idea too.
2-3 pounds is substantial when packing the tube in.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

Anyone use a drogue?

 

[whoahkarebear]

This picture is how @Stonedfish anchors his float tube.
A one quarter inch braided rope slightly longer than the deepest water you anchor in and a 2 or 3 pound weight is needed.
Additionally a small carabiner, a small float and a about 4 or 5 ft of small rope
is needed.
The picture illustrates the carabiner, float and 4-5' rope part of the setup.
The anchor attaches to your 20 or 30 length of 1/4" anchor line or whatever length you decide on.
Note the position of the carabiner. When you lower your anchor let an extra 6 to 10' of line out. Then tie loosely a simple overhand loop in the line.
Clip the carabiner into the loop you tied and let the loop, carabiner and float swing out directly behind the float tube making sure the end of the anchor line opposite the anchor is attached to your tube where you can reach it to retrieve the anchor.
To retrieve the anchor simply pull the anchor line to the loop/ carabiner, unclip the carabiner from the loop you tied and clip to side of tube within reach.
Retrieve the rest of the anchor line and anchor in and that's it. Easy peasy.
The loop you tie in the anchor line can be adjusted for whatever the depth your anchored in.
I hope this makes sense.

View attachment 10680

@Wanative & @Stonedfish ,
Thank you for your detailed float tube set-up description! I am currently using a 10-lb weight attached to a paracord. Next time, I will make sure that the anchor is directly behind my float. Depending on how. that works out, I may play around with adding a floaty as well.

@Buzzy I also think I will be filling a mesh bag with rocks instead of lugging around my 10-lb anchor when hiking in with my float tube. Thank you for your idea! I will also work on my flipper skills to remain stationary for those chironomids! (and casting indicators without tangles!)

 

[Stonedfish]

@Wanative & @Stonedfish ,
Thank you for your detailed float tube set-up description! I am currently using a 10-lb weight attached to a paracord. Next time, I will make sure that the anchor is directly behind my float. Depending on how. that works out, I may play around with adding a floaty as well.

@Buzzy I also think I will be filling a mesh bag with rocks instead of lugging around my 10-lb anchor when hiking in with my float tube. Thank you for your idea! I will also work on my flipper skills to remain stationary for those chironomids! (and casting indicators without tangles!)

Wanative explained things well.
The only other thing I'll add is that the float makes grabbing your anchor rope super easy. It may be underwater when you are on anchor.
Just take a couple kicks backwards in your tube and it will pop up to the surface. With everything underneath you in a tube and around your legs, it make your anchor rope much easier to grab / retrieve then without a float in my opinion.
SF

 

[Wanative]

@Wanative & @Stonedfish ,
Thank you for your detailed float tube set-up description! I am currently using a 10-lb weight attached to a paracord. Next time, I will make sure that the anchor is directly behind my float. Depending on how. that works out, I may play around with adding a floaty as well.

@Buzzy I also think I will be filling a mesh bag with rocks instead of lugging around my 10-lb anchor when hiking in with my float tube. Thank you for your idea! I will also work on my flipper skills to remain stationary for those chironomids! (and casting indicators without tangles!)

Mastering flyfishing is like trying to eat an elephant.
You can't do it all in one sitting

 

[sal_the_salmon]

first, take an old stuff sack and attach an anchor rope to it (many ways to do this) and some sort of "reel" to hold the anchor rope.

next, rig a ~10 foot rope to the d rings on my tube... then clip a carabiner to that rope., it should be long enough to extend a few feet behind the float tube, and attach on the left and the right sides

when you get to where you plan to anchor (or at the launch) fill the bag with small rocks to match the wind. more wind = more rocks

position yourself about 20 feet upwind of where you want to fish from (deeper water = deeper distance). drop the anchor to the bottom and then play out the line to get a nice anchor angle and kinda drift down to your target fishing spot.

next, throw an overhand loop into the anchor line, then clip that to the carabiner on the line attached to your d rings.

finally, make sure all your lines are tidy and in the right spot before you begin fishing.

this will hold you in even the gnarliest winds, and has very little sway side to side. it will basically always face your back directly into the wind.


i can draw a picture if this doesnt make sense, let me know. it works amazing.

 

[whoahkarebear]

first, take an old stuff sack and attach an anchor rope to it (many ways to do this) and some sort of "reel" to hold the anchor rope.

next, rig a ~10 foot rope to the d rings on my tube... then clip a carabiner to that rope., it should be long enough to extend a few feet behind the float tube, and attach on the left and the right sides

when you get to where you plan to anchor (or at the launch) fill the bag with small rocks to match the wind. more wind = more rocks

position yourself about 20 feet upwind of where you want to fish from (deeper water = deeper distance). drop the anchor to the bottom and then play out the line to get a nice anchor angle and kinda drift down to your target fishing spot.

next, throw an overhand loop into the anchor line, then clip that to the carabiner on the line attached to your d rings.

finally, make sure all your lines are tidy and in the right spot before you begin fishing.

this will hold you in even the gnarliest winds, and has very little sway side to side. it will basically always face your back directly into the wind.


i can draw a picture if this doesnt make sense, let me know. it works amazing.

Hello @sal_the_salmon
Thank you, Your strategy explanation is very helpful.
I am planning on fishing later in the day tomorrow.

I will implement some of the suggestions I received above, and post an update.

 

[whoahkarebear]

Hello @sal_the_salmon
Thank you, Your strategy explanation is very helpful.
I am planning on fishing later in the day tomorrow.

I will implement some of the suggestions I received above, and post an update.

Good Evening All!

This morning, I started constructing a make-shift reel for my anchor cord but didn't quite finish.
I ended up casting leeches instead of chironomids.
I will have to go out again very soon to update with an official follow-up.

(Fishing was great today even saw a beaver catch a trout too! )

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

Anchoring on the spot is probably the most effective way to catch fish. But is that the best way to catch fish? For me the float tube allows me to bob and weave. Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Stick and move. etc.. I don't get the numbers but I get enough. I am dynamically working the water ,,,,and for me that's more fun than anchoring.

 

[Wayne Kohan]

Anchoring on the spot is probably the most effective way to catch fish. But is that the best way to catch fish? For me the float tube allows me to bob and weave. Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Stick and move. etc.. I don't get the numbers but I get enough. I am dynamically working the water ,,,,and for me that's more fun than anchoring.

I don't disagree with Jim on this, one of the reasons I like a float tube or pontoon boat is the ability to move around. But sometimes you find fish and you want to stay in one place and if the wind is blowing like it does in eastern WA, it is tough to do that in a float tube. Especially if there are other boats around and you want to stay out of their way. (Lenice comes to mind.) I have tried several anchors and have found them to be lacking. Outcast has made foldable anchors to attach to your boat, I had a 2 pound and still have the 1 pound. Neither held me well if the wind was strong, if it is not strong your fins work fine to hold you still. The 2 pound is at the bottom of Lenice somewhere, it came untied, don't trust the manufacturer's knots. (I need to get RichS out there with me to find it, he brings up stuff from the bottom of every lake we fish. He regularly brings up line with flies and sinkers, nets, T-shirts even...) I suppose if you use a 5 pound anchor that would help, but I remember being blown across Lenice in my pontoon boat with a 10 pound anchor out back and 5 pounds up front. When it gets too windy, I just change tactics or try to find a protected spot. If we are going somewhere where I can launch my boat, I take that if I expect wind. It anchors much better.

 

[Tim L]

Anchoring on the spot is probably the most effective way to catch fish. But is that the best way to catch fish? For me the float tube allows me to bob and weave. Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. Stick and move. etc.. I don't get the numbers but I get enough. I am dynamically working the water ,,,,and for me that's more fun than anchoring.

That's the beauty of it, Jim, and why I enjoy this stuff so much - there's no wrong way of doing it. If I were to guess, you're probably having more success than you let on. Guys who love it and go often tend to get results, no matter the method.

Cheers

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

Tim Lockhart, I know enough about fishing to know that your books enabled me to enter this "fishery" years ahead of where I would have been without them. Initial success is often a springboard to the pursuit of excellence. Your books provided that initial success, and your input to this thread makes my heart sing. Cheers

 

[Ceviche]

This picture is how @Stonedfish anchors his float tube.
A one quarter inch braided rope slightly longer than the deepest water you anchor in and a 2 or 3 pound weight is needed.
Additionally a small carabiner, a small float and a about 4 or 5 ft of small rope
is needed.
The picture illustrates the carabiner, float and 4-5' rope part of the setup.
The anchor attaches to your 20 or 30 length of 1/4" anchor line or whatever length you decide on.
Note the position of the carabiner. When you lower your anchor let an extra 6 to 10' of line out. Then tie loosely a simple overhand loop in the line.
Clip the carabiner into the loop you tied and let the loop, carabiner and float swing out directly behind the float tube making sure the end of the anchor line opposite the anchor is attached to your tube where you can reach it to retrieve the anchor.
To retrieve the anchor simply pull the anchor line to the loop/ carabiner, unclip the carabiner from the loop you tied and clip to side of tube within reach.
Retrieve the rest of the anchor line and anchor in and that's it. Easy peasy.
The loop you tie in the anchor line can be adjusted for whatever the depth your anchored in.
I hope this makes sense.

View attachment 10680

I had to read your instructions twice before I finally made sense of the picture. Excellent design.

I have one thought, though. If one just used polypropylene for the short bow-to-carabiner line, that might spare the need for the buoy, as PP rope already floats. Does that make sense? Unless, of course, the float is to keep the carabiner afloat, in case it gets dropped by accident?

 

[Wanative]

I had to read your instructions twice before I finally made sense of the picture. Excellent design.

I have one thought, though. If one just used polypropylene for the short bow-to-carabiner line, that might spare the need for the buoy, as PP rope already floats. Does that make sense? Unless, of course, the float is to keep the carabiner afloat, in case it gets dropped by accident?

That makes sense to me.
I struggled to make that description understandable.