Float Tube Safety

With very little information available on float tube safety, this document from our neighbors up north is a common sense guide for float tubing.

You should always get your safety gear ready before you attempt float tube fly-fishing. Familiarize yourself with casting from shore or in an open field before you get in your float tube with your fly rod. Although it's important to make sure that your tube is filled properly with air ( a float tube bladder should be inflated enough to remove most of the wrinkles in the nylon cover. If inflated properly, the tube should be very firm, with just a little give. Properly inflated tubes will keep you higher out of the water, causing less drag on the float, and making it faster and easier to paddle around), it's just as important to not over inflate your tube. You could burst the tube's zippers and the seams of the bladder or even the nylon shell.

The rear pocket of most float tubes will hold a large amount of equipment, so gather up any of your incomplete or missing supplies and become safety conscious in your vessel.

Personal Safety equipment

Eye protection

Sunglasses are a must. Polarized sunglasses are recommended and available at most fishing stores. They greatly assist in personal protection along with reducing the glare from the water surface allowing for increased sight fishing opportunities.

The National Society to Prevent Blindness reports almost 40,000 eye related injuries were due to sports and recreational products.

Polarized Lenses:

These lenses are a must for anyone on the water. Glare manifests itself in what is called polarized light. Glare increases on surfaces such as water and snow. This creates distracting blurs. Polarized lenses absorb 98% of the glare so you won't need to squint. These lenses are great for fishermen who fish in shallow water, letting you see the bottom and the fish a whole lot clearer.
Lens Material : Since fishing is not a high-risk sport, any lens material can be used.
Lens Color: The color of lens you choose will depend on when you prefer to fish. For early mornings or late evenings, a rose colored lens is recommended. A brown lens is best for midday and offers the most protection from the sun.
Prescription Lenses: Polarized lenses are available in most prescriptions, ask your optometrist for more information.

Hats

Headwear provides protection from misplaced casts on windy days. I have frequently taken hooks out of my cap rather than my head and I'm not the best-looking guy to start with so this helps. Your hat will also offer shade from the sun. When you are low to the water in a float tube, the sun seems to find a way to burn your eyes at the best of times. A hat that protects both your neck and face is ideal.

Float tube repair kit (vinyl vs. rubber tube info below may be somewhat dated and not applicable for newer float tubes)

Nothing can make a trip one or two hours from home more pointless than a flat with no way to repair it. A standard tire repair kit will work for those that have replaced their vinyl bladder with a tire tube. Personally I have never used mine but I am very thankful it's there. For those using the vinyl tube, keep the repair kit that came with your tube in one of your pockets. If possible, I recommend switching to a rubber inner tube. Ask the manufacturer what rubber inner tube they recommend for your model.
For vinyl bladder users, it may be smart to purchase an extra bladder right when you buy your tube. Some time down the road you might not be able to find a replacement.
All float tube users should have a valve tool kit so they can quickly release the air from their tubes when finished for the day. This will save you a lot of time as it only takes minutes to remove the air from a tube without the valve stem in the tube. Keep an extra valve stem or two sealed in a plastic bag and stored in one of the pockets. They are very small and seem to get lost the second they hit the ground.

Personal flotation device

A PFD, life jacket or inflatable fishing vest is perfect and a must. A large hole in your tube will have you swimming rather quickly.

It could save your life if you are in the middle of the lake and for some unforeseen reason you have an accident. You do have sharp objects near a plastic floatation craft.

First Aid Kit

A small first aid kit ($10.00 at Canadian tire or Wal-Mart is perfect). I have mine in a plastic bag to prevent moisture and water from damaging the contents. Chances are at some time you will need it either for yourself or someone else you are fishing with.

Distance from Shore

Something to think about while you are on the water: If for some reason your tube was to deflate, have you already thought about how to exit your tube and paddle in while you are loosing air? Plan accordingly when you are fishing alone. I find most of my fish in 12 - 16 feet of water and that's not very far from shore in most lakes. Rather than cross the middle of the lake when fishing alone, a trip around the shoreline is a lot safer and is usually the most productive for trout fishing anyway.

Float Tube Safety Tips

http://www.fkpfishing.net/Floattuber/safety.htm

Here are some good safety tips while fishing from your float tube.

These were sent to us by Ken Mitoma from Lake Elsinore, CA

1. Get a whistle for attracting attention if you get into trouble or alerting the boater that you are in front of his bow. Better yet, I purchased a very small air horn at Wal-Mart and it works great for getting attention.

2. Got a tubing buddy? Go to Toys-R-Us a pick up a pair of headset walkie-talkies so you can keep in touch with each other. My buddy and I use Aviator 1000's which gives us about 1/3 of mile range. They are also single channel so that more than two people can hold a conversation. They are 'hands-free' operation.

3. Armor your tube. Why? Tree branches and even spines on the fish can puncture your tube. Use some carpet runner plastic on the inside between the outer covering and the tube. Very strong, but thin enough to allow for proper inflation.

Here are some more tips for a safe & enjoyable float tube trip:

Tupperware or like products are great to keep various tackle or small personal items safe and dry. Also it organizes your pouches so that you can readily find items.

Keep a couple of 16 oz water bottles handy. About the right size to fit in most tube pockets. You can get pretty thirsty out on the water. I fill mine about 1/2 way and freeze them. Then top them off when I leave to fish, this keeps them cool all day.

· Don't float tube alone

· Use float tubes on still water only

· Avoid areas with motorboat traffic

· Be aware of the weather and approaching storms

· Get out of the water during lightning and thunderstorms

· Always carry or wear a personal floatation device

· When walking in fins, always back in and out of the water. It's too easy to fall while walking forward wearing fins.

A few Good Tubin’ Tips

http://www.fkpfishing.net/Floattuber/TubinTips.htm

Know your lake

Careful planning is important for a successful kick out. If it's possible, scout the lake in advance. Check with the local tackle stores or marina personal or even the rangers to find out where the fish have been biting. Read the recent fish reports on your lake in the area fishing magazines or on your favorite fishing website. It's to your advantage to know where the bass should be, and what they will be biting. It's hard to cover large areas of water in a float tube. You may only get one chance to put in, you have to live with the choice. Remember that you can walk faster then you can get there in a float tube. Get as close to the fishing area as possible, and launch from there.

Stowing your gear

At the end of a day’s float tubin' dry out your gear. Never stow your gear wet, or even damp. When you retrieve it for your next fishing trip, you will find your tube, and waders covered with mold, or worse yet, it will have begun to rot. I hang my tube, partially deflated, from a hook in my garage. I open and empty all the bags and wipe the salt from my plastics out before storing. If you have a fish finder set up on your tube, disconnect the cables and remove the battery.

Proper tube inflation

Most beginners under inflate their tubes. A float tube bladder should be inflated enough to remove most of the wrinkles in the canvas cover. If inflated properly, the tube should be very firm, with just a little give. Properly inflated tubes will keep you higher out of the water, causing less drag on the float, and making it faster and easier to paddle around. The oral inflating tube that most tubes come with is a joke. Forget it! It will take you forever, and you will never to be able to fill it properly. If at all possible fill your tube at a local gas station. If that's not possible, use a small compressor that works off a cars' 12V cigarette lighter. If you can't do that, buy a high quality bicycle pump. It could take up to an hour to fill a large tube, so try and get an early start.

Buy an inner tube repair kit from the local bicycle store, stash it in one of the pockets of the tube. These little kits work very well, and might just save your day on the water. While you're at the store, buy a valve stem removal tool and extra stems. These are going to save you tons of time removing air out of the inner tube. It takes forever to drain a tube with the valve stem in it. Remove the stem and it will take less then 5 minutes. Make sure you get the right length for your tube. Always have extra valve stem caps on hand. Don't go out into the water without one on. It will keep water from entering and corroding your stem. It also prevents air from escaping if your valve stem goes bad. If you forgot it at home, take one off your car.

Pro's Pointer: Most beginners under-inflate their tubes. A float tube bladder should be inflated enough to remove most of the wrinkles in the canvas cover. If inflated properly, the tube should be very firm, with just a little give. Properly inflated tubes will keep you higher out of the water, causing less drag on the float, and making it faster and easier to paddle around.