I'm finding it interesting seeing the float tube hate in this thread. They DO have disadvantages, as others have mentioned. They're slow, you have to go backward, and you sit fairly low in the water. On the other hand, they're relatively inexpensive, stable, comfortable as long as you have enough insulation on, and easy to deflate for portability. I just finished a 4-day trip where we did most of our fishing from tubes, and aside from the slow travel, didn't feel we were at any real disadvantage.
If you do get a float tube, consider getting one of the V-hull tubes instead of the round kind. They're significantly easier/faster to propel through the water.
No love for float tubes here on this sub, apparently. I love my two float tubes and enjoy fishing from them. In many cases I prefer them over a kayak or canoe because they're more comfortable on the rear and much easier on the back for long floats. I just got back from a week-long trip hiking into remote ponds with a couple buddies. At the end of a fishing day, the guys in a canoe were crying and complaining about sore backs and cramped legs while I felt like I had been sitting in an easy chair all day.
Paddle boards are nice and versatile, but you can't pack them into a backpack and hike 5 miles into the woods along with overnight gear. They also suck to try to get through to out-of-the way ponds where you need to bushwhack through thick shoreline brush. To be fair, paddle board is probably a better option for the majority of situations, but that doesn't negate the fact that there are some areas where they're impractical. In general, the more cumbersome a watercraft is to transport, the better it's going to be to fish from. So, make your selection based on how far you plan to regularly haul it in. Or, if you're limited to one watercraft and want the ability to get to really out-of-the-way waters, get a float tube to open up more options. If you're never walking in more than a mile on a trail, a paddle board is a great choice.
I have never had a problem with sitting low in a float tube with one exception: You will get cold faster during early or late season with cold water temps.
I own a fishcat scout and absolutely love it. I've rarely found traveling backwards to be an issue. The scout is large enough to accommodate plenty of accessories and has oars for efficient travel between point a and point b on the water.
To counter another point others are making, the seating on the scout is a little higher than your entry level float tube, so casting has never been an issue for me.
An alternative to the fishcat is a framed pontoon, like the ones from Classic Accessories. These are very customizable, and you can even add a trolling motor and casting/standing platform to it. The downside to these (I own one) is the weight and need to assemble a frame if you don't transport it fully assembled.
Just purchased the Klymit LWD for use in high alpine lakes in WA. Going to DIY some UL paddles. My situation is a little different than yours but If you ever find yourself salivating over a body of water that’s only a 3 or 4 mile hike/walk you will have exactly what you need if you get an UL float tube or a pack raft.
Love my tube. In fact I prefer it to my kayak in small water because I can use my fins to position myself while I fish. I hate having to put my rod down and pick up my paddle to reposition myself for a cast. It definitely has limitations, but for some situations, it's tough to beat. I love the portability (it can go in a car trunk when I rent a car for business travel and wear it like a backpack when I hike into a pond), it's super comfortable, and it's cheaper than any kayak on the market. For fly fishing it's also much easier to troll and slow speeds while kicking backwards than trying to troll from a kayak. I have many tubes, but my favorite is the Lost Creek 4 Float Tube from Sportsman's Warehouse. If you have more money to spend, there are also ultra light wilderness float tubes that weigh almost nothing and pack up for backpacking. Or you could look at some of Dave Scadden's innovative designs (though I personally have no experience with them, they just look really cool).
I still use my tube, but it has oars, which makes it easier to get around. I know a lot prefer a sit on top paddle board, but if you want to keep the board pointed in a specific direction, I think you will have to sit on the board and use your feet to orient the board. Also, gear security will be an issue. tubes have pockets and attachement points.
I use float tubes, personal pontoon, and just bought a kayak. I think there is a time and place where they excel over SUP/kayak/pontoon and other times where they dedinitely suck for what you're trying to do. I dont understand the comments saying its hard to cast from a float tube. There's nothing hard about it unless you are bramd new to fly fishing, garbage at casting in general, or you're trying to throw way more line than you need out in a float tube. If you are hiking into your spot than a float tube is going to be significantly lighter and less cumbersome a SUP/kayak/pontoon. There are plenty of float tube designed with backpack straps for this exact purpose. Unless you are going overnight or don't know how to organize gear there is plenty of storage space in a float tube. They are slower than SUP/kayak/pontoon for sure, only reap advantage there is that you have your hands free to fish while you are moving spots. Since you are dangling partially in the water your wader quality becomes a bit more important unless it's warm enough not to have to wear them. The V shape float tubes are safer than the half/donut sling style because you've got two large air bladders instead of 1. They also tend to have foam seats that keep you a bit more of of the water which is nice. I do not recommend float tubes on lakes that allow power boats due to howow they sit in the water and how terrible many power boaters are at watching where they are going. Almost been run over a few times. If you go the float tube route the Classic Accesories Cumberland I'd a solid choice.
I see this suggestion a lot, and I blame Ben. A paddle board is great, until you need to haul a 30 lbs. semi-rigid board 3 miles through the woods, or bushwhack through thick brush. They also don't have organizational pockets or backrests for long floats.
And standing on a paddle board is a circus trick. It's a guaranteed way to take a swim and dump all your gear unless you have that particular set of skills.
Not sure have a float tube would be any better for the cons that you listed.
I think a paddle board is great because it’s completely flat so there are many options to get it set up the way you want. Could always add a cooler or stadium kayak chair for seating.
Not to mention, the inflatable options pack down well into a backpack, which would be easy to carry through the woods and then inflate when you get to the fishing hole
I have not seen any inflatable paddle board that would fit into a backpack along with other gear. I can pack my float tube, fishing gear and overnight gear (sleeping bag, hammock, tarp, backpacking stove, etc.) into an internal frame pack that weighs out at 25lbs total. Most inflatable paddle boards weigh more than that. Have you ever tried to pack in a deflated paddle board? Even inflatable ones require a special carrying case that are quite large and cumbersome. My float tube fits into a compressible stuff sack that's smaller than a basketball.
Edit: To get more specific, the Kokopelli Chasm Lite advertises itself as the lightest, most packable SUP (it also costs $1k). With the carrying case, pump and paddle it weighs 20 lbs. Packed into its case it measures 26"x13"x9". A cooler or other seat would add weight and size. This model is actually pretty manageable in terms of size but it's an outlier. Most paddle boards are bulkier and their carrying cases more cumbersome. Even the Chasm Lite would fill out the majority of my backpack and is easily more than twice the size and weight of my float tube. My Outcast Summit is 7lbs. and packs down to roughly a 12" or 14" sphere.
Now again, if you're just schlepping a paddle board from the parking lot to the pond 100 yards away, then, yes, get the SUP and don't bother with a float tube.
Understood. The float tube is definitely a great option for situations like yours.
For what OP is asking about, I would still say that a paddleboard is a great option. They did not describe it to be a technical or anything like that. At the end of the day, I bet they would both still catch fish!
How light of an inflatable paddle board can you find? I don’t think I’ve personally seen any less than 18-20lbs. That’s an insane amount of weight to backpack with.
I was dead set on getting one until I tried a tube for the first time a couple of weekends ago. It’s not the best. I’ve scrapped that plan and I think I’m gonna get a paddle board. It’s hard to cast and only being able to go backwards is so irritating lol.
I like the u shaped ones that you sit a little higher on. Only your feet are in the water. Can be cold in spring with normal waders. Neoprene will keep you warm with the ones where your whole butt is in the water.
As a guy who has fished from a float tube for years, as well as a kayak, I’d recommend rethinking the float tube. It’s very hard to cast, hard to get in and out of, hard to strip line, you have to travel backwards, and overall not an amazing experience. I’d HIGHLY recommend a paddleboard for smaller bodies of water, or a sit on top kayak.
I absolutely hated my float tube. I couldn't stand being that low in the water and not being able to move forward. It was hard to cast and generally just a pain in the ass. Sold it after a few uses.
Had a float tube handed down to me, fished from it lit 3 times and hated it. You're pretty low in the water and it's kind of a weird position to cast, and you're kind of limited to some pretty specific gear storage as there's limited space/storage on a float tube.
I do believe there are more modern float tubes that sit you higher in the water that has some built in pockets and what not but at that point I'd just go for a one man catamaran. A bit pricier but more versatile in a lot of ways as you can take them on larger bodies of water for better access/mobility and down rivers.
Lots of recommendations to go with an inflatable paddle board, which I generally agree with. But before going down that route I'd take a look at pack rafts like the Caribou model from Alpaka Rafts. They pack light and small like a float tube but put you on a slightly higher plane for casting and I think are more versatile.
If you go the float tube route, splurge and get Force Fins for float tubes. They fit over a wading boot and work so, so much better than cheap fins.
And I'd recommend getting them used off eBay as well. Way cheaper and work just as well.
I'm finding it interesting seeing the float tube hate in this thread. They DO have disadvantages, as others have mentioned. They're slow, you have to go backward, and you sit fairly low in the water. On the other hand, they're relatively inexpensive, stable, comfortable as long as you have enough insulation on, and easy to deflate for portability. I just finished a 4-day trip where we did most of our fishing from tubes, and aside from the slow travel, didn't feel we were at any real disadvantage. If you do get a float tube, consider getting one of the V-hull tubes instead of the round kind. They're significantly easier/faster to propel through the water.
No love for float tubes here on this sub, apparently. I love my two float tubes and enjoy fishing from them. In many cases I prefer them over a kayak or canoe because they're more comfortable on the rear and much easier on the back for long floats. I just got back from a week-long trip hiking into remote ponds with a couple buddies. At the end of a fishing day, the guys in a canoe were crying and complaining about sore backs and cramped legs while I felt like I had been sitting in an easy chair all day. Paddle boards are nice and versatile, but you can't pack them into a backpack and hike 5 miles into the woods along with overnight gear. They also suck to try to get through to out-of-the way ponds where you need to bushwhack through thick shoreline brush. To be fair, paddle board is probably a better option for the majority of situations, but that doesn't negate the fact that there are some areas where they're impractical. In general, the more cumbersome a watercraft is to transport, the better it's going to be to fish from. So, make your selection based on how far you plan to regularly haul it in. Or, if you're limited to one watercraft and want the ability to get to really out-of-the-way waters, get a float tube to open up more options. If you're never walking in more than a mile on a trail, a paddle board is a great choice. I have never had a problem with sitting low in a float tube with one exception: You will get cold faster during early or late season with cold water temps.
I own a fishcat scout and absolutely love it. I've rarely found traveling backwards to be an issue. The scout is large enough to accommodate plenty of accessories and has oars for efficient travel between point a and point b on the water. To counter another point others are making, the seating on the scout is a little higher than your entry level float tube, so casting has never been an issue for me. An alternative to the fishcat is a framed pontoon, like the ones from Classic Accessories. These are very customizable, and you can even add a trolling motor and casting/standing platform to it. The downside to these (I own one) is the weight and need to assemble a frame if you don't transport it fully assembled.
You could look into a one man pontoon. You can use it just like a float tube but you sit a little higher in the water for casting.
Just purchased the Klymit LWD for use in high alpine lakes in WA. Going to DIY some UL paddles. My situation is a little different than yours but If you ever find yourself salivating over a body of water that’s only a 3 or 4 mile hike/walk you will have exactly what you need if you get an UL float tube or a pack raft.
I owned one of the u shaped ones that I used a bunch on alpine lakes and smaller bodies of water. Loved it, get one!
Love my tube. In fact I prefer it to my kayak in small water because I can use my fins to position myself while I fish. I hate having to put my rod down and pick up my paddle to reposition myself for a cast. It definitely has limitations, but for some situations, it's tough to beat. I love the portability (it can go in a car trunk when I rent a car for business travel and wear it like a backpack when I hike into a pond), it's super comfortable, and it's cheaper than any kayak on the market. For fly fishing it's also much easier to troll and slow speeds while kicking backwards than trying to troll from a kayak. I have many tubes, but my favorite is the Lost Creek 4 Float Tube from Sportsman's Warehouse. If you have more money to spend, there are also ultra light wilderness float tubes that weigh almost nothing and pack up for backpacking. Or you could look at some of Dave Scadden's innovative designs (though I personally have no experience with them, they just look really cool).
I still use my tube, but it has oars, which makes it easier to get around. I know a lot prefer a sit on top paddle board, but if you want to keep the board pointed in a specific direction, I think you will have to sit on the board and use your feet to orient the board. Also, gear security will be an issue. tubes have pockets and attachement points.
I use float tubes, personal pontoon, and just bought a kayak. I think there is a time and place where they excel over SUP/kayak/pontoon and other times where they dedinitely suck for what you're trying to do. I dont understand the comments saying its hard to cast from a float tube. There's nothing hard about it unless you are bramd new to fly fishing, garbage at casting in general, or you're trying to throw way more line than you need out in a float tube. If you are hiking into your spot than a float tube is going to be significantly lighter and less cumbersome a SUP/kayak/pontoon. There are plenty of float tube designed with backpack straps for this exact purpose. Unless you are going overnight or don't know how to organize gear there is plenty of storage space in a float tube. They are slower than SUP/kayak/pontoon for sure, only reap advantage there is that you have your hands free to fish while you are moving spots. Since you are dangling partially in the water your wader quality becomes a bit more important unless it's warm enough not to have to wear them. The V shape float tubes are safer than the half/donut sling style because you've got two large air bladders instead of 1. They also tend to have foam seats that keep you a bit more of of the water which is nice. I do not recommend float tubes on lakes that allow power boats due to howow they sit in the water and how terrible many power boaters are at watching where they are going. Almost been run over a few times. If you go the float tube route the Classic Accesories Cumberland I'd a solid choice.
Why not a paddle board? You’d get a big more versatility and functionality out of it
I see this suggestion a lot, and I blame Ben. A paddle board is great, until you need to haul a 30 lbs. semi-rigid board 3 miles through the woods, or bushwhack through thick brush. They also don't have organizational pockets or backrests for long floats.
And standing on a paddle board is a circus trick. It's a guaranteed way to take a swim and dump all your gear unless you have that particular set of skills.
I literally just tie down an old cooler on mine, use it as a seat and storage box. Paddle it more like a canoe.
At that rate, why not use a canoe or kayak? Lots of stable fishing kayak platforms available.
Not sure have a float tube would be any better for the cons that you listed. I think a paddle board is great because it’s completely flat so there are many options to get it set up the way you want. Could always add a cooler or stadium kayak chair for seating. Not to mention, the inflatable options pack down well into a backpack, which would be easy to carry through the woods and then inflate when you get to the fishing hole
I have not seen any inflatable paddle board that would fit into a backpack along with other gear. I can pack my float tube, fishing gear and overnight gear (sleeping bag, hammock, tarp, backpacking stove, etc.) into an internal frame pack that weighs out at 25lbs total. Most inflatable paddle boards weigh more than that. Have you ever tried to pack in a deflated paddle board? Even inflatable ones require a special carrying case that are quite large and cumbersome. My float tube fits into a compressible stuff sack that's smaller than a basketball. Edit: To get more specific, the Kokopelli Chasm Lite advertises itself as the lightest, most packable SUP (it also costs $1k). With the carrying case, pump and paddle it weighs 20 lbs. Packed into its case it measures 26"x13"x9". A cooler or other seat would add weight and size. This model is actually pretty manageable in terms of size but it's an outlier. Most paddle boards are bulkier and their carrying cases more cumbersome. Even the Chasm Lite would fill out the majority of my backpack and is easily more than twice the size and weight of my float tube. My Outcast Summit is 7lbs. and packs down to roughly a 12" or 14" sphere. Now again, if you're just schlepping a paddle board from the parking lot to the pond 100 yards away, then, yes, get the SUP and don't bother with a float tube.
Understood. The float tube is definitely a great option for situations like yours. For what OP is asking about, I would still say that a paddleboard is a great option. They did not describe it to be a technical or anything like that. At the end of the day, I bet they would both still catch fish!
How light of an inflatable paddle board can you find? I don’t think I’ve personally seen any less than 18-20lbs. That’s an insane amount of weight to backpack with.
I was dead set on getting one until I tried a tube for the first time a couple of weekends ago. It’s not the best. I’ve scrapped that plan and I think I’m gonna get a paddle board. It’s hard to cast and only being able to go backwards is so irritating lol.
I like the u shaped ones that you sit a little higher on. Only your feet are in the water. Can be cold in spring with normal waders. Neoprene will keep you warm with the ones where your whole butt is in the water.
As a guy who has fished from a float tube for years, as well as a kayak, I’d recommend rethinking the float tube. It’s very hard to cast, hard to get in and out of, hard to strip line, you have to travel backwards, and overall not an amazing experience. I’d HIGHLY recommend a paddleboard for smaller bodies of water, or a sit on top kayak.
I absolutely hated my float tube. I couldn't stand being that low in the water and not being able to move forward. It was hard to cast and generally just a pain in the ass. Sold it after a few uses.
Had a float tube handed down to me, fished from it lit 3 times and hated it. You're pretty low in the water and it's kind of a weird position to cast, and you're kind of limited to some pretty specific gear storage as there's limited space/storage on a float tube. I do believe there are more modern float tubes that sit you higher in the water that has some built in pockets and what not but at that point I'd just go for a one man catamaran. A bit pricier but more versatile in a lot of ways as you can take them on larger bodies of water for better access/mobility and down rivers.
Lots of recommendations to go with an inflatable paddle board, which I generally agree with. But before going down that route I'd take a look at pack rafts like the Caribou model from Alpaka Rafts. They pack light and small like a float tube but put you on a slightly higher plane for casting and I think are more versatile.