02-26-2003, 11:31 AM
[cool]Hey Dave, it sounds like you have set a goal for yourself. Well done. The waters you describe appear to be good places to find both fish and safe tubing. Keep us up to date on your progress.
One suggestion I usually make to first timers is to go somewhere for a "shakedown cruise" before your first official fishing expedition. You should be able to find a small pond somewhere with a good firm sloping bank that will allow you to maneuver in and out of the water without mishap. If you can drive right up to your chosen practice spot, so much the better.
Practice getting in and out of your gear, and get your fin straps properly adjusted for comfortable fit...and tight enough that they won't slip off your feet. Then make a couple of practice launches, to get the feel of working your way out to water deep enough to settle back in your craft and to be able to start using your fins. Then, turn around and come back in...moving into water shallow enough to stand in and getting up onto your feet.
Let me know what kind of tube you get...round, Uboat, mini-pontoon or whatever. Each has its own special ways for launching and beaching. I can provide the step by step process to insure a fun and safe experience.
Once you are comfortable with getting in and out of the water safely, you can add your fishing tackle and start applying what you already know...or think you know about fishing. You will find that you are able to integrate a lot of new wrinkles into your bag of tricks...and that some of the old ones work even better from flotation.
First time tubers are delighted to find that they no longer have to make long casts. They can position themselves an easy cast from their honey hole and be both more accurate and have better control of the retrieve and the "touch" of what is going on down there.
Then, there is the ability to make vertical presentations...jigging your bait or lure right below you...just like ice fishing. You can do that from a boat too, but tubes are so much quieter and you maintain position "hands free", with a few light movements of your fins. This all becomes automatic very quickly.
Does this help whet your desire to become a "donut dunker"? Heck, once we get you started we will probably really be in for it. Nobody else will have a chance to post on this forum anymore. Bring it on brother.
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One suggestion I usually make to first timers is to go somewhere for a "shakedown cruise" before your first official fishing expedition. You should be able to find a small pond somewhere with a good firm sloping bank that will allow you to maneuver in and out of the water without mishap. If you can drive right up to your chosen practice spot, so much the better.
Practice getting in and out of your gear, and get your fin straps properly adjusted for comfortable fit...and tight enough that they won't slip off your feet. Then make a couple of practice launches, to get the feel of working your way out to water deep enough to settle back in your craft and to be able to start using your fins. Then, turn around and come back in...moving into water shallow enough to stand in and getting up onto your feet.
Let me know what kind of tube you get...round, Uboat, mini-pontoon or whatever. Each has its own special ways for launching and beaching. I can provide the step by step process to insure a fun and safe experience.
Once you are comfortable with getting in and out of the water safely, you can add your fishing tackle and start applying what you already know...or think you know about fishing. You will find that you are able to integrate a lot of new wrinkles into your bag of tricks...and that some of the old ones work even better from flotation.
First time tubers are delighted to find that they no longer have to make long casts. They can position themselves an easy cast from their honey hole and be both more accurate and have better control of the retrieve and the "touch" of what is going on down there.
Then, there is the ability to make vertical presentations...jigging your bait or lure right below you...just like ice fishing. You can do that from a boat too, but tubes are so much quieter and you maintain position "hands free", with a few light movements of your fins. This all becomes automatic very quickly.
Does this help whet your desire to become a "donut dunker"? Heck, once we get you started we will probably really be in for it. Nobody else will have a chance to post on this forum anymore. Bring it on brother.
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