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A float tube, also known as a belly boat or kick boat, is a small, lightweight inflatable fishing craft which anglers use to fish from. They were originally doughnut-shaped boats with an underwater seat in the "hole." Modern designs include a V-shape with pontoons on either side and the seat raised above the water allowing the legs of the angler to be the only part of the body to be submerged. Float tubes are used for many aspects of fishing, such as
The angler generally wears stocking foot chest waders and scuba diving The Bass Challenge
/ref> which offers a tournament trail called the Kickboat Bass Challenge.
''Fishing Techniques''
Discovery Publishing House. {{fisheries and fishing Boat types Human-powered vehicles Water sports equipment
A float tube, also known as a belly boat or kick boat, is a small, lightweight inflatable fishing craft which anglers use to fish from. They were originally doughnut-shaped boats with an underwater seat in the "hole." Modern designs include a V-shape with pontoons on either side and the seat raised above the water allowing the legs of the angler to be the only part of the body to be submerged. Float tubes are used for many aspects of fishing, such as flyfishing
Fly fishing is an angling method that uses a light-weight fishing lure, lure—called an artificial fly—to catch fish. The fly is Casting (fishing), cast using a fly rod, Fishing reel#Fly reel, reel, and specialized Fly line, weighted line. T ...
for trout
Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', '' Salmo'' and '' Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-sa ...
or lure fishing for largemouth bass
The largemouth bass (''Micropterus salmoides'') is a carnivorous freshwater gamefish in the Centrarchidae ( sunfish) family, a species of black bass native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico, b ...
, and enable the angler to fish areas otherwise not fishable from the bank.
Float tubes are either "U", "V"-shaped, or circular. A standard float tube consists of an inflated bladder inside a sewn cover providing the seat, reserve air compartments, and tackle storage pockets. Many float tube anglers customize their crafts with rod holders, lights, and electronic fish finders.
Details
The angler generally wears stocking foot chest waders and scuba diving flippers
Flipper may refer to:
Common meanings
*Flipper (anatomy), a forelimb of an aquatic animal, useful for steering and/or propulsion in water
*Alternate name for a swimfin, footwear that boosts human swimming efficiency
* Flipper (cricket), a type of ...
, so the legs remain dry. Seated in the float tube, the angler paddles across the water with a gentle movement of the flippers then remains still over the chosen fishing ground. An alternative to diving flippers is the "paddle-pusher" or "duck fins." These fins strap onto the angler's feet and have paddles situated on the outsides of the ankles. The paddles fold back when the leg moves forward and open when the leg moves back, allowing anglers to move forward in a somewhat less efficient but more natural walking-type motion.
The competitive side of float tubing for bass is growing with the American Sonoma County Belly Boat Bass Club and The Bass Challenge in South Africa,/ref> which offers a tournament trail called the Kickboat Bass Challenge.
Safety
Anglers fishing from a float tube may wear apersonal flotation device
A personal flotation device (PFD; also referred to as a life jacket, life preserver, life belt, Mae West, life vest, life saver, cork jacket, buoyancy aid or flotation suit) is a flotation device in the form of a vest or suite that is worn by a ...
(a requirement in some locations), as float tubes are susceptible to punctures. Additionally, most manufacturers do not recommend using float tubes in moving waters, such as rivers or streams.
See also
* Bass fishing *Bibliography of fly fishing
This general annotated bibliography page provides an overview of notable and not so notable works in the English language regarding the sport of fly fishing, listed by year of first publication. Although not all the listed books are devoted exclu ...
* Coarse fishing
In Britain and Ireland, coarse fishing (, ) refers to angling for rough fish, which are fish species traditionally considered undesirable as a food or game fish. Freshwater game fish are all salmonids — most particularly salmon, trout and c ...
Notes
References
* Mitchell, Rickey Noel (2007). ''The Orvis Guide to Personal Fishing Craft: Fishing Effectively from Canoes, Kayaks, and Inflatables'', The Lyons Press. * Meyer, Deke (1989). ''Float Tube Fly Fishing'', Frank Amato Publications. * Pothier, Patricia C (1995). ''Float tube magic: a fly fishing escape'', Frank Amato Publications. * Shukla AN (2009)''Fishing Techniques''
Discovery Publishing House. {{fisheries and fishing Boat types Human-powered vehicles Water sports equipment