OK, OK,, I admit it!

[Coldfooter]

I'll be floating around in a Fish Cat 4 this spring, summer, and fall.. I figure maybe its my turn to set a new tube record for Mack's at Flaming Gorge.. Yeah right, huh?? lol! Whats more,, I'm going to figure out how to hang a 20 Johnson outbroad on it.. Fins? What fins? We dont need no stinking fins![]

But seriously,, am I ever??

All kidding aside,, I am looking forward to playing tug a war with a nice laker from the tube.. So if you happen to be at Flaming Gorge and you see a small dimly lit flash light in the middle of the lake at say 11pm or later,, dont send money,, bring the boat to haul me butt back ta camp.. [laugh]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]What...only a single 20 horse outboard? You ain't gonna get no respect 'til you hang a set of twin 150s off your stern.[/size][/blue]

[#0000ff][size 1]Hey, Don, I am sending some "light reading" through your email address to help you plan your tricking out process. Spend some time going back through some of the posts and pics on this board and fire any questions as they come up.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]As I have mentioned, those macks should be a cinch from the tube. Just like ice fishing only you don't have to drill a hole and set up the Coldfooter Hilton. The old vertical jigging technique is ideal from a tube. [/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]As I also told you though, if you hook a big one, you will want to move off a ways and get an angle on the fish to help bring it up. One with shoulders is hard to pull straight up, as you have found out in ice fishing. But, there is no limit to the size of the fish you can catch, as long as you have the right tackle and know how to use it.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[Coldfooter]

[cool]Well Pat,, yeah twin 150's would be the way to go.. But hey,, I'm just a beginner at this Tube deal ya know.. I'd best stick to the smaller stuff like a 20hp and work my way up over the next couple months.. I figure on a tube a 20hp would even get me up and plain slightly. But yet,, cracking the water speed recorder on a tube does have its morbid appeal. [crazy]~~~Hmmmm,, where do I come up with a tube from the tire off a Dark Dump truck?? Wonder if they'd catch me if I merely wandered up to the open pit and snuck out a loaner??!~~~

Well you know I cant resist locking horner's with Mackadoo whether it has big shoulder's or otherwise. And yes,, I'm still looking for the one I cant lift through a Micky Mouse ear'd ice hole. But once I nail that pig I'll start hauling a chainsaw to the ice. Auger? We wont need no stinkin' auger! Oh damn,, what did I do with my splash guard for it??

"OK,, look lively Boy's! Cast off the stern line's! Boiler room, full steam ahead!"
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[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]Hey Don, this is REALLY off the subject for the float tubing forum, but did you see any of the posts on the Utah board for that "ice saw". There was a pic of it. BLM got one and uses it to whack out the legal 18" holes on the mack ponds. If you haven't seen it you might PM him for some input and pics. [/size][/blue]

[#0000ff][size 1]That had COLDFOOTER written all over it when I first saw it. It's a long nasty looking saw attached to a long heavy wooden handle. Looks like a giant serrated edge harpoon. Something Captain Coldfooter might take in search of the great white mack.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[Coldfooter]

Will do Pat,, but without looking,,,,,, I'm thinking its a saw much the same as they used to cut ice from lakes in the old days (even before our time,,lol)just shaped slightly different, such as an over sized keyhole saw.. Thruth be known,, I have used a chain saw to cut holes in ice.. (If used right), a person will get very lil if any water on themselves using a chain saw.. A person must remember,, your not cutting down the old Oak tree,, its merely ice so not a lot of chain speed is needed or called for. Btw,, keep a share pair of dry gloves close by just incase.. Oh,, and use a pry bar to remove the block of ice from the hole,, not chain bar on the saw.. One more suggestion,, be sure and cut a square, rectangle, or triangle hole witch is slightly narrower at the bottom than the top on all four sides.. By doing so you can replace the ice chuck once you done with the hole and its a lot safe for those that might wander across it the next morning.. And,, keep the hole 18' at their greatest width.. Those guys and gals with badages tend to get a might testy if you cut a hole 2000' long by 6" wide for trolling through the ice.[laugh]

LOL,,, Shhhh! Zzing! Zzing! I'm huntin' them there albino Mackadoo's! Now where did that big white toothy critter wander off to this time?! Zzzzing!,Zzzzinnnng! Zzing![laugh]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]Good advice my froze-brained friend. I am sure all of us here in float tube land will be careful when cutting holes in the ice with a chain saw.[/size][/blue]

[#0000ff][size 1]You gotta quit staying inside the Hilton so long...with the heater going. The carbon monoxide buildup is getting to you.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]As always, love your posts. Keep us chuckling. And, while you're at it, sharpen up the old mack harpoon.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]I guess we will have plenty of opportunity to have some fun with you once you start launching your new "mack platform". Instead of calling it a plain old "Fish Cat"...you can call it a "Mack Kitty"...or something. Just be careful. This is a family site.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[JapanRon]

Hi there TubeDude,

What's with 18 inches? I planned to cut a large enough hole in the ice to launch my float tube! If the bear's with badges came around I would simply tell them I found an open spot to 'tube it'! I know they would believe me as I have such an honest face.

JapanRon
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[JapanRon]

Hey there Coldfooter,

It'll be fun to see how your floating creature evolves. You mentioned a dim light but I'm sure you plan on using something that has high visability at 100 yards plus.

As USCG regs require all watercraft to have a running light (white), showing when on the water, between sunset and sunrise or any other time visability is restricted, I'd go with some newer applications of an older technology. Super high-vis LED are now being used in flashlinghts, automobile lights, etc.

I made a running light w/mast for my float tube at much less than you can buy them. I know the true master of the Floatie has some ideas on lights too.

I've attached a diagram of my light'a components. PVC and this and that from the home improvement center was all that I needed..... that and a visit to radio shack. Since that diagram, I've added a quick-detach battery box and an on/off switch. ha ha

JapanRon
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[Dryrod]

[#804040][size 2][/size][/#804040]

[#804040][size 2]Hey guys does that mean I have to start working on a lighting system for my tube? If so will xmas lights work?[][/size][/#804040]
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[Coldfooter]

lol, Pat you might be on to something,, but then again I'm merely a product of my generation..

Actually JapanRon I know that being an ex boat owner.. Btw lol,, does that mean open water is open water no matter how you come by it? If that be the situation we can forget the chainsaw,, we need a wee bit more power. Does anyone have a bit of C4 they can spare?..
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[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]Hey Dryrod, I think us oldtimers shouldn't have to worry about lights on the tubes. Little chance of us staying out past our bedtimes...when it gets dark.[/size][/blue]

[#0000ff][size 1]But, I gotta admit, a set of tle lights on the old Super Fat Cat would add a certain something. I'm not sure what.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]Hey Don, you better be careful where and how you start talking 'bout splosives (C4). The feds probably monitor this board because of all the wierdos and subversives that hang out here.[/size][/blue]

[#0000ff][size 1]Nah. You gotta be pretty far gone (as a tuber) to wanna bust a hole in the ice just so's ya can dunk yer donut. Keep on fishing the ice as long as it's there, then trick out yer Mack Kitty and hit the open water.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]Just be sure you are careful if you go out before all the ice is off the lake. I got chased off starvation by a big ice sheet once. Coulda done some serious damage to me and my craft if I had not made it out of the water before the windblown ice hit the shoreline.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]Iceup is different. I HAVE broken my way out through some of the first skim ice in the late fall. On days when the first thin ice forms around the edges you can rock and roll to break through it, and it is usally gone as soon as the sun hits the water...you hope.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[Coldfooter]

[size 1][#0000ff]"The feds probably monitor this board because of all the wierdos and subversives that hang out here." [/#0000ff][/size]

[size 1][#400040]Well your probably right Pat but hey, they have nothing to fear from me unless they get to close and start casting over my line into my fishing spot.. Then I'd break out the Wrist Rocket and sack of rocks. [/#400040][/size]

[#400040][size 1]Dont cha worry about me attempting to take to the water to early.. I heard tell of a boat taking some serious damage already this year due to ice squeeze at the shoreline. Whats more,, I nearly pull myself in that exact situation (yet different location) several years ago at ice out.. And,, yeah,, during the days of the cabin a Clark's,, I've plowed my way through thin ice too..[/size][/#400040]

[#400040]Got ta say it though,, this old kid is seriously getting excited about playing heavy weight tug-a-war from the Mack Kitty.. I think my first challenge though will be something simple like simply past the break water to were those big white bottom'ed guy and gal's hang out.. Oh,, btw Pat,, tell me again how to avoid looking like a fat tasty Seal from below???????!!!!!![/#400040]

[#400040]Sorry but I cant recall if it was use the fin's in a up and down motion, or like a frog with my ankles tied.. [/#400040]

[#400040][/#400040]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]As you will read in one of the chapters from my book, I advise tubers to always use common sense. Of course, that is a foreign concept to most fishermen. Common? yes. Sense. NO.[/size][/blue]

[#0000ff][size 1]Funny you should mention the seal thing. On a tubing trip in the Sea of Cortez, I was kinda just kicking and casting when I noticed a head above the water about a hundred yards away. This was at Puerto Lobos. Lobo means both wolf and seal in spanish. There were quite a few seals at times.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]Wanting to have some fun, I raised the tips of my fins out of the water, clicking the edges together, and made some "ARK ARK" sounds...my best seal imitation. The young sea lion needed no further imitation. It immediately began porpoising across the water toward me. When it got there, it made about three or four fast sweeps around me, at a safe distance. When it decided I was not a worthy play thing, it dove and disappeared.[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]My closest "near miss" was not with a shark but a big sea turtle. In another location along the Sonora Coast of the Sea of Cortez I was fishing fairly shallow water from my tube. I looked down to see a large shadow on the sandy bottom approching the shadow of my tube. I snapped around to see a big green sea turtle finning toward me. [/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]It looked curious and not hostile, but I knew well the damage a chomp from a big beak could do to me or the tube. I started kicking away from the turtle. It easily kept up with me. It never did get closer than about six or eight feet, but I was wondering what I would do if it decided that it was turtle mating season and that I was an attractive love doll. How do you tell a turtle "I have a headache".[/size][/#0000ff]

[#0000ff][size 1]Good luck in gettin' your kitty set up. We would like to see what you come up with for the motor mount.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[tubeN2]

Hey there Coldfooter, I'm sure you will enjoy your F CAT 4. I have one and really like it as well. It is very similar on most of the features as the Super Fat Cat. I still like the Super Fat Cat better but I couldn't beat the price of the Fish Cat 4. It is an awesome tube and I am still trying to work on a motor mount myself. Good luck and Happy Fishing.
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[Coldfooter]

TD,, Common sence,, whats that?? lol.. And man you miss the boat (so ta speak).. With a bit of rope and a dab of super glue, you could have used that turtle and been trolling the coast!! Seriously tho',, those turtles have a hell of a bite. Legs, arms and anything else they can bite down on means lil to them..

TD2.. Yeah TD said you had one like my Mack Kitty.. I'm going to give this tubin' ordeal a heck of a shot this year. Not being to wise in the ways of tubing I chose not to spend a lot of jingle before I know for sure its what I want to do... You know us old boys, we sorta get set in our way yet we can change our minds as fast as a wome,,,,, well never mind, I better not go there. In any case, I'm going to try and work out a way to power it without the addition of a separate tube to float the battery and eletric tiller.. Maybe I'll just run a long extention cord out from the power generator and strap the battery charger on behind me... Can you picture that?! LOL![]

Seriously tho',, when I get the mounting system worked out I'll show it off..
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[tubeN2]

We will all be looking forward to any improvements or modifications.

Good Luck and Happy fishing.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][blue][size 1]You old silly. All you gotta do is build on a second deck. Be sure to leave plenty of room for the BBQ and the fish cleaning station.[/size][/blue]
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[Coldfooter]

Thanks TN2..



TD,, I dont see a problem with adding on a second deck for parties and BBQ's. Its that darn waterslide that has me concerned..
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[tubeN2]

I found the waterslide to be handy. It gives the PWCs something better to aim for and prevents any damage to my tube.
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