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Howdy folks, need some input here.
First of all...TD and his posts on the Utah board are what have me interested in tubes. Just wanted to say "Well Done!" on promoting this type of fishing.
Ok, now, onto the meat and potatoes. I'm 6ft 225lbs...so I'm definitly not a small person. What type of tubes do you recommend for those of us in the 6+ft 200-250lbs group of fishermen/fisherwomen?
Thanks in advance.
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BurlSwift,
Welcome to the tube and toon board. I'm sure TD will provide you with plenty of invaluable information, and likely links as well. But, I wanted to add my two cents. There are a good number of us who are not small (I'm 6'3" 250-260), and the consensus seems to be the Superfat cat and/or the ODC 420. I have an ODC 420 and it keeps me up out of the water, moves around great, and still carries plenty of gear. So, I would recommend one of those two tubes, maybe even a regular Fat Cat. Good luck on your tube search and keep us posted on your progress and eventual trips.
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[cool][#0000ff]Welcome to the "Dark Side". If you think you are a biggun, you are still a junior size compared to some of us. I am also 6'3" and 2 hundred and "plenty"...well over 250.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Most tubes these days are rated at least 250 and will hold more weight than that. However, for maximum floatation and comfort you should look for something rated at over 300. My Super Fat Cat is rated at about 350 and I do not challenge that, even fully tricked out and loaded up.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Spend some time looking down through the links on Best of The Best. Also, we have a picture board, upon which there is a pictorial thread for [url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=203004;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread"][#000000][size 1]Float Tube Shopping Guide[/size][/#000000][/url][/#0000ff][#000000][size 1] . [/size][/#000000]
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Burl, how you doing and welcome.
These guys have got all sort of info on the SFC, FC, and ODC.
I am going to add again the Echo, by Venture Outdoors. A small 4' dura bladder pontoons with a frame and plastic adjustable seat.
My ol' man is 6'3" and 225 and rides very nice in these.
[url "http://www.pbase.com/albot/venture_outdoors_echo_float_tube"]http://www.pbase.com/albot/venture_outdoors_echo_float_tube[/url]
Sold at "the flydesk"
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Well this is good info cause I am well over 225 and have been looking for a tube. Thank You.
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Welcome to the best tubin' board arond.
I am 6'1" and 232lb and have a Fishcat 4 Deluxe. I sit way out the water and am comfortable enough to spend 8 hrs on the h2o without any complaints (even have an old rugby back injury). Has all the pocket room i need to catch giant bass and pickrel, my water and lunch, an anchor and my life vest.
-ABT-
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BURLSWIFT, LIKE MANY HERE I TOO AM OVER 250 AND CARRY A LOT OF GEAR WITH ME (4 TO 5 RODS, ROD RACK, TOOL RACK, TACKLE BOXES, ETC) AND I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WHAT SO EVER WITH MY ODC 420 AND THE FATCATS ARE VERY SIMILAR SO I WOULD GO WITH EITHER ONE.......MY 2 CENTS
ATFISHING
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey, AT, it is kinda funny how many of us "heavyweights" hang out on this forum. I guess if fishing slows down we could always start a Weight Watchers chapter.[/#0000ff]
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[laugh] LOL! I WITH YA TD.
AT
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Hell I am DOWN to 250!!! My sterns U boat had no trouble at all with me when I was 350. I am 6'2" so I was pretty round. It handled me, 4 rods, tackle, snacks, water jug and anchor system easily. Fat floats any way don't cha know!! Hell I start tubing in February, will all my natural insulation I have never needed waders to stay warm. PLUS, after hauling my big carcass around my legs can run my flippers forever with out tiring. I even like those goofy duck fins that go on the side of your ankle. I can cover a 17 acre lake twice around in a couple of hours with them. Bigger is better!!!!!
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[cool][#0000ff]Are you braggin' or complainin'?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Whatever floats your boat...errrr body.[/#0000ff]
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Well I got my new toob!! I couldn’t wait to try it on so last night I was in my pool trying it out. Atfishing was right, the ODC 420 is a GREAT fit for a big boys butt! I think that I am going to make a rod holder like Atfishing’s today and do the christening voyage tomorrow. That is the one gripe that I have about the ODC…no rod holder straps! On my U boat, the rods lay across my lap and are strapped down with Velcro straps. I actually liked that pretty well but I don’t think that it would work well with the ODC because you ride so much higher.
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DANL, CONGRATS ON THE NEW RIDE. I USE 28" VELCRO STRAPS TO ATTACH THE BOTTOM OF THE ROD HOLDERS TO THE D RINGS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TUBE.........SOME THIN ROPE WILL WORK JUST AS WELL. GOOD LUCK, PLEASE POST
ATFISHING
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Well I took my new tube out today and broke her in. It was a little breezy but all in all a great day. I caught about 25 or 30 nice bass and a half a dozen or so of those mutant green perch. I used my old duck foot flipper things so as not to be do in two new things at the same time. Next time I will try the new flippers. I'm just not sure about this going backwards stuff. I wanna fish were I'm goin' not where I been!! For right now I have the front of the rack strapped to the tube with a bungee. It works pretty well. I have to say Atfishing that you do deffinatly ROCK!! Your rod and tool rack design works GREAT!!! The last pic is of a little of the scenery around the little lake that I was fishing. It is in the middle of a huge horse ranch and the sights are outstanding. I also got to watch a true master fish today and that was a special thrill for me. There is a pair of Bald Eagles that nest near by and they fish the lake too. This is one of the things that I like best about tubing. You are a PART of the lake and the critters don't seem to pay you any atention...In cluding the fish!! One of the bass, a little feller about a foot long nailed one of my jigs that was on a rod in a holder that was trailing in the water right behind me. Heck, I couldn't figure out what the heck was going on for a little while. He started me ta spinning and I wasn't sure why at first, LOL. The cooler worked great too. I eventually anchored it but it actually wasn't any trouble trailing along behind me. A cold bottle of water sure tasted good after a couple of hours!
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Nice setup DanL. I really like the ice chest setup. I've considered using my tube to jig for Kokanee but keeping them on a stringer in surface temperature water ruins their freshness. An ice chest is ideal but until I saw your rig I had not thought of using it in place of a floating fish basket.
I assume that the little float is something you bought and not made?
zonker
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The cooler I had. It is one of those 5 day coolers with extra insulation. The Float I bought at the Bass Pro Shop last week. The second that I saw it I knew that I had to have it. It was 9 bucks and change and works GREAT!! I was really suprised at how well it trailed along behind me.
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[cool][#0000ff]Hey, nice work. You look like you are getting serious.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No wonder there is a PVC shortage, with all us tubers trickin' out our rides like that.[/#0000ff]
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The rod holders are not glued in and it is really nice to be able to reconfigure while on the water. I finally settled on two facing back, one on each side and two on the front acting as rod holders with the rods laid over my lap when I wasn't useing them. The umbrella works fine as long as there is no wind. It did make a great sail as long as the wind was going the direction you wanted though. LOL. I am probably a major contributor to the PVC shortage. I make all sorts of fishing toys with PVC. I have rod holders in my bass boat that fit under the seat and move until you sit, then they are pinned in place. This is a great way to troll for white bass.The pvc makes a good berring for the seat bottom and you can still move around.
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RIGHT ON DANL!!!!! YOU HAVE LEARNED WELL MY SON....YOU CAN TRY AND SNATCH THE PEBBLES FROM MY HAND NOW [  ]. I LOVE THE ICE CHEST SETUP. I THOUGHT OF SOMETHING SIMILAR BUT WAS AFRAID IT WOULD GET IN THE WAY....WHAT SAY YOU?
ATFISHING
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Great looking setup DanL...I am diggin the cooler as well, what a great idea...thanks for posting
25 or 30 Bass....I gotta fish this lake...lol
Bguy64
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