Where is Tubers Paradise?

[crappiecrazy]

I see lots of beatiful places "out west" that you'll fish. Could I get some comments on places that you consider "tubers paradise". I would love to take a "tube fishing" vacation sometime.
[signature]

[pontoonman]

Depends on the type of surroundings you like. Lake, river, easy access, beautiful protected water, quiet solitude or noisy social, etc.

Hope this helps,

Pon

[quote crappiecrazy]I see lots of beatiful places "out west" that you'll fish. Could I get some comments on places that you consider "tubers paradise". I would love to take a "tube fishing" vacation sometime.[/quote]
[signature]

[pontoonman]

One more thing, when will you be traveling?

Yesterday the air temp. was in the 80's at SATX with sunshine and the much colder water temperature was not even uncomfortable on my bare sandaled feet! That's what is great about Winter in TX, you can go out on the water and be quite comfortable many days, even in January when most of the beautiful Western country is shut down, except to ice fishing. Beautiful crystal clear waters, great scenery and Winter wildlife emerges- turkeys, deer and osprey doing their own fishing...

No disrespect meant to you Western guys or to ice fishing which has its own beauty.

Pon
[signature]

[cpierce]

Are you around San Antonio? Beautiful area, but then many other areas are really pretty there also. Texas has an amazing variety of climates from very wet to very, very dry. Yes, I do have "good weather envy"!!

We have pretty snow covered mountains and ice covered lakes.[frown]
[signature]

[crappiecrazy]

I don't have any immediate plans. I guess I was really wanting to hear some stories about places that you'll fish. Maybe sometime (if I get a kitchen pass). I might get take take a "tube trip".
[signature]

[crappiecrazy]

There are some great little lakes in the Sierras with unbelievable beauty that surpass any river experience.


I found this message that you posted. This sounds like a great place. Where is it?

[signature]

[pontoonman]

The local areas listed where these guides work is a good start: http://www.tahoeflyfishing.com/guiding.html A google search may turn up more information on the listed lakes. They also know of pack in areas. Bonus is lots of other stuff to do in the area. Summertime only for me....

Pon
[signature]

[pontoonman]

Yes.

Pon

[quote cpierce]Are you around San Antonio? Beautiful area, but then many other areas are really pretty there also. Texas has an amazing variety of climates from very wet to very, very dry. Yes, I do have "good weather envy"!!

We have pretty snow covered mountains and ice covered lakes.[frown][/quote]
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[quote crappiecrazy]I see lots of beatiful places "out west" that you'll fish. Could I get some comments on places that you consider "tubers paradise". I would love to take a "tube fishing" vacation sometime.[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]With few exceptions, almost any area of the USA can provide great fishing from float tubes...at least some time during the year and for some species. One of the great things about fishing from tubes and toons is that you can launch almost anywhere and fish a lot of waters that are unavailable to boats and bank tanglers. And...you can often fish more effectively than the other methods too.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Unless a water is specifically restricted against swimming or tubing, you can launch and fish. About the only kind of water I suggest you avoid is shallow running water...or heavy flows with rocks, rapids, etc. Leave those to the big pontoons or river running craft.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But, you can fish any size lakes including farm ponds, quarries, stock tanks, river backwaters and oxbows, municipal lakes, golf course lakes, etc. Of course you may need special permission to access some of them.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have had the good fortune to have lived in or traveled to a lot of different areas of the country. I generally took my tube and tackle and explored the local potential. Almost always found good spots to dunk and chunk...and managed to build my angling resume to include just about every species of fish in the country.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you want to go on a tubing vacation you should do some research in advance and set up a series of stops along the way. Don't just target one water at the end of a two day drive. You could be disappointed if the timing was bad or conditions were not good. By hitting several different spots your odds of success are greatly increased...and you will learn a lot more than just going to one spot.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The time of year is going to influence where you go and the species you can expect to catch. Obviously, it is warmer earlier in the southern states and you can start catching big bass and crappies as early as February...while the lakes in cold northern states are still covered in ice. So research the spots you want to hit and plan according to the time of year you will be travelling.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The amount of time you have and your travel budget will also influence where you go. In your part of the country there is a lot of good fishing within a day's drive time. But, if you have more time and the gas money you could go north, south, east or west and find good fishing in any direction.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]After travelling and fishing all over the country, I chose to retire and plunk down back in Utah. I have lived here and fished here a couple of times in my previous working career...and I got to know and enjoy the wide diversity of fishing opportunities. Yeah, it gets cold in the winter but I also ice fish so that ain't all bad. During the warmer months there is everything from high country trout fishing to lower elevation fishing for bass, walleye, crappies, bluegill, perch, white bass and catfish. We also have hybrid stripers...wipers...within an hour of Salt Lake. And virtually all of the lakes have easy tubing access and good fishing within an easy kick from the launch site.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Texas has a grundle of good fishing, but it is a big state and the waters are further apart. Also, more snakes and gators in many waters.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]California is a HUGE state and also has lots of tubing opportunities. Unfortunately, it also has a lot of people and a lot more restrictions on tubing. And a lot of the waters are expensive to fish, with daily entrance fees, etc. But in the northern half of the state there are lots of tubeable lakes, ponds and rivers...plus bay and tidewater tubing for salmon and steelhead.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]No perfect tubing area but some come close. You have to check them out and form your own opinion. What you like most might not appeal to others. Like most things fishing...and in life...it is a very subjective thing.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But, it is so much fun to do the research.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[pontoonman]

Thanks, TD for the more detailed info, I was hoping you'd chime in.
One more thing is "the grass is always greener on the other side" syndrome. What is your favorite place to fish at home and why? Pick someting like that except for the different scenery... You may not be able to top it especially if conditions are not up to that ideal when you travel. Sustained rain or windstorms or crowding during weekends, holidays when most everyone uses leisure time may degrade things.

One thing in the Tahoe area is that there are many non fee places available unlike the rest of CA, and regulations are different or not inforced (I've never been questioned or seen evidence of tags needed on mussels). Also, out of state registration is honored if you have a motor(at least 2 years ago), which costs a fortune and is time consuming for CA residents.

Pon
[signature]

[flygoddess]

Easy....CANADA>..[cool]
[signature]

[Leaky33]

What TD says and Lake or river that is reasonably close (can't afford gas $ to travel long distances) by with some variety of scenery but most of all produces some nice, big fish opportunities to stretch my line, very few other fishermen and of course produces. Not going to name any. [angelic]
[signature]