THE BEAST

Here's my outfit from a recent camping trip. My Fat Cat float tube is bungeed to the tankwell of the kayak for hands free precision fishing once at the destination. After a last desparate cast I landed a beautiful 24" smallie. It pretty much spanned the width of my kayak. After reaching back into that load trying to locate my camera I decided to release the fish without any undue stress due to me scrounging for the camera. I burned the image into my memory banks rather than on camera so you'll just have to take my word for it. Hope to get back there soon. It's a back lake accessed by a creek so fishing pressure is relatively light.

YAK BUDDIES

The "sound guys" at my church turned me on to these cable cuffs. They use them to retain microphone and instrument chords. I have found them invaluable for securing things to my kayak, pontoon or float tube. I definitely think of them as my buddies and never go out without them, However here are a couple of shots of other "Yak Buddies"

The Magic Combo

There is nothing more efficient to fish from than a float tube. Hands free fishing, pin point positioning and easy slow trolling make it my favourite fishing platform.

The kayak though is also an excellent trolling machine and equipped with a rudder you can get a controlled wind drift that allows for hands free fishing. And nothing beats a kayak for moving over the water (unless you're into motors).

I will often tie my inflated float tube on top of the tankwell at the rear of my yak. When I reach my fishing destination I can tie the kayak to an onshore tree and put on my fins and fish most efficiently from a fully loaded float tube. If I choose to, I can switch back to the yak whenever I feel so inclined. This is definitely an awesome combo for "silent sports" flyfishermen.

Float Tubing For Trout This Season

My friend and I have been having a banner year flyfishing from our tubes or "toons" this year. Fish have been hitting and fighting hard. While other anglers sometimes struggle, my friend and I will keep changing flies and exchanging notes on the water and we eventually key in on the winning pattern.

BETTER FAT CAT

After 10 years my original Fat Cat float tube is semi retired for use by guests or relatives. I have replaced it with a new Fat Cat and am very impressed with the improvements. There are pockets on the seat back for storage. Side pouches are bigger and better. More D rings and velcro rod holders. There are external storage pockets on the inside of the tackle pouches. The pontoons are more streamlined and the tips are protected by the same material that is on the bottom. In my assessment Outcast has taken the design forward and has made there Fat Cats tougher and more efficient.

Great Fishing Vessels

I am so pleased with the decision to graduate from my old sit in kayak to the Wilderness Systems, sit on top Tarpon. There is no comparison when it comes to convenience, freedom of movement and stability. I can sit sidesaddle like in the picture. I can straddle the yak and I can even kneel and stand. Standing is reserved for poling through shallow flats. (I would not attempt to fish in that position.) Throwing your legs over the side makes it like fishing from a chair. Waders are standard when waters are cool but in summer lightweight "quick dry" pants work well. If you really want to have an armchair fishing experience you can pack your tube. Paddle down to the hotspot and then chill out in the tube. Nothing better for pin point control fishing than the trusty old float tube.

FLOAT TUBE TROUT

YAKFISHING CAMP

A good friend and fellow flyfisherman and I enjoyed a few days of river fishing for smallmouth on one of the local rivers back in August. This lucky fellow is taking his kayak to Florida soon while I sit around in the Great White North tying flies and waiting for winter to go away. It was minus 21 today where I live.

Late Season Bass

This largemouth was caught in Early November while standing and flycasting from my pontoon boat. The plywood that the fish is resting on prior to release was found in my garage and happened to span the frame of my pontoon perfectly. Now whenever I want to stand I just reach behind me and pull out the plywood and place it on the frame in front of me. It slides a few inches under the seat and thus is held perfectly in place. When I don't need it it stores behind my seat on the rear storage shelf.

On October 24th I continued my experimenting with gear . This personal best river smallmouth was caught on unweighted plastic on my ultra-lite spinning rod.