Bill Cooper
2008
Mankind is ingenious, especially when it comes to getting around on water. Everyone knows about the exploits of the Chinese, the Vikings and Christopher Columbus. The birch bark canoes of the American Indians and the sealskin boats or qajaqs (now kayaks) of the Inuits in Alaska were phenomenal crafts which gave the Native Americans the ability to travel great distances and hunt and fish with much greater efficiency.
And what outdoorsman has not longed for the romantic experience of paddling a Cajun pirogue in the bayou country of southern Louisiana?
Practically no one knows the origin of the belly boat. You will not find it mentioned in history classes.
The advent of car tires with innertubes more than likely gave birth to the tubing or belly boating idea.
Innovative fishermen prior to the 1940’s began to strap some type of improvised seat across a tire tube to allow them to float within range of hard to get to fishing spots.
Sometime during the 1940’s the Tucker Duck and Rubber Company of Fort Smith, Arkansas manufactured the first commercial float tube.
Problems plagued the first “Fish-N-Float”. The craft became very heavy when wet and the seams deteriorated quickly. Regardless, the craft became a big hit with fishermen.
Competition to the “Fish-N-Float” soon arrived on the scene. In 1947, the Fishmaster Mfg. Company out of Oklahoma City produced a model with quick connect seat releases. Their float tube business made quick advances in the next few years.
During the 1950’s, Western anglers made many modifications in float tubes. Fishermen from Idaho and Colorado began to add pockets, backrests, pouches, tie down rings, front aprons and large back pockets that could be stuffed or inflated for back support.
The canvas float tubes still had two major faults-weight and the short life of untreated canvas.
Necessity is the mother of invention, even among fishermen. In the 60’s, vinyl began to replace canvas.
Vinyl tubes were prone to many problems like explosions from over inflation. And vinyl did not expand and contract.
In the early 70’s, the first float tubes started showing up in the fly-fishing magazines. By the mid-70’s, the lakes of Colorado and Montana floated thousands of new belly boats created from highly improved materials. The first 3.3 pound tube that could support a 300-pound person had made it on the scene.
Belly boating has never been the same since.
Dennis Gaylardt, of Tecumseh, has been fishing from a float tube for more than 40 years.
A member of the Federation of Flyfishers, Gaylardt took up tube fishing for one reason. Mobility!
“A float tube will get you where others simply can’t or won’t go,” he said.
“Even on heavily fished waters, there are places that are seldom reached by the average angler. Extreme conditions such as steep banks, brush, boggy bottoms and a host of other obstacles keep anglers from reaching good spots blocked by those obstacles,” Gaylardt stated.
And Gaylardt thinks it stands to reason that if an area is hard to reach, there will be a big fish there. A belly boat enables him to reach such places.
Terry and Roxanne Wilson, of Bolivar, are a belly boating couple.
“I bought my first belly boat in 1970 from Cabelas,” Terry said. “It was made of molded plastic and called a Bass Buddy Mini Boat.”
The Wilsons eventually went to the modernized inflatable boats. “
“We have owned every imaginable style of belly boat over the last 30 years,” the Wilsons noted.
“We use our belly boats primarily on farm ponds, but we do occasionally venture to the large ponds at the Schell-Osage Wildlife Management Area and the lake at the Bushwhacker Wildlife ManagementArea west of Stockton Lake,” Terry said.
“Our boats allow us to get into some great places to fish, but one of the greatest things about the whole experience is that we almost never see anyone else belly boating the places we go.”
What do you need to get started belly boating? First and foremost is the belly boat itself. These days there are many models available. It is rather like buying a car, except for the price.
For first time float tubers, an open front tube, like the White River Fly Shop Lost Lake Open Front boat from Bass Pro for $79.95, is a good choice. Or, the combo with fins and pump is $99.95. If you prefer Cadillacs, the Outcast Prowler Float Tube is available for $450.00. Big guys need to look at the WRFS Titan Tube. It is the first of its kind for the big boys and comes with lots of room and is exceptionally stable. Regardless, the U-shaped boats are much easier to enter and exit than the O-shaped boats.
Flippers or fins are a matter of personal choice. Float tube dealers offer fins that are short and wide and made to strap over wading shoes. Many people wear waders while in their belly boat. Others wear shorts and a good pair of wading shoes or high-topped water socks.
Gaylardt prefers to use regular swim fins. Either style will work effectively.
Unless you are extra windy, a pump is nice when blowing up your tube. Models are made just for float tubes.
Life jackets are an important safety item and should be worn while belly boating. Although modern tubes have multiple air bladders, a life jacket is the best insurance against disaster. Models with mesh shoulders are much more comfortable and allow for ease of movement while fishing.
If you wear water booties or waders, a pair of sandals that will slip over them will protect their souls while you walk to and from the water.
Your preferred fishing equipment can be stored in the tube pockets and rods can be strapped across the work platform. Simple rod holders are available to attach to the boat.
Fly fishermen have been the main users of float fishing tubes, but they lend themselves well to spin fishing and baitcasting as well.
A look at a float tube retailer’s website will reveal a ton of other bells and whistles which may be attached to a belly boat. Accessories are a matter of taste and thickness of one’s wallet.
“With the proper setup, the float tube experience provides a relaxing, easy chair approach to getting some exercise and catching some fish,” said Galyhardt. “Too, the mobile crafts will increase your catch by 100%, because you will have left other anglers in less productive waters.”
And with the economy the way it is, belly boating is a cheap choice for anglers. “Belly boats don’t require gasoline,” Galyhardt laughed. “Leg power pushes these boats. And you can buy more than a lifetime supply of belly boats for what a bass angler pays for one the fancy bass boats.”
Retired Missouri State biology professor Steve Jensen has enjoyed belly boating for 24 years.
“I started flyfishing in 1982. I didn’t own a boat, but wanted to gain access to some good looking fishing spots. A belly boat gave me the opportunity to do just that.”
“Too, a belly boat fit my budget and kicking it around the lake provided plenty of good exercise.”
Jensen’s favorite belly boat is a Big Bucks Bag that he has owned for 20 years.
“That boat has been inflated in the garage for the last 20 years,” Jensen said. “It came out before the U-shaped boats hit the market. It uses a big truck tire inner tube and will support up to 300 pounds.”
Nancy Jensen belly boats, too.
“I don’t fish from a belly boat. I simply like to paddle around in the boat and relax. On several occasions, my girlfriends and I have gone to Table Rock Lake with our boats. We find a calm, partially shaded cove and kick around for fun and relaxation. It is a great way to get away and have some fun with friends.”
For a summertime adventure that cools while you cruise, hop in a belly boat in your shorts and plunge into your favorite pond or lake. Drifting down a short stretch of one our Ozark streams provides a relaxing way to float and fish as well. And when that big fish strikes, be ready for that in-your-face, stare- down- its- throat experience!
SIDEBARS:
Benefits and drawbacks – Float tubes were designed with fly fishers in mind. They work well for other types of fishing, too. Lots of pockets on the boat allow for storage and organization of gear and supplies. They turn easily, allowing anglers to turn in any direction to cast.
Float tubes are extremely portable. They roll up easily, once deflated, for storage. And they fit into backpacks for those long walk-in trips. They inflate easily and generally weigh less than 20 pound, some much less.
Quality float tubes are very durable. They will puncture easier than a raft, since they are not designed for whitewater. However, tubes are easily patched.
Maneuvering a belly boat is easy but slow. Fins are used to propel the boat. It is different from scuba or skin diving in that the upward motion of the fins tends to push a belly boat better than kicking the fins.
While belly boats are versatile, they are not meant for big lakes, long floats down rivers, or white water. There are much better crafts available for those conditions.
Entering and exiting the tube – Donut style tubes offer some special challenges. Place the tube with the back facing the water. Back towards the tube, placing one finned foot inside the tube. Place the other foot inside the tube, while bending and balancing with your hands. Pull the tube up until you are seated. Back slowly into the water.
Use the same approach with the open front models. However, entering will be much easier. Latch down the cross brace and secure the mesh work table.
Exiting the water must be done by walking backwards as well. Once on the bank, remove your flippers before trying to exit the boat. This method will prevent falls.
If you would like to get into belly boating, but would like to join the company of experienced belly boaters, check out http://www.warmwaterflyfisher.com/, http://www.federationofflyfishermen.com/, http://www.southwestmisouriflyfishers.org/ and http://www.floattubefisherman.com/.
And what outdoorsman has not longed for the romantic experience of paddling a Cajun pirogue in the bayou country of southern Louisiana?
Practically no one knows the origin of the belly boat. You will not find it mentioned in history classes.
The advent of car tires with innertubes more than likely gave birth to the tubing or belly boating idea.
Innovative fishermen prior to the 1940’s began to strap some type of improvised seat across a tire tube to allow them to float within range of hard to get to fishing spots.
Sometime during the 1940’s the Tucker Duck and Rubber Company of Fort Smith, Arkansas manufactured the first commercial float tube.
Problems plagued the first “Fish-N-Float”. The craft became very heavy when wet and the seams deteriorated quickly. Regardless, the craft became a big hit with fishermen.
Competition to the “Fish-N-Float” soon arrived on the scene. In 1947, the Fishmaster Mfg. Company out of Oklahoma City produced a model with quick connect seat releases. Their float tube business made quick advances in the next few years.
During the 1950’s, Western anglers made many modifications in float tubes. Fishermen from Idaho and Colorado began to add pockets, backrests, pouches, tie down rings, front aprons and large back pockets that could be stuffed or inflated for back support.
The canvas float tubes still had two major faults-weight and the short life of untreated canvas.
Necessity is the mother of invention, even among fishermen. In the 60’s, vinyl began to replace canvas.
Vinyl tubes were prone to many problems like explosions from over inflation. And vinyl did not expand and contract.
In the early 70’s, the first float tubes started showing up in the fly-fishing magazines. By the mid-70’s, the lakes of Colorado and Montana floated thousands of new belly boats created from highly improved materials. The first 3.3 pound tube that could support a 300-pound person had made it on the scene.
Belly boating has never been the same since.
Dennis Gaylardt, of Tecumseh, has been fishing from a float tube for more than 40 years.
A member of the Federation of Flyfishers, Gaylardt took up tube fishing for one reason. Mobility!
“A float tube will get you where others simply can’t or won’t go,” he said.
“Even on heavily fished waters, there are places that are seldom reached by the average angler. Extreme conditions such as steep banks, brush, boggy bottoms and a host of other obstacles keep anglers from reaching good spots blocked by those obstacles,” Gaylardt stated.
And Gaylardt thinks it stands to reason that if an area is hard to reach, there will be a big fish there. A belly boat enables him to reach such places.
Terry and Roxanne Wilson, of Bolivar, are a belly boating couple.
“I bought my first belly boat in 1970 from Cabelas,” Terry said. “It was made of molded plastic and called a Bass Buddy Mini Boat.”
The Wilsons eventually went to the modernized inflatable boats. “
“We have owned every imaginable style of belly boat over the last 30 years,” the Wilsons noted.
“We use our belly boats primarily on farm ponds, but we do occasionally venture to the large ponds at the Schell-Osage Wildlife Management Area and the lake at the Bushwhacker Wildlife ManagementArea west of Stockton Lake,” Terry said.
“Our boats allow us to get into some great places to fish, but one of the greatest things about the whole experience is that we almost never see anyone else belly boating the places we go.”
What do you need to get started belly boating? First and foremost is the belly boat itself. These days there are many models available. It is rather like buying a car, except for the price.
For first time float tubers, an open front tube, like the White River Fly Shop Lost Lake Open Front boat from Bass Pro for $79.95, is a good choice. Or, the combo with fins and pump is $99.95. If you prefer Cadillacs, the Outcast Prowler Float Tube is available for $450.00. Big guys need to look at the WRFS Titan Tube. It is the first of its kind for the big boys and comes with lots of room and is exceptionally stable. Regardless, the U-shaped boats are much easier to enter and exit than the O-shaped boats.
Flippers or fins are a matter of personal choice. Float tube dealers offer fins that are short and wide and made to strap over wading shoes. Many people wear waders while in their belly boat. Others wear shorts and a good pair of wading shoes or high-topped water socks.
Gaylardt prefers to use regular swim fins. Either style will work effectively.
Unless you are extra windy, a pump is nice when blowing up your tube. Models are made just for float tubes.
Life jackets are an important safety item and should be worn while belly boating. Although modern tubes have multiple air bladders, a life jacket is the best insurance against disaster. Models with mesh shoulders are much more comfortable and allow for ease of movement while fishing.
If you wear water booties or waders, a pair of sandals that will slip over them will protect their souls while you walk to and from the water.
Your preferred fishing equipment can be stored in the tube pockets and rods can be strapped across the work platform. Simple rod holders are available to attach to the boat.
Fly fishermen have been the main users of float fishing tubes, but they lend themselves well to spin fishing and baitcasting as well.
A look at a float tube retailer’s website will reveal a ton of other bells and whistles which may be attached to a belly boat. Accessories are a matter of taste and thickness of one’s wallet.
“With the proper setup, the float tube experience provides a relaxing, easy chair approach to getting some exercise and catching some fish,” said Galyhardt. “Too, the mobile crafts will increase your catch by 100%, because you will have left other anglers in less productive waters.”
And with the economy the way it is, belly boating is a cheap choice for anglers. “Belly boats don’t require gasoline,” Galyhardt laughed. “Leg power pushes these boats. And you can buy more than a lifetime supply of belly boats for what a bass angler pays for one the fancy bass boats.”
Retired Missouri State biology professor Steve Jensen has enjoyed belly boating for 24 years.
“I started flyfishing in 1982. I didn’t own a boat, but wanted to gain access to some good looking fishing spots. A belly boat gave me the opportunity to do just that.”
“Too, a belly boat fit my budget and kicking it around the lake provided plenty of good exercise.”
Jensen’s favorite belly boat is a Big Bucks Bag that he has owned for 20 years.
“That boat has been inflated in the garage for the last 20 years,” Jensen said. “It came out before the U-shaped boats hit the market. It uses a big truck tire inner tube and will support up to 300 pounds.”
Nancy Jensen belly boats, too.
“I don’t fish from a belly boat. I simply like to paddle around in the boat and relax. On several occasions, my girlfriends and I have gone to Table Rock Lake with our boats. We find a calm, partially shaded cove and kick around for fun and relaxation. It is a great way to get away and have some fun with friends.”
For a summertime adventure that cools while you cruise, hop in a belly boat in your shorts and plunge into your favorite pond or lake. Drifting down a short stretch of one our Ozark streams provides a relaxing way to float and fish as well. And when that big fish strikes, be ready for that in-your-face, stare- down- its- throat experience!
SIDEBARS:
Benefits and drawbacks – Float tubes were designed with fly fishers in mind. They work well for other types of fishing, too. Lots of pockets on the boat allow for storage and organization of gear and supplies. They turn easily, allowing anglers to turn in any direction to cast.
Float tubes are extremely portable. They roll up easily, once deflated, for storage. And they fit into backpacks for those long walk-in trips. They inflate easily and generally weigh less than 20 pound, some much less.
Quality float tubes are very durable. They will puncture easier than a raft, since they are not designed for whitewater. However, tubes are easily patched.
Maneuvering a belly boat is easy but slow. Fins are used to propel the boat. It is different from scuba or skin diving in that the upward motion of the fins tends to push a belly boat better than kicking the fins.
While belly boats are versatile, they are not meant for big lakes, long floats down rivers, or white water. There are much better crafts available for those conditions.
Entering and exiting the tube – Donut style tubes offer some special challenges. Place the tube with the back facing the water. Back towards the tube, placing one finned foot inside the tube. Place the other foot inside the tube, while bending and balancing with your hands. Pull the tube up until you are seated. Back slowly into the water.
Use the same approach with the open front models. However, entering will be much easier. Latch down the cross brace and secure the mesh work table.
Exiting the water must be done by walking backwards as well. Once on the bank, remove your flippers before trying to exit the boat. This method will prevent falls.
If you would like to get into belly boating, but would like to join the company of experienced belly boaters, check out http://www.warmwaterflyfisher.com/, http://www.federationofflyfishermen.com/, http://www.southwestmisouriflyfishers.org/ and http://www.floattubefisherman.com/.
That boat cover looks great. And it also fits well on the boat. Look like it is part of the boat already, just like the convertable car. Nice.
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