I got my first round float tube in the 1960s which was a canvas covered 7:00 x 20" truck inner tube.

The zippered cover was made by the Tucker Duck and Rubber Company in Fort Smith, Arkansas.

I first used it to fish for trout on Lake Solano where there was a big Callibaetis may fly emergence in the summer.

Most used swim fins to paddle backwards but some like Joe Patterson and Hal Janssen use "Water Walkers" which allowed you to go

forward.
_____________________________________

Getting out on flat water fly fishing really opened up a new world for us back then.

_____________________________________

Today we have V-boats, pontoon boats, canoes, kayaks, and SUP to get out on the water.

_____________________________________

Next in the 1970s many of us evolved into prams which were 8 to 10 foot small flat bottom boats we could row or were powered with

electric motors or small gas outboard motors.

With a pram you could put in in the back of a pickup or on top of your vehicle.

Then you could take more tackle, more rods, a small ice chest and even your dog?

These little prams changed many lives in the pursuit of fly fishing.


We used them in ponds and reservoirs for bass, panfish, and trout.

Some of us used them in the tide water of our coastal rivers for fall salmon and winter steelhead.

We used them on flat streams like the Fall river and larger smooth valley rivers too.

________________________________________

One of my favorite size boats today would be a wide, flat bottom 14' all welded aluminum Jon boat, on a nice trailer, with an outboard

motor and long 8' oars. A bow mounted electric would be nice too. Then you might like to have a depth finder/fish finder/GPS

unit.

This would be a wonderful boat for one or two people to fly fish from.

________________________________________


Let me know if you need any help getting something new or used to get you out on the water this summer.

.