Inexpensive Float Tube?

[steveg137]

Headed to Silver Creek in August and rather than renting float tube, considering buying one.

I'll be there a week so rental cost adds up.

But I don't have much use for float tube as I use a pontoon boat and pram.

Any recommendations on low cost options ?

Thanks
Steve

[Bill Markwood]

I was up there last September and, while I didn't see a lot of them, people were using pontoon boats.

[Railking]

Boy, Do I have a deal for you !!!!..
Drop a line. I have a bucks bag that is a pain to use, but is very functional.. we are talking a real circular tube...
Let me know if you would like to use it.

[Ralph]

Back in the day we used to simply punch some grommets through seat belt webbing and strap them to an inner tube to make an X. Butt goes on the X and legs dangle through. Worked great for years until someone built a "real" float tube. Probably have 1,000 hours on Martis Lake on one of those inner tubes.

[OceanSunfish]

Headed to Silver Creek in August and rather than renting float tube, considering buying one.

I'll be there a week so rental cost adds up.

But I don't have much use for float tube as I use a pontoon boat and pram.

Any recommendations on low cost options ?

Thanks
Steve

Silver Creek, Idaho? Picabo?

If so, I did see a few fly fishing from a float tube downstream of the "park". Not knocking, just curious of this is a common practice?

[JayDubP]

Steve, check Idaho dept of Fish and Game for definition of "float tube". IDFG defines a "float tube" to mean your butt is in the water, so some of the current models where your butt is out of the water are classified as a "raft" and therefore banned in the Nature Conservancy Preserve float tube section of Silver Creek.

There are 2 sections of the Conservancy- the wade only section (no float tubes allowed) and the float tube section (no wading allowed).

Last time I was there, Silver Creek Outfitters rented float tubes for around $15/day-- we only fished the wade only section for one day.


Jim

[EricO]

Caddis float tubes had an older model (I still have one) that was really good. Material
was great, packed small in a backpack.

Then they redesigned the model, made it way heavier, added a cup holder (who uses that anyway?)
on the tube apron. The quality went downhill.

Case in point, my buddy's float tube did this as we were preparing to get into the water Friday morning.
We're lucky it didn't burst. We kept hearing popping noises, but no one was around...thought it was
someone throwing rocks in the lake. Nope, it was just the material failing.

Buyer beware...poor quality for a $90 tube.

EricO

[steveg137]

Alan thanks - I'll give you a call as we are due to have our coffee and catch up anyway !
Steve

[OceanSunfish]

Steve, check Idaho dept of Fish and Game for definition of "float tube". IDFG defines a "float tube" to mean your butt was in the water, so some of the current models where your butt was out of the water are classified as a "raft" and therefore banned in the Nature Conservancy Preserve float tube section of Silver Creek.

There are 2 sections of the Conservancy- the wade only section (no float tubes allowed) and the float tube section (no wading allowed).

Last time I was there, Silver Creek Outfitters rented float tubes for around $15/day-- we only fished the wade only section for one day.


Jim

Float Tube section? Wow! Been a couple of decades since I've been there......... I surmise the section I fished is now the "Float Tube Only" section now. Come to think of it, would've been a lot more effectual to have fish that day from a float tube!

[Railking]

Alan thanks - I'll give you a call as we are due to have our coffee and catch up anyway !
Steve

Sitting in Garage