So I tried something I've never done before and just went with a group of guys from church on a 3 day fishing trip down the Illinois River in northeastern OK. Eight of us floated down the river on fishing tubes and we had a Jon boat loaded with tents, ice chests, and food that floated between us. Let me tell you trying to reel in a catfish and put him on the stringer, bait your hook, and try to not drop your poll or tackle while not hitting boulders or trees in a tube that you can't control in the swiftly moving current was a little tricky. I did pretty well by the second day though and we caught over 200 fish mostly channel cats, but also largemouth, small mouth, stripers, and sand bass. I think we caught about 11 different species of fish and had great time and had a big fish fry the last night with plenty of fish left for our Superbowl party cookout. I was glad I brought my Smith 586 pellet pistol and killed two cotton mouths about 30 or 40 feet from my tent.
Intertube fishing
- Thread starter Farmer17
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terry_tr6
Member
did you notice warm spots in the water as you passed other guys??
really sounds like a fun trip. nothing like catching lots of fish to make a fun day and 3 days of it!!1
really sounds like a fun trip. nothing like catching lots of fish to make a fun day and 3 days of it!!1
Just get good at it before you hit a big lake and get too far from shore....
and get a leg cramp with the wind blowing in the wrong direction !!
The buddy system is a good thing !!
and get a leg cramp with the wind blowing in the wrong direction !!
The buddy system is a good thing !!
Small stream float fishing by whatever conveyance is simply good for the soul.
Looked like a fun trip.........thanks for sharing the story and pics.
Don
Don
******* float tubes!
I'm sure they're great in the river but I tried one out on a big (by CO standards) lake a few times and it was terrifying. Kept having visions of the waves kicked up by the wind putting enough water into my waders to really be an issue, and to top it off the fins my friend gave me had been sitting in the bed of her truck for years, one strap snapped, i grabbed it before it made its way to the deep and tied it back on with cord, but alas, was not enough to get me on a laker that day.
The GF and I now have joint custody of a 15' tandem inflatable paddle board. It's absolutely amazing and still fits in the apartment, a hell of a lot more fun.
I'm sure they're great in the river but I tried one out on a big (by CO standards) lake a few times and it was terrifying. Kept having visions of the waves kicked up by the wind putting enough water into my waders to really be an issue, and to top it off the fins my friend gave me had been sitting in the bed of her truck for years, one strap snapped, i grabbed it before it made its way to the deep and tied it back on with cord, but alas, was not enough to get me on a laker that day.
The GF and I now have joint custody of a 15' tandem inflatable paddle board. It's absolutely amazing and still fits in the apartment, a hell of a lot more fun.
Truck tire tubes work great from a beach dive.
Dive flag, basket or mesh bag secured with a bungee and 50ft. of 1/8 nylon tag line looped around the wrist the float makes a good platform to catch a breath and take a break.
Dive flag, basket or mesh bag secured with a bungee and 50ft. of 1/8 nylon tag line looped around the wrist the float makes a good platform to catch a breath and take a break.
The 'Ultimate Homeless Experience' without spending $3,000.
ancient-one
US Veteran
The only time I fished from a tube(homemade) was years ago on a creek in N/NE Oklahoma. Was having fun until I stood on the bank and could see all of those huge gar. Not big, Huge! Not room for both of us.
I stood on a big under water rock on the edge of a deep hole. Cast my favorite fly rod top water popper and I could see this large bass coming out of the depths and just gulped my popper and slowly headed back down. Didn't have but about a 6 pound leader, wasn't enough.
I stood on a big under water rock on the edge of a deep hole. Cast my favorite fly rod top water popper and I could see this large bass coming out of the depths and just gulped my popper and slowly headed back down. Didn't have but about a 6 pound leader, wasn't enough.
