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Hoping to get into some small ponds this spring . Wondering which works best. Although more expensive I'm thinking tube cause I get to stay vertical but I guess the chest waders I buy gotta be super warm for first ice off. That makes me wonder if a dingy won't get me into colder water
Thoughts
Hands down I would go with the float tube. I've got the Cumberland float tube and it's pretty good but I think that the fish cat tubes are a bit more robust. Cabela's brand neoprene (brown) stocking foot waders are not that expensive to wear in your float tube. I bought mine on sale for $69, I paired them with a set of neoprene socks and I wear cheap crocs while walking into the pond/lake. As for the finns get the kind that your foot slides into the end and the longer ones are better. The strap kind that go over a set of boots tend to break and wearing the boots, either attached to your waders or over stocking foot waders will just tire you out prematurely. I have a bad back and I don't think that i could sit in a dingy for very long but with the float tube your feet hang down and its comfortable. I like to have a small anchor with me to stop drifting in the wind. I've had fun with my float tube and it's not too bad to use the backpack straps to carry it into a lake.
Good Luck
A canoe would be my first choice. Much more versatile and comfortable to fish out of vs a tube... SportsPal comes to mind. Before you buy a float tube, see if you can find someone that has one and will let you try it out. Then make up your mind which way you want to go.
of the two choices, I would say a float tube seems more appealing. If we are throwing out ideas, there are some decent sit on kayaks aimed at fishermen.
Well I ended up caddis tube, cables waders as above. Bought their flippers meant for tube. Wonder (although heavier to carry) if I'd be better with my old mares scuba flippers? I'm used to what temp neoprene gets you to when it's scuba wet neoprene. How low can 5 mil dry go?