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Finally - Some open water

1K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  TOgden 
#1 ·
A buddy and I took advantage of the beautiful weather today and found some open water to dip our tubes.

We launched our tubes about 10:30 and fished until 2:30 using our usual fly tackle.

We used both a fast sink line (#7) and a medium sink line (#3). The best flies were a black leech with some green tinsel, #8 bead head black/orange/pearl crystal bugger, #8 bead head (green) tan/green/pearl crystal bugger, and #8 cone head (green) olive leech. We picked up one 15” tiger trout and the rest were rainbows from 12” to 15”. This pond is stocked pretty heavily.

The water temperature was 42-44 degrees and the visibility in the water of about 4’. The reservoir is about 4’ from being full.

I’m not sure if it was because it was a nice day, spring break, or the only open water to fish but the place was crowded. There were a lot of RV’s in the campground which is surprising for this time of year. There were three drift boats, a couple of kayaks, and a gross of shore fishermen and most everyone seemed to be catching some fish.

There are a lot of fish in there and I didn’t see that it had been stocked this year. There was a lot of wildlife around the park. We saw a young eagle, cormorants, geese, ducks, deer, and some sand hill cranes.

I like the guy in one of the kayaks (picture). There is not an accessory that he doesn’t have on board. If he doesn’t have it, you don’t need it.

It was a great day to be out and fishing soft water again.

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#2 ·
Man, there's still a ton of snow out there. We'll be lucky to get over the top of that mtn by July, at this rate.

Glad you at least got in a good float. I love the color of that water.

I noticed that you're using Force fins. Have you tried the over-toe/heel strap kind (ie: turbo thruster)? As someone else who puts a lot of miles on a FC4, your takeaways from that comparison would be valuable.

I've not enjoyed the platform fins I've used, but I never tried Force. They look to be a lot higher quality than other strap-ons and they have quite the reputation (and price tag).

I'm mostly wondering about how they perform in the wind and if you ever have to adjust them while on the water all day, being the adjustable kind. It's really bad having a fin loosen up and slap the bottom of the boot, wasting energy.

I do love my turbo thrusters, but there are some setbacks with cramping from the tight squeeze in the toe box or having the quick release clips come apart in thick weeds on launch or landing. They also don't float...

Thanks for sharing. I can't wait to get busy on a tube again.
 
#3 ·
We drove over Huntington/Fairview canyon and I could not believe the amount of snow up there. It was like driving through a tunnel.

As far as the fins go, I started out with the cheap caddis fins and if the weather was calm they were adequate but if there was any wind, they were worthless. I would apply the power and they would just fold back. The Force Fins are pricey but I have not been able to put enough torque on them to make them bend. They are shorter (much easier to walk in) than the turbo thruster and require very little energy to kick. I have never had the straps loosen up on me. Once you set the strap over the top for the size of your boot all you have to do is slide your foot in and tighten the heal strap. The pad across the arch has foam in it so they do float, but just barely. When I bought my Force Fins at Sportsman's Warehouse they were $90 now they are $275, that tells you how long I've had them :) . I have replaced the straps and the pad over the arch but other than that they have been bullet proof. I picked up a spare pair on ebay a while back for what I paid for my first ones. I have averaged 383 hours/year in my tube since 1992 so I have gotten great service out of them. I would highly recommend them.
 
#5 ·
Thank you. That's good info.

I recall threshershark speaking highly of them, a million years ago. He mentioned that they do well to propel you while your legs are in a downward position, rather than having to extend as much.
He makes a good point.

They are shorter than most other fins and because the bottoms of the fins are slightly curved there is less resistance on the down stroke.
 
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