Personally, there’s nothing like relaxing in my float fishing for rainbow trout in my favorite BC fly fishing lake. It’s better than my easy chair in my living room. Yes, bargeing became a mainstay of my fly-fishing vacations or day trips in the late 1990s, when I traded in my pickup truck for a minivan.
Belly sailing or floating is a whole new experience. The best part is how relaxing it can be, especially when you have the chance to anchor or drift. If you’re lucky (and most lakes in the Kamloops area are like this), you’ll be able to see eagles, ospreys, and waterfowl closer because your intrusion bothers them less. Wildlife such as bear, deer, elk, or coyote often flock to the water’s edge to quench their thirst.
There are many lakes throughout BC that cater to float fishing. To make the experience as pleasant as possible, there are a few considerations to review, such as access. Lake and lake access are probably the most important factors when choosing your body of water to fish.
Here are some important factors when considering your belly boat fishing trip. It pays to be prepared when looking for float fishing spots.
1. Potential customers – First I decide if I want a lot of fish or big fish. The two are occasionally together, however, I’ve learned not to stretch my expectations. I prefer to be surprised. The Kamloops area and the Roche Lake area of BC have many lakes that have limited bag limits (or even catch and release only). These lakes usually have trophy sized fish and are more difficult to catch. However, for the angler who likes to eat his catch, there are also plenty of opportunities to catch plenty of fish and reasonably sized fish.
2. Access to the body of the lake – We are looking for a smooth and gradual launch. There’s no point going through mud, rocks and sticks that get fins stuck in the mud or damage waders or camera. Another consideration is shore access from different parts of the lake. Taking care of ‘personal business’ requires reaching a landing quickly and removing your boots. When the water is cold, this event can arise quickly.
3. Access to prime locations on the lake – the smaller the lake, the better. Float tubes aren’t known for their speed (pontoon boats are faster), so you want to get to the main fishing spots (shoals, drop-offs, weed beds) as soon as possible.
4. Susceptibility to wind – The wind is the most annoying factor when fishing with floats. You don’t have the advantage of sitting high in a boat and casting distances can be considerably shorter. It is important for me to be able to find some shelter from whichever direction the wind blows. Look out for odd-shaped lakes with sheltered bays. The waves created by the wind can also be a challenge when trying to get back to your vehicle, so keep this in mind when traveling a long way from the launch site.
5.Vehicle Access to the Lake – paved, gravel or 4×4. The nice thing about a float tube is that it can be deflated easily enough to fit in a car, the trunk of a car, or other two-wheel drive vehicle. Many of the Inland lakes are quite accessible for 2-wheel drive vehicles. On the other hand, there is no shortage of 4x4s or lake walks that are willing to reward adventurers.
Visit here for a list of some of my favorite tube fishing lakes in BC.