Sunday, August 8, 1993 - North Shore News - 26 elly boating provides a blissful fishing outing IF YOU see something that looks like the Creature From The Black Lagoon with a bad case of midriff bulge rising from a remote alpine Jake this summer, don’t be alarmed; aliens haven’t landed, you haven’t discovered a new species of amphibian — it’s only me (or some other angler) wear- ing a float-tube. From time to time while hiking, I'd noticed these strange things bobbing on alpine lakes, but | didn’t really appreciate their - Significance until 1 took up fly- ‘fishing. In fact, float-tubes, also known “belly boats,’? have been around for well over a decade, according to Dave Steele of North “Vancouver’s Highwater Tackle Shop (113 Lonsdale Ave.). “The early models were pretty basic,’ Steele told me, ‘‘Just an ~ . inner-tube with a seat slung in the “middle. The new ones have more - bells and whistles, but the concept “is basically the same.’’ . » The concept is elegantly simple: the .angler, wearing neoprene ’ waders for warmth and scuba fins for propulsion, sits in a seat or ‘parachute-type harness attached , to the nylon covering of the in- . Mer-tube, Inthe latest models, the nylon cover provides backpack zipper . pockets for tackle, lunch, sunscreen, or waterproof copies of “Moby Dick. and The Compleat “Angler. . “: The backrest /armrests consist of separately inflated flotation com- partmenis, just. in case the main tube deflates (manufacturers also recommend. that users wear a flotation vest as an added precau- : tion). -The result is ‘the perfect system “for: fishing. the abundance of “well-stocked small — and often “hard to access — lakes‘with which this province is blessed. _ , _- Infinitely. cheaper than a \chartered float-plane, even - cheaper (and a lot easier to pack in); than. a boat or canoe, the float-tube allows the angler io .fish | ¢AIDS IN THE | "CONTROL OF _ ANTS, SILVERFISH, . COCKROACH- “BS, EARWIGS, “. FLEAS, CATER “PILLARS, - CRICKETS, SOW BUGS & POTATO BEETLES. * FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL * $85-5872 By John Moore Contributing Writer the best spots in wilderness lakes in complete freedom from the luxuriant foliage that often sur- rounds tisr. To a novice fiy-caster, this aspect of tubing has immediate and obvious appeal. ; Nothing is as frustrating as watching a dozen ‘smug trout brazenly. snapping bugs off the surface in a place where trees and terrain make it impossible to get off a presentable cast. (I. have a nice collection. of trophy.. fir, cedar and cypress: boughs I’m having bronzed and mounted for the den.) With this outfit, you can move right in among ‘em, pretending to be a large. mutant frog, and cast like Babe Ruth without acciden- tally hooking: anything except maybe your own ear (I tell people it’s a. feathered. Borneo head- hunter’s earring). Even if they’re not. buying what ‘you're selling, you still ‘get the somewhat ambivalent’ thrill of having trout jump a foot or two from your elbows as they snork -down lunch and laugh at that silly twist of. wool and horse-hair yow’re trying to convince them is on the bill of fare. : The ‘subtler, more secuctive charms of this kind -of angling become apparent after the honey- moon: joys of unconstricted casting have passed,. when you re- alize how outrageously comforta- ble you are. Semi-recumbent, in- ‘sulated in neoprene, drifting lazily on a sun-smacked mountain. lake, contemplating the beginning of a new fashion trend in fishing gear. visited by curious dragonflies, surrounded by alpine scenery. It’s a cross between a La-Z-Boy recliner and a. waterbed. Total amniotic «bliss with fishing as a bonus. Hot sun and this kind of total relaxation can easily tempt one to doze. This is no problem in landlocked lakes, but many lakes have out-flows, and a float-tube is definitely not the right gear for riding white water. “You have to use common sense,*’ Steele. said. “You don't reasonably close to shore (no fur- ther than you’d want to swim ina pinch). A basic model float-tube. will run you about $156, with the deluxe models retailing for: just . under $200. Fins are around $50, but you can probably scout. around for a pair a lot cheaper at flea markets and garage sales. If you've never tried it and want to splash out for real before you take one of- these things into any . H kind of moving water. Never ina river.”' On larger lakes, where winds can quickly raise a serious chop, float-tubers should stick , Hands up for those who ate their insecolo ™ USE INSECOLO insecolo products aid in the control of a wide variety of home and garden pests such as ants, calempillars, fleas, cockroaches, earwigs and silverlish to name a few. 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E4413. palsspaieaiasenlapaxteadatenKentwterlendoaden: ~ Mail to: : wn ‘ : Photo submitted HIGH ADVENTURER John Moore enjoys the relaxed pace of fly-fishing in a rented float tube while’ - splash out financially, Highwater Tackle has a unit they’ve. been .. experimentally - renting out (float-tube, fins and waders, if they. have your size),. for.$30 for... is a serious : the weekend. ‘This bargain, since most tackle shops charge almost $10 more. © = According to Steele, the rental option is proving: popular, so call Highwater Tackle at 986-3239..or drop in and: book ahead as soon as you’ve weasled a free weekend. (Cannot be used with any other offer, Ends Aug. 31/93)