Float Tube Fishing – The Best Fly Fishing Vacation Experience in BC

Personally, there’s nothing like relaxing in my float fishing for rainbow trout in my favorite BC fly-fishing lake. It is better than my armchair in my living room. Yes, barge sailing became a mainstay of my fly-fishing vacations or day trips in the late 1990s, when I traded in my station wagon for a minivan.

Sailing on the belly or floating is a completely new experience. The best part is how relaxing it can be, especially when you have the opportunity to drop anchor or drift. If you’re lucky (and most lakes in the Kamloops area are like that), 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 accommodate float fishing. To make the experience as enjoyable as possible, there are some 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 places to fish with floats.

 1. Potential customers – First I decide if I want a lot of fish or big fish. The two are occasionally together, however I have learned not to stretch my expectations. I prefer to be surprised. The Kamloops area and Roche Lake area in 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 is no point in wading through mud, rocks and sticks that get your fins stuck in the mud or damage your waders or tube. Another consideration is access to the shore from different parts of the lake. Taking care of ‘personal business’ requires getting to a landing quickly and taking off your boots. When the water is cold, this event can come up quickly.

 

3. Access to privileged 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 up high in a boat and casting distances can be considerably shorter. It is important to me to be able to find some shelter from whatever direction the wind blows. Look for oddly shaped lakes with sheltered bays. Wind waves can also be a challenge when attempting to return to your vehicle, so keep this in mind when traveling far 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, car trunk, or other two-wheel drive vehicle. Many of the Interior lakes are quite accessible to 2 wheel drive vehicles. On the other hand, there is no shortage of 4×4 or lake walks that are willing to reward adventurers.

Visit here for a list of some of my favorite float fishing lakes in BC.