I've stumbled upon a debate about whether a longer rod (i.e., 9.5' - 11') offers any real advantage for float tubing. Some say a longer rod is necessary in order to cast the same distance that you can while you are standing upright, and also for keeping your line off the water during your back cast.

Others say than longer rods are superfluous and that a 8.5' or 9' rod is fine, asserting that you are very low to the water (about half your standing height) while in a tube and are therefore below the cone of vision of all but very close fish. Therefore, it's not really necessary to make long casts from a tube in order to distance yourself from the fish you are targeting.

Going even further, it has been said that because a longer rod is more difficult to "stop" on the back cast, a longer rod might actually make it more likely that you'll dump your line on the water during your back cast.

Then there's the matter of trying to bring a fish to your net with a long rod without choking up on your grip a foot or two.

Can anyone offer any real world experience?

I've been tubing for ten years. One of the first rods I used was a custom made 10' 5#...a nice rod that I eventually snapped the tip off landing a cutthroat at Pyramid Lake (Nevada) while standing in maybe 3' of water. I used that rod on my tube, and since breaking it, I've replaced it with a Loomis GL3, 9' 5#...I don't know if my casting has improved that much since the days of the 10' rod, but my gut feeling is that it's not of enough concern to give it much thought. Go with the rod you like, it'll work just fine, and the sacrafice in distance won't be an issue for the same reasons you mentioned. My $ .02. FTIR

9' to 9 1/2' works fine for me.

IMHO I think the rod length depends more on the type of float tube you are using! If you are in a donut or U boat I could see why a 9.5' to 11' rod would be advantagous. Whereas a Fat Cat type that sits you higher out of the water a 9' rod would work just fine. I personally have a Super Fat Cat and use a 9' rod. Tighlines!

When you are in a float tube, V-boat or pontoon boat (or just wading deep) you don't want to have your rod "over loaded". You don't want to have a line that is too heavy because it slows down the line speed which can cause your line and fly to hit the water behind you while casting.

If you have a 5 weight rod with a 6 weight line and your line and fly hits the water behind you while casting from your float tube, try a 5 line on that rod.

With the lighter line you need more rod speed to load your rod which will help keep the line up more on your back cast.

PS: In the '60s on Lake Solano (Putah Creek) we used soft/slow 8' fiberglass rods for float tubing in our 'Tucker Duck & Rubbber Company canvas duck float tubes and it all worked out fine.

_________________
Bill Kiene
Kiene's Fly Shop
Sacrmento,CA
www.kiene.com
800/400-0359