HART SLIDER RRP: £739.99
Fishing in sea lochs can always be a bit of an adventure into the unknown because the varied fishing always offers the possibility of catching some unusual species. Mostly, my sea loch fishing is from the shore and involves walking and exploring my way around. However, on this occasion I was trying out The Slider, a new hybrid float tube from Hart.
Belly boats, as they are often known, have come a long way, and their use in fly-fishing and freshwater lure fishing are common, but less so in the sea, and for good reason too. They are generally aimed at calm inshore waters and not for traversing large areas. For that you need a boat or a kayak or a highly specialised float tube.
Not all sea lochs are suitable for float tubing, but I look for shallow, sloping beaches or shingle shores where it is easy to land and launch. I also want settled and calm water. Float tubing in the sea lochs is a great way of searching an area where you would normally be casting. It is rare I stray beyond casting range, partly for safety and partly because the majority of the fish I seek are all within 50 metres of the shore.
Safety is paramount, so asides from a personal flotation device (PFD), waterproof phone cases and a buddy system, it is also important to go only as far as you are prepared to carry your tube. This way, if conditions change or tide becomes too much, you can quickly land and relocate by foot.
Float tubing lends itself to travelling with minimal kit, just like standard light rock fishing (LFR). While the Slider is probably too big to carry fully assembled, many standard belly boats are easily carried on your back like a rucksack. Certainly, this is a good policy to help you get a feel of conditions and tide.
Sea lochs have a tidal current, some considerably stronger than others, so you really need to have a bit of knowledge of the area before you choose a likely spot. However, they are much like any large inshore body of water and, for those experienced in float tubing, fairly straightforward on a calm day.
Now many sea lochs contain small inlets and bays off the main body of the loch, and these are perfect for exploring with the float tube and LRF gear. Working the margins along the weed fringe and open water can be incredibly good fun and extremely productive. This is a great ploy for targeting scorpion fish and wrasse.