tubers

[lauxier]

I made a run to GSMNP for 2 days,for a bit of fishing-the lower streams were crammed ful of tubers-the tubing industry was in full tilt--wanted to fish low but was forced to go to a higher altitude-the tubers were no more-the fishing wasn't much,although I caught several 6-8 inch fish on a beetle and ant.I am a love and peace type guy but tubers really get on my nerves.I noticed one kid threw a snickers wrapper in the water,another sank a soda bottle.Not too long ago,I called down some guys for littering one day and almost had to fight my way out of Tremont.I reported them,to a bored rangerette at the visitor center,to no avail.So ,any more, I don't say much,kind of like a gagged witness but litterer's should be fined,fined,and fined.

Here's a little story for you: I bought a 1950 Chevrolet Pickup-formerly a Yellowstone Park truck-When I finally got it I began cleaning it up-I took the seat out of it.Under the seat was a newspaper-It was a newspaper from Gardiner Montana and still in ok shape--I opened it up and the headlines read -OSWALD SHOT,KILLED,below the headlines was the famous pic of Jack Ruby blasting Lee Harvey Oswald as he was led throught basement of the Dallas Police Dept-In the lower right hand corner of the front page of this same Gardiner newspaper was a short red lettered announcment it read : Mayor Smith Proclaims Monday---Jack Ruby Day---

[rivergal]

I used to tube at the Y before it was a tourist industry with an old black inner tube. Tourism is good for the economy-bad for the blood pressure. Keep
Tennessee green, bring money! Author Shelby Foote had a funny saying about tourists " I never enjoyed the company of tourists," " I do not go where they go, and I do not want them coming where I am." Tubers are temporary, and the fish will be there long after they are gone. Seek higher ground for a few more weeks.

[Jim Casada]

Lauxier--Several thoughts on tubers. First, I wholeheartedly agree they are a boil on the angler's bum. That being said, there are several ways to avoid them. In the streams they haunt, get out at first light. You'll usually have a couple of hours before the tube hatch comes off, and this time of year, those are the best hours of the day more often than not. I do this on lower Deep Creek fairly regularly. Another alternative is to go where they aren't. In truth, there are only a few streams in the Park (notalby LIttle River, lower Luftee, and lower Deep Creek) which are big enough and accessible enough for them to be a real pain. On Deep Creek they are not allowed to go above the junction of Indian Creek. ONe other thought--in every case a half hour's hike from the nearest trailhead will put you well away from these "willies off the pickle boat," as the Old Man of Robert Ruark's "The Old Man and the Boy" called tourists. Also, come Labor Day they disappear like a passing plague of locusts.
Having said all of that, there have been times when the thought of pulling out my pocket knife and giving a tube a good poke has entered my mind. That's especially true when I see littering. Jim Casada