OK guys, I bought my first tube-an el cheapo from Academy. I had in mind to try it out this am but quickly found out the place is too hard for access and I need to do some redneck engineering to get safely in and out of this place. It's a rock quarry just north of McKinney that is super clear, loaded with fish and harder than heck to get in/out of. I didn't feel too bad about not getting in there since I've never even BEEN in a tube before and kinda felt like I was pushing my luck to begin with!

Here's what I need: a tube expert to show me the ins/outs, tips and tricks, and which gear I need before I turn this into a boondoggle! In return I'll take said expert to this place and one other that I have access to. All private water with nobody else around..other than the occaisional trespassers.

I'd prefer it to be somebody in the Richardson/Plano/Allen/McKinney area since I'm in northeast Plano anyway. PM me if anybody is interested and we'll exchange #'s and set up a time to go slay the little buggers!

I'd definitly be interested in watching this take place.....

nvatexan is up your way. He probably won't be of any assistance when it comes to helping you catch anything, but he does have some tubin' experience under his belt.

Oh so true

Watchin' this take place.. You say that like there might be some comedy involved! LOL! Actually I'm quite sure there WILL be. See the way to get in and out of the quarry involves a ladder. It's not as crazy as it sounds, you can get all the way down and step into the water without the ladder, but the bank drops so steeply that I can't see being able to get out without calling in air support. So the ladder laying on the bank and sticking into the water (tied to a tree on the other end) seems to make some sense.

I won't be wearing my favorite clothes for this venture!

The ladder sounds good for getting out.... I think a big ol belly flop would be a much more appropriate entrance though.

Got pics?

No pics yet. I'll probably hit the place early one morning next week. I'll get pics and try out the ladder plan...

I would like to make one recommendation, do not get in the tube and then try to navigate your way down the ladder unless you got a video cam going and the address to Americas Funniest Videos handy...
Actually I have tons of tubing experience and would be happy to help, but nothing in my past tubing would be able to assist in getting down and back up that ladder. I have carried that stupid tube 1/4 mile before just to launch, but I always drew the line at having to use climbing equipment to reach the water...LOL!

So how'd this end up?

Still haven't been back. I was planning for tomorrow am but that may not pan out either.. I'm off for the next couple days though, so it's gonna happen! I will get some pics this time too.

Dis, I gotta see!

I went back and took pics but didn't have time to fish. My card reader has bent pins so I'm searching for the cable to the camera!

Somebody PM me your email. I'm having a heck of a time trying to get these pics posted. I haven't logged into photobucket in so long I forgot my p'word. That compounded with my p'word not working for the email account I had set up for photobucket... I don't like Mondays!!

Here are the pics...

Thanks ictoamn!

Nice looking hole. So, where do you put in? I don't see a ladder.

sure thing.

Ooooh.... That looks fishey!!

Nice spot. Is there access to the bank all around? There were some less steep looking spots in the photos. (bottom photo, top left corner)

Very little access to the bank except on the high points. The most likely put in point is so overgrown that I'm not willing to fight the snakes. That leaves a secondary point-which is where I was standing when I took the 3rd pic. Come NEXT spring the best access point will be what I use. I'm going to have to trim back vegetation and move a bunch of dumped concrete chunks out of the way of that point. It STINKS of snakes right now...

I still haven't gotten into the water since I haven't had anybody with me and I don't want to be paddling around in my tube and get hung up in some bundle of wire that got thrown in at some point.

My problem is that most of my playtime happens during the week so I don't have anybody to hang with!

That looks like a nice spot bro. get a weed eater or borrow one and clear out those over grown areas you want to launch out of. I wear snake boots on my bank missions but if you dont have any I dont think a snake would tangle with a weed eater while your clearing the area. If he does I'm pretty sure you could change its direction!

I have a fire breathing dragon for a weedeater (landscaping biz), but it won't touch the stuff that needs trimmed. The easy spot is overgrown with young trees around 3-8 inches trunk size. Every step of the way is littered with chunk concrete as well. Not saying I won't get a wild hair and clear all that out next time I go, but likely it'll be winter when there is less to worry about.

I might get lucky enough to go today..we'll see. Work, work, work..

put a beaver blade on the weedeater and carry a small chainsaw. Once the noise starts the snakes should move along. Interesting saga!