What the heck is "tubbing"?

I see tubbing in the TWRA fishing regulations guide every year. In 32 years I have never found anyone who could explain what it is. It's under the regulations for methods other than rod and reel. I always picture someone with an old galvanized wash tub on a rope lol.

Call Richards Simms with Scenic City Charters and ask him he guides on Chickamauga and has seen it all.

it's using an inflatable tube to float down the creek/river like in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGdK-u8EXUk

Below is Tenn regulations he is speaking of. I agree, it seems like a list of methods to catch fish listed then tubbing. I know what tubing is, just not sure how to throw one and catch a fish. LOL


Grabbling, Gigging, Grab Hooks, Snagging, Tubbing, Archery, Crossbow, Speargun, Dipping and Cast Netting Season open year round in all waters except: a. where closed to fishing or expressly prohibited. b. within 100 yards below dams. At Pickwick Dam the closed area extends downstream to the first moorage cell across from ramp. c. at John Sevier Steam Plant the discharge channel is closed. B and C do not apply to cast netting or dipping. Nongame fish may be taken without limit. Game fish, sturgeon, and alligator gar may not be taken. Catfish, paddlefish, and skipjack may be harvested according to local limits. Cast nets must be no more than 10 feet in radius with a mesh size no smaller than one quarter inch, and no larger than one inch on the square. Gigging is prohibited in Bedford, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Marshall, Maury, and Wayne counties. Snagging, grabbling, grabhooks, tubbing, archery, speargun, dipping, and cast nets are legal methods in these counties. Gigging is closed on the East Fork of the Obey River and its tributaries from Jan 1 - Apr 30. Snagging is prohibited year round on the South Holston tailwater (from South Holston Dam to the headwaters of Boone Reservoir), Center Hill Reservoir, and the Cumberland Fossil Plant discharge channel into Barkley Reservoir. Grabbling, gigging, grab hooks, snagging, tubbing, archery, crossbow, speargun and dipping is prohibited on the following waters from Jan 1 - Apr 30: • Dale Hollow Reservoir: East Fork Obey Riverand and its tributaries. • Norris Reservoir: between River Mile 32 (Point 15) and the Hwy. 25E Bridge on the Powell River arm and between River Mile
137 (Point 31) and the Hwy. 25E Bridge on the Clinch River arm. • Elk River in Carter County: from the Hwy. 321 Bridge downstream to River Mile 3.0 (Point 11) on the Elk River arm of Watauga Reservoir. • Doe Creek: Old Cabin Private Road downstream to Roan Creek. • Roan Creek: Mountain Lakes Estates Bridge downstream to Doe Creek. • Watauga River: NC state line downstream to end of Cownstown Road.

Tubbing is something you do on Saturday morning before going to town.

Lol there you go. I thought I knew quite a bit about fishing, but this one thing I don't. I might just have to call TWRA tomorrow and see if anyone over there knows. If they do I'll post back.

using google I found a pdf file for fishing regs for the state of tn:

from page 13
D. Methods Defined:
1. Gigging: The taking of fish by means of hand-held pole or spear with a tip consisting of a single
sharpened point or one or more sharpened barbed points; including, but not limited to gear
known as the Hawaiian Sling.
2. Grabbling: The taking of fishes with the hands.
3. Grab Hooking: The taking of fishes using one more single, double, or treble hooks fastened
directly to a pole or rod in such a manner that they are not separated from pole or rod by a
length of line.
4. Snagging: The taking of fishes using one or more single, double, or treble hooks which are
manipulated or jerked through the water in such a manner as to impale or hook fishes.
5. Tubbing: The taking of fishes using a tub or like device which has neither top or bottom.

Maybe it's a tub with no top or bottom and a net across the bottom, and you pull it through the water? If it didn't have a top or bottom I don't see how it would do anything. Maybe that's how it was done before cast nets became popular around here.

Well anyways nice detective work. I searched Google for tubbing, tubbing fishing, etc and found zilch.

I am pretty sure you tub with a galv wash tub without the bottom with a broom handle attached. You set it down over fish. It is used for getting suckers in the spring time.

I bet your exactly right. That makes a lot more sense than anything else I've heard.

Scrub behind your ears while tubbing.