Fly or spin fish from your 'easy chair on water'. When weather conditions are acceptable, fishing from my float tube is my favorite way to spend a day on some of the smaller but productive BC fishing lakes.
1. Prospects - I first decide whether I want lots of fish or big fish. The two are occasionally synonomous however I have learned not to stretch my expectations. I'd rather be surprised.
2. Access to the lake body - we are looking for a smooth, tapering launch. No sense in slogging through mud, rocks and sticks that result in getting stuck in the mud with your fins or damaging your waders or tube.
Another consideration is access to the shore from different parts of the lake. Looking after 'personal business' requires getting to a landing quickly and peeling down the waders. When the water is cold, this event can spring up on you quickly.
3. Access to prime locations on the lake - the smaller the lake the better. Float tubes are not known for their speed (pontoon boats are quicker) so you want to get to the prime fishing spots (shoals, drop-offs, weed beds) as soon as possible.
4. Suscepibility to wind - Wind is the single most annoying factor while float tubing fishing. It is important to me to be able to find some shelter from whatever direction the wind is blowing. Look for odd shaped lakes with sheltered bays.
5. Vehicle Access to the Lake - paved, gravel or 4x4. The nice thing about a float tube is that it can be easily deflated enough to fit in a car, car trunk or other two-wheel drive vehicle. Many of the lakes in the Interior are quite accessible by 2 wheel drive vehicles.
On the other hand, there are no shortage of 4x4 or hike in lakes that are willing to reward the adventurous.