There are plenty of ways to fish. You can buy an aluminum utility fishing boat for around $2,000, but you'll also need an outboard motor, a trailer, and perhaps a truck to tow it. Which means at a minimum, you've invested around $4,000, just to go fishing.

Of course, you can go the tipsy kayak route, for as low as $200, but you'll still need a rack for it, plus the expense of increasing your life insurance if you weigh more than maybe 150 lbs, and are over 25 years of age.

Fishing from a kayak is like gambling with your life. Sure you can row to some great fishing spots, but are you really nimble enough to enjoy it.

So, if you want to fish on the cheap, are you destined to fish from the shore only?

No. consider buying a fishing floating raft.

First, fishing float tubes are cheap. You can get some great one for around $130 bucks or so.

Next, consider convenience. They lie flat in the back of your trunk or in the back of your SUV until you fill them up with air. No trailer, no boat rack, no outboard motor to deal with.

In addition, they launch from anywhere. Just push them in one foot of water, and hop in. No need to wait for a spot of the boat launch.

And navigation is a breeze. Although you can't go fast as compared with a kayak or a fishing boat, all you need is a pair of swim fins and a telescoping plastic boat paddle, and you are good to go. As long as there isn't a strong current, you can paddle to just about anyplace on the river or lake you wish.

One great tip is to look for places with a steep bank and a few overhanging trees that make shore fishing nearly impossible and slowly approach your desired spot.

Even if a thousand anglers a day go to the lake to fish, with your small, nimble craft, you might be the first one to fish there in weeks!

Another tip is to bring along a Hawkeye Fish Finder, so you find pockets where fish like to congregate and drop your fishing line right over the spot. You may soon wonder why you ever considered any other type of fishing.

Not only are fishing tubes cheap, lightweight, and maneuverable, but compared to sitting in a boat with an aluminum or wooden bench seat, they are quite comfortable.

Even if you weigh upwards of 300 lbs, the seats are wide enough to accommodate every fisherman, there's back support, and plenty of opportunities to dip your legs in the water and keep you cool.

Some come with built-in umbrellas, or you can simply DIY it and make your own.

Most float-tubes are large enough to bring a small, waterproof cooler so that you are never far from your favorite sandwiches and drinks. With your small float-tube, you can really be king of the lake or river.

Another thing that clever fisherman like to do is using a couple of bobbers, rods, and live bait to fish from two different directions simultaneously while casting with a lure or fly fishing with a third rod. Here you get the best of both worlds, casting as well as simply dropping a line.

And if you want to be utterly lazy, you can attach a couple of fishing rod holders to your fish tube, although you may need some mechanical ingenuity and some duct tape to get the job done.

Do you want a great idea for utterly enjoying yourself? Instead of staying home and watching the baseball or football game on your home television set, and watch the game on an iPad or tablet at the lake while fishing.

In order for this to work, you'll need a water-resistant phone to put into your jacket and an iPad or tablet on a tether to watch the game. Set your phone to tether within the Bluetooth settings if your tablet doesn't automatically connect to your wireless carrier, then enjoy the game.

Most fishermen who have tried this trick are so happy with watching the game and fishing at the same time, that there only desire is that the floating fish platform isn't large enough to hold a small barbecue.

Another thing to try if you love it as we do, is to strategically map out the body of the lake, as long as it's not too large.

Even the best boat fisherman don't often have the patience to move from one spot to another on the lake and thus pass up on some great fishing spots.

Not only is it advisable to map out the lake over time, but to make notes as to what kind of fish you catch and what kind of bait you used over time. Also, take notice of what time of day you caught fish.

This is another reason to bring along a Hawkeye Fishfinder because they not only help you find fish, and map the terrain of the lake you are fishing in, but help you keep track of the water temperature.

Water temperature can greatly affect how easy it is to catch fish. When the sun is particularly high in the afternoon, that will cause fish to dive deeper and wait out the day as fish are cold-blooded creatures who can't control their own body temperature.

Some fish tubes have lots of additional pockets, which makes it very easy to fish, as compared to bringing along a heavy tackle box.

As convenient as they as fish tubes are though, don't forget about safety. It is highly recommended that you still wear a life vest to prevent drowning.

Also, don't drink alcohol while on the water. The chance of an accident is just too high, and it might be out and out illegal.

It's also a good idea to tell a friend where to expect you, should you not check-in after an hour or so, and you should never use a float tube in very cold water. Hypothermia is no joke.

But all in all, float tubes are a great way to fish on the cheap and can be quite enjoyable as well.