Vincent,
I can't answer anything regarding trout rods as rob's the expert, but as for setting the hook in a float tube, it's not too tough. If you can set the hook sitting on a bass boat pedestal seat, you can do it in a float tube. Probably easier in a float tube cause in the boat, you still gotta balance yourself on the seat, but in the tube, you don't have to worry about that (although it would be funny to see somebody flip themself over in a float tube on the hookset...).
-Brian