# Tube Turmoil ???



## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

You're targeting smallmouth Bass you have only three options at your disposal. See Pic below . . . 

1.) 4.00" Tube 

2.) 3.50" Tube 

3.) 3.25" Tube 

Which would you choose & why?


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## QueticoMike (Sep 25, 2008)

Went with the 3.5, 4 seems too big for around here. Right now I wouldn't throw any tubes that color since the craws are gone for the season. I would go with a pearl, or silver or white colored tube right now.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Im already thinking of next year and gathering the normal end of fishing season tackle list together. I need a restocking of some tubes and was just interested in peoples preferences for this application. 

I tend to lean toward the 3.5 as well but, I know there is the Big Bait = Big Bass crowd, wonder how many people prefer to weed out the dinks?


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## meisjedog (Oct 4, 2010)

QueticoMike said:


> Went with the 3.5, 4 seems too big for around here. Right now I wouldn't throw any tubes that color since the craws are gone for the season. I would go with a pearl, or silver or white colored tube right now.


I am still learning and also I'm in a different location but... I've still been catching the smallies on tubes and caught a 17.5 incher the other day who spit up two craws(he was caught on a dinger though).


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

SMBHooker said:


> Im already thinking of next year and gathering the normal end of fishing season tackle list together. I need a restocking of some tubes and was just interested in peoples preferences for this application.
> 
> I tend to lean toward the 3.5 as well but, I know there is the Big Bait = Big Bass crowd, wonder how many people prefer to weed out the dinks?


I changed my tactics since I bought the Larry Dahlberg Craw, It is 5" and I start out with it, if I have no takers I drop down to a 3.25" tube and fish the same areas again.

The Dahlberg is amazing and has caught a couple nice smallies so far...but...I need to get a few more so I can use it the way I want and not worry about loosing it

I was told once by a "Wise Old Angler", "that Bass love Crawdads so much they'll take them any time you offer them"..."even if it's cold and the sun's out, because the Bass thinks he got lucky catchin' one sunnin' itself....."


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Intimidator said:


> I was told once by a "Wise Old Angler", "that Bass love Crawdads so much they'll take them any time you offer them"..."even if it's cold and the sun's out, because the Bass thinks he got lucky catchin' one sunnin' itself....."


I read that in winter time research has shown some Smallmouth develop a sore snout due to digging & turning over rocks for craws. I caught one recently that had a port belly and some pinchers hanging out of the gullet. 

So, I think understanding that this is one of their main forages in the river system would lead me to side with the, "Wise Old Angler." I dont think they are going to see a craw pass in front of them and think, Well its not the right time of year for that so, Ill pass!

But, it is perfectly understandable that if smallmouth are actively feeding on shad or minnows and you throw a craw imitation it may ignore it due to its current focus

Intimidator,
What is the Larry Dahlberg Craw?


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Best craw imitation on the market right now.

http://www.outdoorproshop.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=River2Sea-Dahlberg-Cray

Really sweet action in the water & obviously very realistic. Check out the video of it in action.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

SMBHooker, 

You definitely should just set aside the $$ to get a few of Larrys' craws for yourself, or put them on your end of season list...but if you hurry you'll still have time to fish them this year The thing is really amazing...it is balanced so perfect that when you cast it and it hits the water, it sinks just like a craw...with the claws up and the tail flapping. He has a series of 4 lures that he developed for River2Sea...I'm hoping Santa brings me the entire series and a few replacementsLOL


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## LittleMiamiJeff (Oct 1, 2005)

SMBHooker, I can't vote because I can't catch a fish on a tube to save my life.
HOW do you fish these things? I catch a smallie on a YUM crawbug now and then, I think I caught a smallie on the EFLMR on a tube but if I have to think about it I'm no good at it.
How do you present these to smallies, in pools? in rapids? in tail-out of rapids? in head of rapid at end of pool? ?? 
Thanks!
LMJ


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

LittleMiamiJeff said:


> How do you present these to smallies, in pools? in rapids? in tail-out of rapids? in head of rapid at end of pool? ??
> Thanks!
> LMJ


Unless the pool youre speaking of is a lengthy mass of slack water and void of structure most points you mentioned in the river would be appropriate places to throw a tube. 

I like to give some short hopes with the tube, between allowing the current to bounce it along, keep the slack out of your line so you can both feel the bite and avoid snags. 

If working the tube outside of current I like a few quick hopes here also but, instead of letting the current do the work Ill give it a pause for a second or two, then give it some movement with a short drag of only a couple inches. I work the tube in this routine through all the smallmouth water, you mentioned above. Experiment with the length of pause, the water temps & fish activity levels should indicate how fast our slow you work the tube.

I prefer a Texas rigged style presentation with a 1/8th ounce bullet weight, this way you can texpose the hook into the tube. This will decrease snags and increase hook ups with fish. I suggest finding a soft pliable tube, I avoid stiffer plastics like Venom brand tubes. Not sure on your location but, Fishermans Quarters in downtown Dayton, has some a great selection of hand poured tubes that can be bought individually if youre wanting to experiment with colors, that way your not bound by a whole package of tubes that may not work out for you. Ive recently switched to Wincos Tastee Tubes myself. They are pictured below in this thread. 

If you find smallmouth and show them a tube, theyd be hard pressed not to pick it up! Nothing beats the feeling of subtle tap . . . tap on the end of your line that ends with bass thumb for you and a sore lip for the smallmouth. 

Hope that helps?


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## NewbreedFishing (Apr 15, 2004)

wanted to add something...i really like the salty strike king bitzy tubes for shallow river fishing. fished wieghtless they zig zag and fall slowley. still enuff weight to zing em accross the river.


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## LittleMiamiJeff (Oct 1, 2005)

Good info SMBHooker, I will need to SLOW DOWN my presentation, my reels have 28-32" retrieve rates.
LMJ


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

Hey Guys, 

One other thing to add to your tube arsenal are some rattle tube jig heads...they give your tube the crackle sound that a distressed crawdad makes....Per Larry Dahlberg They actually work nice and can be use weedless or hook exposed.


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## LMRsmallmouth (Jan 10, 2006)

That Dahlberg craw looks enticing, but for the money, I will take my YUM Crawbug on a standup jighead against it in a contest anyday. And I get 10 of em for 4 bucks instead of only 1 for 13 bucks that is 5 inches long, heck, that is twice the size of the avg craw in the LMR. Match the hatch I say. Not many "Lobsters" in southwest OH.

by the way...I vote for the 3.5 inch tube, just big enough to texas rig my 2/0 hook perfectly!!!


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

LMRsmallmouth said:


> That Dahlberg craw looks enticing, but for the money, I will take my YUM Crawbug on a standup jighead against it in a contest anyday. And I get 10 of em for 4 bucks instead of only 1 for 13 bucks that is 5 inches long, heck, that is twice the size of the avg craw in the LMR. Match the hatch I say. Not many "Lobsters" in southwest OH.
> 
> by the way...I vote for the 3.5 inch tube, just big enough to texas rig my 2/0 hook perfectly!!!


This is a board of information.....I passed along info for people who would want to check it out and see if it was right for them. I own YUM Crawbugs and have put them away to fish the Dahlberg at CJ. CJ has "Lobsters" and the 17.5" and 13" Smallies that I caught last week and a few the week before seemed to enjoy the Dahlberg "Lobster". Good fishing to all


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## LMRsmallmouth (Jan 10, 2006)

ohhh...I am sure they will catch fish, looks like a great bait......just cuts into my beer fund.


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## morrison.inc (Jun 8, 2010)

I absolutley destroyed the smallies this summer. Literally had 40 and 50 fish days. Just catch some craws in the river, get a jig head and hook them through the bottom of the tail and expose the hook on the topside. This is the most versatile and best working setup i have come across by far for summer river fishing! You can cast it and just tightline it in pools, or you can put a smaller jighead on then cast downstream and leave the craw suspended in the current, or you can simply cast and reel/jig it. All methods produce fish. I first discovered this one day on one of my first trips to the river. Before then i was casting popular artificial bait like gulp leeches, senko worms, and small storm swimbaits and river to sea craws. I would catch 5-10 smallies a day like that which was still fun. But as soon as i put a crawfish on, i started catching fish literally every cast (40 fish days on average)! Now all i take to the river is a pack of jigheads. Its always a fun surprise when you pull out a catfish or pike using this method too! Oh ya, if you ever see a frog streamside, grab it and hook it through the mouth, its a guranteed fat fish every time. I only came across a few frogs this year and everytime i would put one on something would end up snapping me off eventually! Catfish or pike probly.


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## Rooster (Apr 8, 2004)

4 
BIG tubes = BIG smallies (the dinks eat them too)

I fish a tube about 95% of the time when targeting river smallies....I really only switch when I want to fish something else for a change of pace (the smallies ALWAYS want a tube). I have caught smallies on a green (roadkill) tube every month of the year....you just have to slow down when there is ice in the river. I will second the rattle, I always use the EZ rattling tube weight from BPS. Most of the time, all I carry when smallie fishing is a pack of tubes, some 3/0 EWG's, and a pack of EZ weights.


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## bgrapala (Nov 1, 2008)

another vote for the 3.5" tube. My favorite go to is Strike King Coffee Tube Golden Shiner. I've always caught fish on that tube. LMJ another way to fish the tube is with a jighead with as light of a weight as it takes to give it a slow fall and swim it through the water. I normally cast out let it sink for 1-1.5 sec and give it a couple of jerks then a slow reel, couple of jerks and a slow reel, etc. etc. etc. When you jerk the tube it darts up and kind of spirals down on the reel. Throwing it on the outside of ripples or in slow moving water helps because it looks like a dying but not dead baitfish being carried by the current. I've had success catching bigger brownies this way. Tight Lines!!


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