# Tube rigging.....



## BaitWaster (Oct 25, 2013)

So I stopped and picked up some white and green pumpkin 3.75 in salty tubes this morning on my way to the LMR. A testament to the fact I have no idea what I am doing. So sitting in the Jeep I watch a quick hot to for rigging a tube. I had also picked up size 2 wide gap hooks. I think I rigged the tube correctly but dont have a clue how to fish with it. I would appreciate some advice on if it needs weight? How to move it on the bottom? Where to throw? Anything would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!


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## leftfordead88 (Oct 22, 2007)

You can rig it a few ways, the most popular would be Texas rigging with a bullet weight or shoving a jig head inside. But I prefer the stupid tube rig. I'm sure a quick google search will teach you how to do that one. Just bounce it off the bottom and work it back to you. You WILL get snagged, but that's how you know you are doing it right.


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## Crawdude (Feb 6, 2013)

There is a billion ways to fish them, problem solving the type of presentation for the situation you are in is half the fun.

Since you're rigging them with a wide gap hook use a bullet weight above the hook to get it to the bottom. Once you feel bottom, hop it by raising your rod tip, wait to feel the bottom, repeat. Watch you line and "feel" for weight or tension on the line, bites are often subtile and "on the drop". Don't hesitate to set the hook if you "think" you have a fish on. 

Hop it in place. Hop it reeling in line. Hop it drifting in current. 

You can also use a jig hook.

This should get you started. Enjoy.


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## BaitWaster (Oct 25, 2013)

Do you work the tube against the current or with the current?


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## Just Fishin' (Nov 27, 2012)

BaitWaster said:


> Do you work the tube against the current or with the current?


I typically work it with the current.. cast upstream and bring it back to you. Bass will face upstream and wait for food to come to them, such as minnows getting caught in current.

Good luck.. tubes can really do well for SMB!

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## Crawdude (Feb 6, 2013)

BaitWaster said:


> Do you work the tube against the current or with the current?


Like Just Fishin I usually work the tube with the current. You can cast it upstream of where you are standing but quartering off to one side. Say you are facing 12:00 looking upstream, cast to 10:00. Work the tube back to you, then parallel to you, 9:00, then past you to 7:00. Once the tube reaches 6:00, which will be directly below stream from where you are standing, let it hang in the current and give it some rod twitches. You might get some bites "hanging" the tube at the end of the "drift". This is how I fish a Senko too.

Experiment and please let us know what works for you in a report.


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## BaitWaster (Oct 25, 2013)

When you do get a strike and set the hook are you pointing the rod tip up, to the side, or pointing down towards the water?


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## Crawdude (Feb 6, 2013)

BaitWaster said:


> When you do get a strike and set the hook are you pointing the rod tip up, to the side, or pointing down towards the water?


My rod tip is usually somewhere between parallel to the water and at a 45 degree angle pointing up. I usually set the hook sweeping the rod to the side or raising my arms up further.


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

Up. And set it fairly hard. There's a lot of plastic on a tube, and if you're Texas rigging it, sometimes the hook will want to go through the plastic first. If you're fishing it on an insert jighead with an open hook, you can more or less just reel or "pull" into the fish.

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## GarrettMyers (May 16, 2011)

BaitWaster said:


> When you do get a strike and set the hook are you pointing the rod tip up, to the side, or pointing down towards the water?



Try to set the hook with the rod tip up. Set the hook as hard as you can. 

I have caught plenty of nice smallies working against the current in the seams. Also, it's convenient because if you get snagged, you can let some slack out and 95% of the time the snag will come out. That being said, I fish with the current more than I do against it. Let the lure sit for a few seconds sometimes, you'll be surprised at how many hits you'll get when it's sitting still. You'll also catch a fair amount of saugfish and the occasional drum that will make you think you have a monster smallie. 


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## Tom 513 (Nov 26, 2012)

I love fishing tubes for small mouths although Ive found the smaller tubes in the pumpkin green color work best for me, but any color that resembles a crawdad will work, remember a bass is a ambush predator and likes to hide where he doesnt have to use much energy. This is why you find them where fast water meets slow, behind rocks, in grass along shores etc...
I really cant find a wrong way to fish a tube, although it is best to fish them like a crawdad would move being chased. But Ive caught many just swimming them. Good luck Tubes are great for reaction bites.


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## StillH2OBasser (Oct 24, 2010)

I like using a tube insert weight, not the tube jighead or texas rig. I'll then texas rig if I run out of the weights. Its gotta be weedless for me. I usually use a 3.5 inch gitzit tube of various dark colors with the insert weight and a 1/0 Gamakatsu wide gap hook. The hook locks right into the weight and you tuck the hook back into the plastic the same way you would T-rig. It's hard to explain but you'll know what to do after a google search.


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## FishDoctor (Aug 9, 2012)

BaitWaster said:


> Do you work the tube against the current or with the current?


Depends on the situation. Sometimes you can't position yourself safely in the water or don't have access to cast it with the current or visa verse. Like Garret often times when I am targeting a seam off a point or island I am working against the current. 

When I target the tail of a riffle, I ideally try and stand down stream, cast upstream and walk the lure back to me in short hops guiding it to any seam along the rock debris. 

When I am targeting structure in the middle of the river under the surface, I tend to go with the current trying to imitate the food conveyor a smallmouth might be sitting there for. When upstream of the structure this means I am free spooling the tube down to the eddy behind the structure, when downstream I am casting past the structure and walking it back to it. 

Sometimes if I am working an outside bend or some other structure I can only get perpendicular too, I'll cast about 45 degrees upstream of the structure I want to hit and walk the bait back to it.


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## BaitWaster (Oct 25, 2013)

Do you guys think white tubes are kind of pointless? I havent seen a white craw before so I have a sneaky feeling a white tube might resemble trash. Lol I am heading to my local pond to get some practice with these buggers.


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## GarrettMyers (May 16, 2011)

BaitWaster said:


> Do you guys think white tubes are kind of pointless? I havent seen a white craw before so I have a sneaky feeling a white tube might resemble trash. Lol I am heading to my local pond to get some practice with these buggers.


White tubes work really well. Although a lot of guys think of tubes as craw imitations only, they strongly resemble a dying baitfish. Tubes fall in an erratic motion that is like a magnet for smallies. Also, keep in mind, smallies and other bass are typically reacting to the bait. They don't stop to consider 'is that a fish or a craw?'


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

BaitWaster said:


> Do you guys think white tubes are kind of pointless? I havent seen a white craw before so I have a sneaky feeling a white tube might resemble trash. Lol I am heading to my local pond to get some practice with these buggers.


This has been my go to lure in my selection from my "Panic Box" always gets a thump when nothin else will. Just as Garrett said, imitates a baitfish. A great option in stained water.


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## BaitWaster (Oct 25, 2013)

So I hit up the pond but did not get any bites. I used texas rigged pumpkin green and white. The white looked much better due to the stained water like you said. I put a bullet slip weight above the hook but thought it didnt look right when retrieving. It would dive straight down with alot speed. I went weightless but when I popped the lure it sometimes came up to the top of the water. Is this okay? Looked kind of weird. ... maybe I am popping the lure to high and hard? Should I be reeling line in constantly while retrieving? Sorry for the buttload of questions. Just trying to learn some techniques.


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

BaitWaster said:


> So I hit up the pond but did not get any bites. I used texas rigged pumpkin green and white. The white looked much better due to the stained water like you said. I put a bullet slip weight above the hook but thought it didnt look right when retrieving. It would dive straight down with alot speed. I went weightless but when I popped the lure it sometimes came up to the top of the water. Is this okay? Looked kind of weird. ... maybe I am popping the lure to high and hard? Should I be reeling line in constantly while retrieving? Sorry for the buttload of questions. Just trying to learn some techniques.


http://www.bassmaster.com/5-killer-tube-tricks


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## Crawdude (Feb 6, 2013)

BaitWaster said:


> So I hit up the pond but did not get any bites. I used texas rigged pumpkin green and white. The white looked much better due to the stained water like you said. I put a bullet slip weight above the hook but thought it didnt look right when retrieving. It would dive straight down with alot speed. I went weightless but when I popped the lure it sometimes came up to the top of the water. Is this okay? Looked kind of weird. ... maybe I am popping the lure to high and hard? Should I be reeling line in constantly while retrieving? Sorry for the buttload of questions. Just trying to learn some techniques.



It's hard to say without knowing the structure and cover of the pond you were fishing. The fast fall might not be a bad thing. Let the tube fall until it hits the bottom and then give it some pops, reel a little, more pops, etc. If the bottom is mucky this might not work we'll though. Bounce it off wood or rocks. Weightless maybe skip it under some overhanging trees and let it sink on a tight line. Work the bait slowly feeling for bites. Small twitches, wait several seconds as it falls. If you are working the tube fast opt for a lure better suited for that like a spinnerbait. Hope this helps.


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## deltaoscar (Apr 4, 2009)

That's a good link SMB put up.

Baitwaster, I'm no expert, but I do like using tubes and I drove by a Holiday Inn Express last week. Sometimes weightless is the way to go. I sometimes throw them weightless and let them float until it gets to where I want it and then give it a pop so it fills with water and starts to sink real slow. This works best in summer when the flows are low and slow. (I'm assuming you're river fishing.) In summer find a spot on the creek or river where the water is entering a pool, throw your tube above that and let the current carry it into the pool. If there is a smallmouth there, he has to bite it, it's in his DNA.

As far as reeling in goes, if I'm dragging a tube along the bottom I try to use my rod to move the tube and just use the reel to take up the slack line.

I always use a tube jig (except when going weightless), so I can't speak to the texas rigging. I'm not saying the tube jig is better, it's just what I use. I know some guys hate using tube jigs. I have seen that stupid rig lfd88 mentioned before and have wanted to try it, but haven't yet. It looks interesting.

Like Garrett said, tubes move erratically when "popped", sometimes that is the ticket. If dragging/hopping it along isn't working give it a "pop" every little bit. Like any other lure, you've got to experiment and find out what they want.

Also, if it gets hung up and you manage to free it, be ready to set the hook. It seems like that commotion can make them strike.

If they won't hit the tube that day, don't be afraid to switch to a grub/swimbait/senko/jerkbait/hairjig etc. until you figure out what their picky butts want.

I also agree that sometimes white tubes are the ticket. White is my confidence color in most lures.

Sorry for the rambling, disjointed post, it's late.


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## BaitWaster (Oct 25, 2013)

Thanks for the information guys


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## Dan44149 (Apr 12, 2011)

I like to Texas rig tubes with a barrel swivel to keep the weight off the nose of the bait.

1) Put line through bullet weight. For your size tube I usually use 3/16 oz unless I'm punching through matted or really thick grass.

2) Put line through one eye of barrel swivel, then tie a 3/0 offset worm hook.

3) Hook in and out of the nose of the tube just as you would a worm.

4) Run the other end of the barrel swivel over the hook. It should be against the bait and protect the bait from the bullet weight.

5) Run the hook into the body of the bait.

Pitch it, flip it, jig it.... have fun and sore thumbs!


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

I have been experimenting with tubes lately as well. I like to "dummy rig" them when dragging the bottom only. Most often I like using skip-gap hooks because they are seedless and hold tight to the body of the tube.

Using the skip-gap hooks I have found that a bullet weight is more helpful to me if I don't peg it, letting it free float. When you hop it back the weight stays forward of the bait most of the time and the tube flutters much better behind that. Not until you reel constant or sweep the rod tip up does the weight hit the front of the tube.

I also don't normally peg bullet weights when fishing "power worm" style baits either; for the same reasons.

Mr. A


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## SMBHooker (Jan 3, 2008)

Mr. A said:


> I have been experimenting with tubes lately as well. I like to "dummy rig" them when dragging the bottom only. Most often I like using skip-gap hooks because they are seedless and hold tight to the body of the tube.
> 
> Using the skip-gap hooks I have found that a bullet weight is more helpful to me if I don't peg it, letting it free float. When you hop it back the weight stays forward of the bait most of the time and the tube flutters much better behind that. Not until you reel constant or sweep the rod tip up does the weight hit the front of the tube.
> 
> ...


I like a G-Lock 3/0 hook for tubes because the hook point hugs the plastic real nice and close eliminating most snags. Use them on a 3" TubeCraw. 

I like the way u rig it unpegged its great way to get more action out of the lure. Just a point to make a note of though, in flowing water this will cause hang ups as the weight will be in front of the lure and the moving water will push the plastic ahead of the weight and wrap it around rocks. So be sure peg it in the river. I use a toothpick and break it off at the end of the weight, the wood will swell up and peg the bullet weight. This is just what I do, there's many ways to rig them. Just be aware river fishing will require a different technique than flat water pond tube fishing calls for.  Hope u start whacking them good with the tubes Baitwaster.


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## gibson330usa (May 15, 2012)

I prefer smaller 2 1/2" tubes, I keep it simple with exposed tube inserts, usually 1/8 oz. Bounce them on the rocks near a current seam. They often get stuck between rocks but after I learned a "bow and arrow" type technique to get them unstuck I lost fewer baits. Keep a hook sharpener on hand because the rocks will dull the point.


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## Cat Mangler (Mar 25, 2012)

gibson330usa said:


> I prefer smaller 2 1/2" tubes, I keep it simple with exposed tube inserts, usually 1/8 oz. Bounce them on the rocks near a current seam. They often get stuck between rocks but after I learned a "bow and arrow" type technique to get them unstuck I lost fewer baits. Keep a hook sharpener on hand because the rocks will dull the point.


When you say bow and arrow technique, are you meaning you would arch your rod back under tension and let it bounce back to a slack? Just wondering, worked for me a couple times when tryin tubes other night.


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## BaitWaster (Oct 25, 2013)

gibson330usa said:


> I prefer smaller 2 1/2" tubes, I keep it simple with exposed tube inserts, usually 1/8 oz. Bounce them on the rocks near a current seam. They often get stuck between rocks but after I learned a "bow and arrow" type technique to get them unstuck I lost fewer baits. Keep a hook sharpener on hand because the rocks will dull the point.


So I have been trying to practice on the LMR with tubes and havent had much success. I went to the river on Monday and got a few hits (at least I thought they were hits) but was unable to hook anything but logs. I am using Zoom 3.75 in. tubes with Matzuo 2/0 x-wide gap worm hooks rigged texas style. I am trying to bury the hook eyelet in the tube like I had seen on the net which seems great for weedless fishing. But when I cast and retrieve the lure the eyelet is pulling back out of the tube causing the tube to shift down on the hook. The hook point is retracting back into the tube because of the shift. I am using a 3/16 oz bullet weight above the hook. I noticed when I thought I had a hit that it felt like the rod tip "bounced" with irregularity. Now since I have gotten snagged on rocks and logs so often I noticed the bounce felt different. When I have hit a snag the motion feels different and is prolonged with a single bounce and tension that holds for some time until I get the lure to release (or until I retrieve the snag by hand...)  I took the advice and tried to set the hook hard with an upward motion but missed each time. I was wondering if I may be using hooks that are too small for the tube since the tube is sliding down the hook? I am looking into better tubes and hooks but didn't want to spend the cash until I get better at river fishing with tubes. Any advice would be appreciated! 

Also to Gibson.... could you elaborate on the "bow and arrow" technique? Since I am a pro at getting snagged on everything in the river I could use some expertise on getting unsnagged.... lol


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## gibson330usa (May 15, 2012)

Also to Gibson.... could you elaborate on the "bow and arrow" technique? Since I am a pro at getting snagged on everything in the river I could use some expertise on getting unsnagged.... lol

I could try to explain it.... Get your line a little bit tight, this part takes a little practice to get the right tightness. Pull the line between your reel and the first guide like a bow and arrow. Let go and let the line snap back, often times this will jar the tube loose if it's stuck between rocks. Sometimes it triggers a bite when a fish sees it coming out of the rocks ... so be ready. 

I use these tube inserts, they're very simple
http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Sho...ads/product/10204997/?cmCat=CROSSSELL_PRODUCT

I usually use 1/8 oz. on 2 1/2 inch tubes.

The hook is exposed, occasionally you'll get it caught on a submerged branch but they're inexpensive if you do lose a few. Carry a hook sharpener because the hooks do get dulled on the rocks. 

Use the tubes on rocky bottom areas, look for a current "seam", where the water is speeding up or slowing down and you will catch some.


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

The bow and arrow techniques is just as it sounds. Hold the rod vertically and pull your string back like a bow allowing the rod tip to act like a bow arm. Let the string go and when the rod unloads it can pop your lures loose. There is a distinct "snapping" sound like dry firing a regular bow.

The other thing you can do is when the rod is flick the rod tip forward just after letting the string go, like a buggy whip motion. This gives you the snap and a second jolt to the line as well.

Sorry to jump in, just trying to help.

Mr. A


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## BaitWaster (Oct 25, 2013)

I could use the help and thanks for the explanations! It helps making snags a little less frustrating


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## Tom 513 (Nov 26, 2012)

I wanted to mention that when you sink your hook through the tip of the tube, its best if you puncture it off center, Ive found the tube has much better action when its falling on slack line then when its rigged directly in the center. Also I was thinking about this thread today and thought about last weekend when I was fishing my 2 3/4" tubes, after catching every bass last Sunday the tube had been pushed off the hook and 12-18" up the line, I think I was using 3/0 hooks which may be too big for a small tube, but if I use any smaller I notice they spit the tube before I get a chance to set the hook, has anyone had this probem?


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

The tube sliding up your line is usually a good thing. Keeps the weight of the tube away from the hook, and less interference with the hook/fishes mouth.

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## Tom 513 (Nov 26, 2012)

Bad Bub said:


> The tube sliding up your line is usually a good thing. Keeps the weight of the tube away from the hook, and less interference with the hook/fishes mouth.
> 
> Sent from my DROID RAZR using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Yes, but my catch to miss ratio was like 1:3, although they were small bass, the larger ones seem to be easier to predict.


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## BaitWaster (Oct 25, 2013)

Tom 513 said:


> Yes, but my catch to miss ratio was like 1:3, although they were small bass, the larger ones seem to be easier to predict.


 shoot that's better than my 0/0 ratio as this time


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