Tubes or worms- How do you decide?

[Spanky SC]

:-/I grew up fishing rubber worms and I hear people catching a lot of fish on tubes now. I generally fish 7 1/2 " worms and sometimes 10" worms  texas rigged.  How do you decide when to use a worm and when to use a tube bait?

Thnx

Thnx

[Gone_Phishin]

Give them both, and let them tell you what they want.  Unless I know the fish are active, I usually would go with the tube first.

[bigtimfish]

Tubes for spawn, worms for every other time.

[cabullwinkle]

I agree, give them both a shot.  Always good to mix things up.  I go with worms first and then tubes.  But only because I have more confidence in them.

[aarogb]

  The only time I really consider using a tube is when I am sight fishing.  Probably should use them more, but I haven't.

[SportMN]

I decide on the cover I am fishing.  I will usually use Tubes in heavy weed situations.  And worms in more  open water.

[Mottfia]

Yup SportMN Tubes are great for heavier cover. They don't wrap up like a worm will.

   My answer would have alot to do with what I'm trying to do. Finese or reaction. Thats always the question of the day isn't it?

   My thought on a worm is that it is a finese lure. It doesn't do too much. up and down or drag it across bottom. If the fish aren't real agressive, not feeding, and won't chase then I 'd say worm.

  Tubes have this wonderful thing where they will dart and spirl and do crazy stuff. Aggressive fish love this. The crazy action can also get a reaction strike from Neutral fish cause of the change in direction and nontypical action.

  They are both tools tho and have their places which are not at all defined by my thoughts on them. Try them in all types of situations and see what it tells you. The wonderful things about these lures is that they catch fish in general. Good luck 

   

Mottfia

[whoopbazz]

For me its a 3 part answer. First off let me say I get custom made jig head for my tubes. I never texas rig a tube. And my jig heads really make a difference to me.

1) I never use (large, 6"+) worms for smallmouth, only tubes.

2) I use tubes early and late in the year for LM. Early spring and late fall. The jig heads I get made allow for a very slow fall for the colder water.

3) In weedy, heavy cover, or docks I never fish a tube. Since I don't texas rig a tube...it gets hung up too much in these situations.

This is me...not everyone. I find I get more bites on tubes if they are rigged on a jig head than texas style. And like said, the heads I get made  allow for a better hookup rate and a slower fall than a store bought one.

You need to find out what you are confident in...and that's the right answer.

[andamtoft]

they both can be used pretty much interchangeably imo, you just gotta throw both and let the bass tell you what they want. Also, use what you are most comfortable and have the most confidence in. I like tubes better, but when it comes to shakey head and drop shot i use a worm. however tubes can be deadly on a dropshot especially for smallies 

[RoLo]

Largemouth Bass = Plastic Worm

Smallmouth Bass = Plastic Tube

Roger

[OkobojiEagle]

I think Rolo has it pretty well nailed... Though I fish a grub before a tube in most smallmouth situations.

[Glenn]

Since I target smallies a lot, my first choice is always a tube.  But I've found that pitching 4" tubes in heavy cover can net some surprisingly good-sized largemouths.

I fish tubes on jigheads, dropshot, splitshot, Texas rigged, Carolina rigged.....well, you get the idea.  Anyway you can fish a worm, you can with a tube. 

[SportMN]

Largemouth Bass = Plastic Worm

Smallmouth Bass = Plastic Tube

its a good thing our largemouth in MN dont know that saying.. Or I would not have won 3 tournaments last year on tubes.. 8-)