Tubes and Largemouth

[SoFlaBassAddict]

So, lately I've been trying out some tubes for largemouth but can't catch one for the life of me.  I've had them follow them left and right, no matter what color I use.  I realize this type of bait is used far more often for smallmouth, but I've got to imagine that a largemouth would eat them.  Tried swapping colors, tipping them with JJ's to add some color, etc etc.  I just can't get bit on them...

Any tips for retrieves and whatnot for tubes for largemouth?

[rubba bubba]

Fish it like a plastic worm with the lift, drag, drop.  It's one of my goto lures in this fashion.

[backwater4]

x2 on the lift, drop and drag.

I've mostly caught early in the year on tubes with the inserted head. I 've caught more in the warmer months with a flippin tube, but now with the creature baits and hula grubs I very rarely fish a tube at all anymore.

[Lipped M]

For colors I like the greens,watermelon types with black flecks,pumpkinseed will work too.Quick tip;When you rig it slide the jighead in from the openning in the back of the bait,then push the eye through plastic.Don't start with the point of the hook and thread it on like a worm.It'll swim better and help keep it from sliding down the jig,exposing lead inside.Just use a bigger loop when you tie a palomar,to go around tube.I do the lift-drop-drag,but on the drag part,I do little hops(3 to 5) and move the handle about a half turn.G/L

[pat_walker_fishing]

hey man....a tube is my a go to bait of mine. I fish it like a worm....flip it...pitch it. i cant believe your not getting bites! i used to have the same problem with deep cranks....then one day it all came together, and i was hooked.

[Nice_Bass]

Use it flipping t-rig in I believe the blood colors from strike king.  Also, I picked up a couple that are floating and I use them to drag a c rig on the bottom over humps and islands.  Only problem is up here in IL, you can catch a lot of walleye/saugeye with that rig.  But I usually just grease those if I can!

[NateFollmer]

It's imperative that the tube makes bottom contact. Texas rig that baby and it will dart around wildly in the water. I catch a ton of smallies and largemouth on tubes. My favorite colors are from El Grande Lures (there Bluegill pattern works great for largemouth and I use the watermelon copper for smallies).

Some people use tubes like swimbaits also, but I haven't had much luck doing this.

[adclem]

I love fishing tubes.  I really like the YUM Tubes in black and blue, watermelon and green pumpkin.  I also use the Owner Phantom Tube hook, works very well.

I fish them as erratic as possible and have had great success with them.

Later,

[KYntucky Warmouth]

A tube is probably my #1 producer.  It's my go to bait, it seems like when nothing else is working, a tube will get bit.  I like the BPS tender tubes and the xps (oldham style) weedless tube insert but also have pretty good success on a t-rig.  I used to use these but haven't had a chance to get more.

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_44436_100010003_100000000_100010000_100-10-3

[river-rat]

I use texas-rigged tubes year round and always have one on the front deck. It's best to keep it simple. Fish it much like a plastic worm when using 3/16-1/4 oz. slip sinkers (pegged) with a slow lift and drop, or drag it on the bottom.

When using 5/16-3/8 oz. slip sinkers (pegged) I like to "pop" the tube 1'-2' off the bottom and let it fall on a slack line. You will get a very erractic fall that will trigger strikes in warmer water.

For colors, use green pumpkin w/red and green glitter, black/blue tail, black neon, and junebug. I favor the Strike King Denny Brauer Flip-N-Tube (4 1/2"). I always rig it with a Mustad Big Mouth Tube Hook (4/0) and use a tube rattle.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Appreciate the info guys.  Hopefully I'll have a chance to go out tomorrow and use them some more.

[NateFollmer]

I use texas-rigged tubes year round and always have one on the front deck. It's best to keep it simple. Fish it much like a plastic worm when using 3/16-1/4 oz. slip sinkers (pegged) with a slow lift and drop, or drag it on the bottom.

When using 5/16-3/8 oz. slip sinkers (pegged) I like to "pop" the tube 1'-2' off the bottom and let it fall on a slack line. You will get a very erractic fall that will trigger strikes in warmer water.

For colors, use green pumpkin w/red and green glitter, black/blue tail, black neon, and junebug. I favor the Strike King Denny Brauer Flip-N-Tube (4 1/2"). I always rig it with a Mustad Big Mouth Tube Hook (4/0) and use a tube rattle.

Do you have more success pegging your weight? I never saw the sense in it, I figure if your going to peg your weight, just use a jig? Maybe I'm just an idiot though

[Paul Roberts]

I fish them two ways:

-Flipping a T-rigged tube in and around cover on heavy tackle.

-Cast on a light jighead and fished mostly on the drop on light tackle.

In general, if fish are following, short striking, it often is indicative of the need for speed, and other lures do this better -or better- I simply haven't adapted a tube for this.

[Big Bait Fishing]

i like to use an erratic jerking retrieve with tubes and seem to get bites when i dedicate time to it , it is just hard to when dropshotting 6" worms produce so well .......

[Primus]

I've had good luck in the summer months fishing a 1/2 or 3/4 oz. weighted 4.25" Yum Vibra King either Texas Rigged or with an internal jighead depending on cover conditions. I typically throw this inside or next to the outside weedline, the fast fall will get reaction strikes from bass & the toothy critters.

[I.rar]

ive never had luck with them either. when i was in plantation , i talked to a guy who was fishing a tube and caught a couple LMs in front of me so i know its possible.

i notice 9 out of 10 people who post about success with tubes are in the north or not as far south as we are.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

ive never had luck with them either. when i was in plantation , i talked to a guy who was fishing a tube and caught a couple LMs in front of me so i know its possible.

i notice 9 out of 10 people who post about success with tubes are in the north or not as far south as we are.

Thats kind of what I was thinking. On the other hand, I've had fish chasing them, so something is working. It's kind of like jigs. Not a big popular bait down here. They do catch fish though. This far south a lot of the traditional bass lures that you read about online just aren't effective. It's hard to find info about our area down here. A few hours north, no problem....

It's kind of like looking for a good lake map.  They don't exist for any of the lakes around here.  Lox, Iso, and Okeechobee aren't an issue.  I would LOVE to get my hands on a contour map of some of the large strip lakes around my area.

[evrgladesbasser]

ive never had luck with them either. when i was in plantation , i talked to a guy who was fishing a tube and caught a couple LMs in front of me so i know its possible.

i notice 9 out of 10 people who post about success with tubes are in the north or not as far south as we are.

Thats kind of what I was thinking. On the other hand, I've had fish chasing them, so something is working. It's kind of like jigs. Not a big popular bait down here. They do catch fish though. This far south a lot of the traditional bass lures that you read about online just aren't effective. It's hard to find info about our area down here. A few hours north, no problem....

It's kind of like looking for a good lake map. They don't exist for any of the lakes around here. Lox, Iso, and Okeechobee aren't an issue. I would LOVE to get my hands on a contour map of some of the large strip lakes around my area.

The only time I've had luck with tubes is Lake O and north. For some reason just never could get a good bite on them down here. I have caught a few on them but more often the bass just look at it funny and swim away. I think they work better in clearer water, but that's just my opinion from my experience. I wouldn't waste to much time or money on them SoFla, I have never met anyone on the docks or shorelines down here and had them answer the question "What are you catching them on?" with "Tubes". Senko's are still the king of South Florida fishing IMO. A lot of baits work, but it just seems like a senko will catch em' all day, any day, any condition down here.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Oh, I don't plan on going out and buying a bunch of them.  I think I've got like two or three bags of them and a pack or two of jigheads.

[evrgladesbasser]

Oh, I don't plan on going out and buying a bunch of them. I think I've got like two or three bags of them and a pack or two of jigheads.

Me too and I rarely pull them out. To me they are like chinese food, I got to try it every now and then to remember why I don't like it. What did you catch your PB on at Holiday Park?

[SoFlaBassAddict]

I believe it was a horny toad.

[iceintheveins]

I like to peg a weight to a tube and fish them in and around weeds and brush. When they hit the bottom, jiggle and shake it to get the tentacles moving. Retrieve them back with slow hops.

The other way I fish them is in open water on a jighead. Only slide the insert head in about half way and you will get a very erratic, spiraling drop. Tubes are one of the best imitations of both a baitfish or a crayfish available in one lure, and sometimes appeal to bass more than curly tail grubs when a different look is needed.

[jignfule]

I catch a lot of LMB using a weighted "tube hook". It falls every eratic and tiggers hits. If I don't want to use an expose hook I t-rig them and vary the retreive until I kind what they want.

[90x]

youll probably notice that you work every lure almost the exact same way. either by reeling or lifting the rod. the action depends on the production of the bait.