Tube Baits

[SwampLife]

So I was at Walmart and had to go in the fishing section to refill my baby brush hog supply and noticed all yum soft plastics were a dollar... I bought two packs of tubes one black neon ( black with red flake) and one watermelon with Black flake... I never fished tubes how do fish them? I always have a 1/8 weight tungsten with a 4/0 hook tied on.. Do I use that? Do I fish them as I would a worm or brush hog? Thanks

[papajoe222]

Tubes can be presented in a variety of ways, but the most common are T-rigged, either with an internal or external weight and with a tube jig which is inserted into the tube.  An external bullet weight will give the bait more of a straight drop as opposed to the spiralling fall of one that is weighted internally.  The other option is to fish them weightless similar to fishing a fluke.  Tubes are great for fishing docks as they are much easier to skip than a plastic worm or a jig.  Don't be afraid to experiment just as you would with any other plastic bait.  I've even used them rigged as a spinnerbait trailer.

[5fishlimit]

I know a few guys who dropshot them on Lake Erie for smallies. I personally use a tube jig. Cast it out, let it sink, and drag or bounce it back.

[Bobby Uhrig]

There are so many ways to use them-texas rig-shakey head-drop shot- weightless over grass as a frog alternative. Be creative-

 

They catch fish

 

[ToadTorcher]

Tubes are very versatile baits! They can be dynamite finesse lures when fished with light line and tube heads, yet can be pitched, flipped, and punched around heavy cover, or even fished as a you would a texas rig worm.

 

Always use the biggest hook you can get away with with a tube. They're very thick baits and a normal offset worm hook doesn't have the gap in needs in order to slide down the shaft of the hook and penetrate through the fishes mouth. Because they are bulky they tend to have a slower fall than you're brush hogs do, so you may want to up your weight a little bit to a 3/16 or heavier depending on the depth of the water you're fishing.

[AK-Jax86]

How come every Walmart has these amazing sales except for the ones in my area!!!!