Tube Jig Setup

[bassboy33]

Hey guys I was just wondering what your setup is for fishing tubes for Smallmouth bass. By setup I mean line, rods, reels, jig head, tubes, things of that nature. I don't fish tube jigs often (I'm more of a grub and dropshot guy) but I would like to start fishing them more. Also, do any of you use braid when fishing tubes? Thanks!

[JeziHogg]

Fish a small tube on a ds

[F14A-B]

I use a 7' kistler original helium lta , medium fast

And a pfluger pres. 6935 8pd silver thread, open hook rigging, sometimes with a weed guard.

3" tubes mostly for SM...a lot of different rods and reels of all prices will do the job.

[iabass8]

DX743

Curado 51e

12# fluoro

usually 1/8oz tungsten weight + zoom GP tube /w a trokar tube hook. 

 

LegendXtreme69mlxf

stradic 1000

6# fluoro

1/8 or 3/16 tube jig head + small gizit tube.

[Kevin22]

6'6 MXF team daiwa fuego 

shimano 2500 series reel

6# sufix 832 (breaking strength of 19-21#) 

4' 8# seaguar leader if I need it

1/8 pegged bullet weight and 3/0 EWG gama hook if fishing around brush or snags

1/8 tube head when fishing open water, up to 1/4oz if there is current

3.5" KVD tube, green pumpkin usually. 

[bassboy33]

Thanks guys! Keep em' coming!

[BradGuenette]

I couldn't narrow it down to one so I have two dedicated tube setups.

Dobyns DX763sf/3000 Stradic FJ/#15PP-3/16-3/8oz goby heads/Strike King 3.5 Coffee Tube

Dobyns DX764sf/3000 Stradic Ci4+/#15 PP-1/2-3/4oz goby heads/Strike King 3.5 Coffee Tube

[Flywatersmallie]

I am a river smallie guy and fish tubes probably 60% of the time.

 

Rods (depending one weight of head needed)...

 

6'9" MLF Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth with Pflueger Supreme XT 9230 and 10lb braid

7' MF Fenwick HMG with Pflueger Supreme TX 9235 with 15lb braid

6'10 MHF Daiwa Tatula with Daiwa Tatula 7.3:1 with 20lb braid

 

I will use as little weight as possible to get the bait down but that could be anything from 1/16 to 3/8oz depending on current, depth and other factors. A friend of mine pours the heads with 2/0 or 3/0 Mustad Ultra Points. Quality hooks but not real expensive and in the rocky rivers I fish, you lose a lot of them.

 

As far as tubes, all are from Get Bit Baits. Great quality, great color and size selection. anywhere from 2 1/2 to 4" to match forage. 2 3/4" are probably my go to size. So many guys throwing 3 1/2" tubes showing them something a bit different often pays off in a big way. I really like the 2 1/2" single dipped finesse tubes as well.

[BuffaloBass716]

7' Abu Garcia Vengeance MF

10# Power Pro with a 10# Red Label leader, about 6-7 feet

Pflueger President 6930

 

I like to use the megastrike mega tube on a megastrike ShakE2 jig head.  This allowed you to feel the bottom perfectly because the shakey head weight is on the outside of the tube and it also keeps the hook weedless.  I've only used the 1/4oz size and worked well. You could go lighter or heavier depending on current and depth. 

 

I used this set up to catch my personal best smallmouth earlier this year, drifting the tube over rocks and boulders, occasionally hoping/twitching.  

[EvanT123]

Avid 7'0 mlf stradic 2500

Custom sc3 mf7'0 symetre 2500

I use the cheapest 3.5 inch tubes and 1/4 jig heads exposed hook. I lose these things like it's nobody's business

[Hogsticker]

Rigging options are limitless. I don't think there is another bait that will allow so many rigging options/styles. My personal experience, Dry Creek tubes are like popcorn to river smallies. Earplugs, rattles, scent, weight inserts, nose hooked, weedless, bullet weights, tube jigs, dropshot, it goes on and on. Be creative and think outside the box.

I like a medium light extra fast spinning rod for finesse, and a medium fast casting rod for a little additional weight. I use 10 lb. braid with a 5 lb. fluoro leader on the spinning rod, and straight 10 lb. fluoro on my casting rod. Tubes and lipless cranks are the 1st two baits a ever tossed for those smallies I've been chasing for 10 years now. I think it's all I used for the first two till my buddy showed me a Senko (or maybe it was Roland Martin)??

[Crestliner2008]

Lots of great suggestions. Quiet a variety of cost options cited thus far! Here's the bottom line. ANY medium action, decent quality 7' spinning rod - your choice. Go to Dick's and pick one. Regardless what opinions come your way, just about any rod in the $50. - $100. range will get the job done. Any mid-price ranged spinning reel to match. A 2500 series size is more than adequate. Cardinal 102's come to mind. Fill it with plain old 10# test PowerPro, with an 8# test fluorocarbon leader and you're good to go. If you can't get all this for under $125., you're not trying very hard. Of course, if you want to spend more, there's plenty of options out there. I've caught a ton of smallies on less.

[OntarioFishingGuy]

7` ML Avid, Ballistic 2500SH spinning, 10lb 832. I use 3'' powerbait power tubes in Pumpkinseed almost exclusively, with 1/8th to 1/4 oz tube jigheads, exposed hook.

[mod479]

Dobyns champion 703sf / sustain 2500 - 6lb yozuri hyrid

Champ extreme 703SF / Ci4 2500 - 10lb power pro braid and a yo-zuri leader

Champ extreme 763SF / Ci4 - 10lb power pro ties direct usually, this setup is just for draggin' vertically in deep water/strong current.

 

1/16 - 3/4 oz internal jigheads for fishing exposed hook which is how i fish them whenever possible for best hookup %  

3/8 - 3/4 oz bite me big dude heads for dragging goby imitation in big water 

1/8 - 1/4 yamamoto tube weights and 2/0 owner or gammie straight shank worm hook for a weedless presentation

Small tubes work well on a dropshot, something to keep in mind. You dont have to nose hook them either.

And, dont be scared to throw or flip a 4"+ tube, they can be a big fish bait and will still catch numbers

 

SK coffee tubes, Dry creek tourney tubes, fat gitzits, yamamoto go to tubes are my top 4.  

 

megastrike craw scent

 

If they're no interested in full body double dipped tubes, I'll go the opposite way and break out lighter gear. My finesse tube setup is: A 7' ML spinning rod and a 1000 reel spooled with 4lb copolymer line. For a bait I will pick up a pack of yamamotos chub tubes or SK bitzy tubes. 2.75" - 3" length. Finding the right hook took a bit of experimentation on my part, but I found a winner. With those little tubes pick up a pack of owner ultrahead darterheads, they have either a #1 or 1/0 light wire hook that is the right size and sharp. You'll have to deal with a 90 degree line tie however, but that can sometimes give a tantalizing spiral, sometimes I'll gently bend it forward with a pair of plier to decrease the angle which allows you to fish a tube like a soft jerkbait. Many ways to fish these baits. Try that out if you are looking to gain confidence throwing tubes.

[OkobojiEagle]

Hey guys I was just wondering what your setup is for fishing tubes for Smallmouth bass. By setup I mean line, rods, reels, jig head, tubes, things of that nature. I don't fish tube jigs often (I'm more of a grub and dropshot guy) but I would like to start fishing them more. Also, do any of you use braid when fishing tubes? Thanks!

 

 

I bet whatever you're now using for grubs will work great for tubes...

 

 

oe

[2 SeaZon'S]

My setup is a 6'10" Med Xtra-Fast St.Croix Legend Xtreme spinning. I use a Pfluger Patriarch reel spooled with 20 lb power pro line. I tie a 10 lb florocarbon leader directly to the braid usually a piece the same length as my rod. I have had great success using strike king coffee tubes mostly the crazy craw and watermelon with gold flakes.

[Zach Dunham]

8# Fluoro, 3 inch tubes (not brand or color specific in this case), 3/16 oz tube jig head. Occasionally a heavier tube jig head. if the wind or current calls for it.

 

I am currently fishing it on a 6'10" Med Fast spinning rod.

 

Trying not to be brand specific!

[Griggs]

Looks like a lot of different options here. I'm looking to add a spinning rod too. Is there any preference on taper? Fast or Extra Fast?

[Driftb]

I have been fishing tubes in the Delaware river on both a Fenwick Smallmouth Elite 6'9" MXF with 10 lb Nanofil line, and also a Fenwick 6'9" MLF walleye elite with the same line.  When I am fishing a 4" mizmo big boy tube on a 1/4 or 3/8 oz Lucky strike tube jig head, I like the medium action rod.  When I am going under 1/4 oz I'll usually choose the ML rod.  Sometimes when the bite is on the timid side the softer tip is a big advantage.  Other times I find that the hook setting power of the MXF rod makes a big difference. The stonecat is on of the favorite foods of  big smallies in the Delaware river. A stonecat, is a 3-5" catfish with a wicked sting.  The 4" tube looks just like a stonecat,  The bigger fish will usually hit a stonecat hard and then shake and hold them tight until they are dead, or at least stunned. The XF medium rod has the  power to shift the tube in that death grip and penetrate the bass' jaw.  Lots of times the softer rod just won't do the job.

I have a  Loomis IMX 6'9" MXF, but it is also a  slower action than I like for tubes and a little heavier in the hand as well.  I used to fish the ST Croix Legend Tournament 6'9" MXF but it just doesn't have the same sensitivity, and I though it was way too stiff. I might add that the tip snapped on a hookset and I didn't think the rod was good enough to repair at $75 for GS warrenty+ $25 S&H

[Supermat]

If I had to choose just one setup for a tube, it would be my Dobyns DX783 Spinning. Reel... whatever happens to be hanging on it. :-) Unlike a lot of the guys, I spool 20 lb Sufix 832 Braid then tie an 8 lb Flouro Leader. I'm using 3 1/2 inch double-dipped tubes so pretty thin baits compared to say, a coffee tube. I rig on a 3/16 or 1/4 oz head with a 60 degree light wire jig hook.

[gettin bent]

7'6 feneick aetos

8lb test 1lb diameter, 6ft leader of 4lb flouro

Any 2500 series reel

Dry creek 2 3/4 with 1/4 tapered tube head. Smoke or green pumpkin in colour.

Super long casts and dead slow drag.

Most try to work the tube to fast. I have caught more bigger smallies just letting it sit on the bottom.

Techique was perfected to a science the csfl tournament series applied a no ancoring rule!! Be eating a sandwich watchin a smallie cart wheel. You can beef up your line size depending on water clarity but this is my set up for crystal clear natural lakes were visabitity is 20+ft down.

[Jeff H]

I have been doing pretty well the past couple weeks draggin' Prowler Big Butts on 1/8 or 3/16 oz heads using 6 or 8 lb mono on a Daiwa TD-Z 105H mounted on a Cabela's Tournament ZX 6'9" Medium/X-fast rod.  The Prowler Big Butt is a mouthful for a smallie.  I've caught more on those big tubes than I have on smaller tubes.

[Dark3]

Always have one rigged up. They are a northern smallie fishermans weapon of choice for anything less the 10 fow. 15lb give or take flouro. Worm amd jig type rod actions will work just fine. Reel, well thats personally preference, I would prefer to have a reel I can take up slack for a charging fish if i was you. Atleast 6 1/2 or faster. 1/4 tube jighead will work 99% of the time.

[roadwarrior]

MegaStrike MegaTube Craw rigged on a ShakE2 Professional Series

http://www.megastrikefishingproducts.com/shop/mega-tube-soft-plastic/

 

DVT Custom 7' MH spinning rod/ Stella 1000FA/ Tatsu #6

 

St. Croix LES70MF/ Stella 2500FB/ Yo-Zuri Hybrid #4

[BasshunterJGH]

7 ft medium or medium light rod, 2500 size reel, 8-12 lb flouro, 3-4 inch tubes, 1/4-3/8 oz jig heads.