Noah Ravas Posted January 5, 2016 Posted January 5, 2016 What are some of your favorite brands and colors of tubes for smallies? Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted January 5, 2016 Super User Posted January 5, 2016 Check out PROvider Tackle ~ I've been a huge fan of these baits for a long time. http://www.providertackle.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=66_69 Though all his gear is high quality, Art Ferguson III makes some especially killer baits right there in St Clair Shores, MI Both the 3.5 " & 4" tubes are solid producers. As for colors, the BBQ Melon, Roadkill, St Clair Tease, Great Lake Melon, & Natural Goby have all been gobbled up eagerly by North Woods Smallies. A-Jay 2 Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 5, 2016 Super User Posted January 5, 2016 Well, I am a little reluctant to give this one up, but I have mentioned them before: BPS Tender Tubes #71 rigged on an internal weight/ hook: Owner Phantom Tube Hook. http://www.ownerhooks.com/hooks/basshooks.htm#5153 1 Quote
Turkey sandwich Posted January 5, 2016 Posted January 5, 2016 Welcome to the forum! some notes on tubes: - I don't have any one brand allegiance, but I do like Zoom Salty Super Tubes, Strike King Coffee Tubes, Gitzits and a handful of smaller brands. Dry Creek makes some pretty cool laminated colors. Havoc's Iaconelli Smash Tubes also have some great colors, but they're huge (over 5") and not my go to most of the time. - size is probably more important than anything. Having tubes in 2.5-4" will serve you best the vast majority of the time. - colors - generally, think of tubes as a crayfish/sculpin/goby imitation. Colors like root beer, Watermelon, green pumpkin, and some basic variations with greens, reds and oranges will cover you 75% of the time. I also have colors like junebug, watermelon slice, and fire tiger for darker days/more stained water. Also, are you fishing weeds? Rocks? Tubes are super versatile and can be rigged a ton of different ways with and without rattles/beads. 1 Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 5, 2016 Super User Posted January 5, 2016 Secret #2 Fish the tube on spinning tackle and Yo-Zuri Hybrid #4 (8.5 lb breaking strength) or Tatsu #8. This will increase your hook-ups by at least 50%. 1 Quote
Turkey sandwich Posted January 5, 2016 Posted January 5, 2016 15 minutes ago, roadwarrior said: Secret #2 Fish the tube on spinning tackle and Yo-Zuri Hybrid #4 (8.5 lb breaking strength) or Tatsu #8. This will increase your hook-ups by at least 50%. Great tip. It'll also help keep your fish on the line. Anywhere you'll be fishing around rocks, clam beds, or submerged razor wire, Hybrid leaders are tough to beat. Quote
WI_Angler1989 Posted January 5, 2016 Posted January 5, 2016 I'm looking forward to my first experience with the PROvider tubes that A-Jay always recommends. They in transit now. I've had really good success with Cabin Creek 2.5 inch tubes around here (central wi). Color wise any shades of green pumpkin, watermelon, or browns with various glitter colors. 2 Quote
Super User A-Jay Posted January 5, 2016 Super User Posted January 5, 2016 14 minutes ago, WI_Angler1989 said: I'm looking forward to my first experience with the PROvider tubes that A-Jay always recommends. They in transit now. I've had really good success with Cabin Creek 2.5 inch tubes around here (central wi). Color wise any shades of green pumpkin, watermelon, or browns with various glitter colors. Cool ~ Let us know how it goes . . . btw - have that scale ready & the camera rolling A-Jay 1 Quote
WI_Angler1989 Posted January 5, 2016 Posted January 5, 2016 16 minutes ago, A-Jay said: Cool ~ Let us know how it goes . . . btw - have that scale ready & the camera rolling A-Jay Oh I will for sure! It'll be a while sadly. d**n winter. 1 Quote
drew4779 Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 Venom tubes - watermelon, pumpkin, roadkill. I also like ISG. Quote
Molay1292 Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 Mizmo 2.75 Bass Teaser in #47 Crawdad, BPS 3 1/2 Tender Tube in Puke, and Snack Daddy 4 inch Elite Tube in Squash Green, Gourd, and Crawdad. These get it done for me. Quote
BigSkyBasser Posted January 6, 2016 Posted January 6, 2016 Strike King Denny Braur Flippin' tubes Texas rigged on a 3/0 Lazer Trokar Worm Hook with a 3/16 oz Tungsten bullet. I don't have much experience throwing tubes on your traditional lead tube jig, but I know it's a killer for smallies out on sand bars and weed flats! 1 Quote
JustinU1X Posted January 7, 2016 Posted January 7, 2016 Poor Boy tubes. $7 for a 20pk. Watermelon gold, green pumpkin, and purple smoke. 2 Quote
corn-on-the-rob Posted January 7, 2016 Posted January 7, 2016 The ISG Intimidator tubes (the small 2.75'' version) have been my go-to tube for lake erie smallmouth these days. The downsized baits up here have been killer for both size and numbers the last couple years, maybe fishing pressure or forage related. The colors they provide are amazing, they even have a great built in garlic flavor. My favorite part though is that they are very wide for their length so you can still fit larger weighted hooks inside, plus I like the fatter profile. The smaller version is cheap ($3.19 for 12) on TW but while the 4'' ones are awesome, they are a little too fine for my wallet. For larger 3.5'' to 4'' tubes I like Big bite baits, powerbait, and zoom. As for colors, I like it pretty basic: Watermelon seed (or gold flake), green pumpkin purple flake, Black/blue for dirty water, and an oddball yellow/orange color like orange-melon, chartreuse, or mustard. Also any smoke color tube can be really really hot at times. 1 Quote
Will Wetline Posted January 8, 2016 Posted January 8, 2016 For years the Original Gitzit in smoke with red and black flake has been my favorite tube for the very clear water I fish for smallies. Quote
Smallieseeker Posted January 8, 2016 Posted January 8, 2016 On 1/5/2016 at 4:45 PM, roadwarrior said: Secret #2 Fish the tube on spinning tackle and Yo-Zuri Hybrid #4 (8.5 lb breaking strength) or Tatsu #8. This will increase your hook-ups by at least 50%. How is the sensitivity of the hybrid line I hear alot of good things about it but haven't heard if it has good sensitivity Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted January 8, 2016 Super User Posted January 8, 2016 Sensitivity is VERY subjective. I will rate Yo-Zuri Hybrid 8 on a scale of 1 to 10. Quote
Super User HoosierHawgs Posted January 9, 2016 Super User Posted January 9, 2016 On 1/7/2016 at 9:47 PM, JustinU1X said: Poor Boy tubes. $7 for a 20pk. Watermelon gold, green pumpkin, and purple smoke. Are they scented? Quote
Toeshots Posted January 9, 2016 Posted January 9, 2016 My favorite is the 3.5" SK Coffee Tube in Black/Blue Fleck or Chaos (black w/purple & gold fleck). I like to throw them on a 3/16 jig head either stupid-rigged or using the standard internal rigging. 1 Quote
JustinU1X Posted January 10, 2016 Posted January 10, 2016 8 hours ago, HoosierHawgs said: Are they scented? Nope, I do dip them in JJ's though. They also have a TON of salt and really durable. Quote
C0lt Posted January 16, 2016 Posted January 16, 2016 Small tubes on spinning tackle: visit blue smoke tubes exclusively. Larger tubes bed on spinning or casting tackle I tend to lean towards the sk coffee tubes. I think I like the scent more than the fish do tbh. Quote
ABW Posted January 16, 2016 Posted January 16, 2016 I really like the Megastrike tubes! Black and blue! Quote
WI_Angler1989 Posted January 19, 2016 Posted January 19, 2016 Really, color depends on the water. If it's clearer water then go with natural colors like watermelons, green pumpkins, browns and smokes. Various colors of flakes work well depending on the forage in your waters too. If water has low visibility use darker colors like black, black bkue, junebug, and even dark browns to get the best silhouette for those fish to find. Me, I try to keep my colors as close to the colors of the crayfish I imitate with tubes as I can. I always keep my eyes peeled in the sunny shallows for one to immitate. In cold water here watermelon blue flake can't be beaten. And a green gold flake is awesome in the spawn. Brand wise it's up to you. Just try to find a company that does hand dipped if you want the best action, and poured of you want the best durability. Personally, I like soft, supple tubes with lots of action. I'd recommend Cabin Creek, Dry Creek, Confidence Baits little tube, provider (on word of mouth) and howies tackle (similar to cabin creek). Tube fishing a lot of fun and don't be scared to play around with a couple packs from various companies. They all should work well enough after all. Just find what you like and have confidence in and that's the best you can hope for. 1 Quote
Super User Spankey Posted January 20, 2016 Super User Posted January 20, 2016 I have a pretty decent tube kit. But many years of fishing to get to that point. Have never fished a mag tube. 2 1/2 - 3 " range. No real big favorite. Fish with Cabin Creek, Gitzits Power Tubes. favorite colors: pumpkin/orange, pumpkin/chart, pumpkin, black/blue, sand, roadkill 1 Quote
Fishin' Fool Posted January 29, 2016 Posted January 29, 2016 On 1/5/2016 at 4:45 PM, roadwarrior said: Secret #2 Fish the tube on spinning tackle and Yo-Zuri Hybrid #4 (8.5 lb breaking strength) or Tatsu #8. This will increase your hook-ups by at least 50%. I'm just curious to know why. Quote
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