What makes a good tube rod

[PatrickKnight]

So you see plenty of drop shoot rods that are about 6'9" - 6'10" ml with an extra fast tip. However what makes a good tube rod? Such as length, power, and action. Also to be clear I am talking about tubes on jig heads in clear water through rocks.

[ec1]

Personally, I think that's your most generic rod. 6'6MF -7'MF (perhaps even MH depending on the size of your fish) would work fantastic. I definitely try to make the rod double duty for T rigged senkos the other days when I go for largemouth. 

Not sure if you're talking casting or spinning but both will work. Budget your rod according to sensitivity needed and how often you use it ?

 

[Fishin' Fool]

I fish Lk St Clair alot and tubes quite a bit. My preference is a slightly longer rod say 7'3" medium fast or Xfast action. 

[Bluebasser86]

Unless you're fishing deep water with heavy tube heads, it doesn't take anything very specialized. A rod designed for fishing shakyheads works very well. 

[MickD]

My favorite tube rod is my St. Croix SCV 7 foot, medium power, fast action.  That may mean medium heavy in most brands, 181 CCS pennies, 77 degree action angle on my CCS rig. It will handle any bass I've ever encountered.

But its beauty is in its sensitivity.  If I had to prioritize one attribute for tubes it would be sensitivity.

I also really like its 7 feet length compared to a very good 6 1/2 foot rod I have, better for both tip up and tip down working of jigs.

Not cheap, but very very good.

[S Hovanec]

For years, I used a 6'8" MXF.  Stepping up to a 7'3" MHXF this season.

[Turkey sandwich]

Choosing casting or spinning comes entirely down to preference and the weight of the jig heads you're throwing.  Outside of that, a medium powered rod with a fast or extra fast tip tends to be ideal.  If you're throwing heavier weight, working heavier cover, etc, a MH in some brands might be better.  If you're fishing 1/16-1/8 oz heads around sparse cover, you can do pretty well with something as light as a ML XF dropshot rod.  As for length, I like 6'10-7'1.  I tend to fish lighter tubes (primarily in rivers) and the small things that I like are an exposed blank handle and high visibility braided line (when fishing slow line watching will help pick up the fish even the most sensitive rod won't allow you to feel).

[1BADAIR]

On st Clair I mainly use a st. Croix avid MLF for 1/4oz tubes . 

 

 

[roadwarrior]

7' MF spinning rod

 

[smalljaw67]

I use a lot of tubes and it depends on how and where I'm using them. For me if I was using 1 rod, it would be between a 6'8" to 7' medium power rod with a fast action, extra fast is good if the rod isn't a drop shot specific model. I have a 6'9" m-XF Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth rod, it is absolutely perfect for fishing tubes because it is stout enough to throw 3.5" to 4" tubes on jig heads up to 3/8oz but I never go beyond 1/4oz. The rod is also light enough to throw a 2.75" tube on a 1/8oz head  but the action is stiffer than it is on a drop shot specific rod. I got a St. Croix Avid X, my drop shot rod was short at 6'6" so I upgraded to a 7' ML-F, it is soft enough for drop shots but not too soft that I can't use it for other things, and tubes are one of the other uses. The tubes I use with that rod are specific, 2.75" or smaller on 1/16oz or 3/32oz heads in water 10' deep or less but if I had to, my medium power can do it but it is a little overpowering so if I was going to get 1 rod for tubes, it would be a medium power, fast action between 6'8" and 7'.

[papajoe222]

Both of the rods I use for tubes are 7ft. M/F. One is a factory built rod that has a little more power than the other, but I used it for all but crappie sized tubes for years. The other is on par with the power and action of a St.Croix ML/F.  A 1/4oz. jig in a 4in. tube is as big as I throw with it. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

Tubes fish well on any Rod you'd fish similar weight jigs, or T rigs in similar cover and depths. I find myself using fewer Med rods and going MH to ML but again that all depends the individual Rod or blank 

[Jeff H]

My favorite tube rod is the St Croix Avid 6'8" M/XF.  Just ideal for me!

[PatrickKnight]

Thanks guys for all the feedback. I am strongly considering a couple of rods for my next purchase both are 7 foot medium power mod/fast actions, so I think I will safely be able to use either one for tubes as well.

[lmbfisherman]

I use my M/xf Fenwick ET rod.  Sometimes I will use my Aetos 7' M/F.

[DubyaDee]

I'm using a 7 1/2 foot med/light XF fenwick aetos. It'll launch a tube a mile, give me tons of leverage, and is light enough to keep them pinned all the way to the boat. I don't rush to get them in once they are stuck.

 

[EvanT123]

I like a rod with a lot of tip, I don't know if I would call it fast but more so stiff. I drag most of my tubes over rocks and I feel like the stiff tip lets me feel those subtle bites and quickly set the hook.  

I don't want the tip to bounce around a lot while dragging the tube. 

[Yudo1]

I use a 6'10" med/f casting rod for tubes.  If I was to fish deeper water I'd probably use spinning gear.

[fisherrw]

7 foot M xf is what I use for tubes.