Lets talk tube set ups

[PatrickKnight]

So I have been bitten by some strange bug where all I want to throw at smallies anymore are tubes. I just love bouncing them along and pow feels like it gets grabbed by a train. So what do you guys use when tube fishing? I am currently using the following rig:

 

Dobyns Sierra 703

Daiwa BG 2500

10 lb lime green 832 with 8 lb mono leader

 

Also I know this isn't the fishing tackle forum but if you guys want to list certain jigs, tubes, and colors I wouldn't be unhappy but if mods say no I can create another thread in the tackle forum.

[Dtrombly]

My all time confidence bait, there was once a time where I didn't own any tackle besides tubes and tube jig heads. Simple times... lol. I used a Shimano Crucial 7' M/F spinning rod paired with a Sienna 2500. 10lb mono mostly. Tube jig head with exposed hook, dragging and snapping them around rocks. I've mostly stuck with some kind of variation of green pumpkin and watermelon. BPS Tournament Series are my favorite to throw. 

Also, don't be afraid to throw these in ponds, largemouth love em

[iabass8]

DX HP 742c

TDZ Type R +

10# fluoro

[rippin-lips]

Megabass Orochi XX 

Daiwa SV103 

#30 j braid - #10 cxx leader

Zoom 3.75 green pumpkin

Big bite baits tube jig head

 

[Columbia Craw]

Extreme 742SF

Stradic 3000

#10 Invizex

[roadwarrior]

G. Loomis PR844S

Shimano Stells 2500FD

#6 Seaguar Tatsu

2/0 Trokar Worm Hooh

BPS Tender Tube #71

 

[Deplorable Fisherman]

Daiwa Procyon 3000

St. Croix Premier SG 7' M

14 lb fireline crystal w/ 12 lb Seaguar fluoro leader

Eagle Claw Shaw Grigsby HP hook

Chompers 4" green pumpkin or watermelon seed w/ bell sinker inside (weight depends on depth, current, etc.)

 

The action the tube has with this setup is fantastic. It gets the bites.

[papajoe222]

I prefer using a baitcaster, but couldn't find a rod that had the action I wanted, so I went the custom route and built one on a spinning blank.  I even went one step further and did a spiral wrap. I do, however use a 'traditional' baitcaster for bigger/heavier tubes that I use a lot for largemouth. 

There are a number of fine tubes out there, I prefer hand poured, thin walled tubes for clean bottoms and rigging with internal jig heads. For punching and skipping I like Ozark Tackle tubes. If you haven't tried using a tube, they are awesome for both presentations. 

[NYWayfarer]

St. Croix Premier 6',10" ML/F

Kastking Sharky II 1500

8lb Fluorocarbon line

Yum tube

[J Francho]

I fish some pretty heavy tube jigs when I actually fish tubes.  Usually at least 1/2 oz., and more likely 3/4 oz.  I use medium/fast casting gear, a high speed reel, and 10-12# Invisx or Tatsu.  Keep in mind, I'm fishing Great Lakes, and I'm fishing pretty deep.  Over 20 FOW, usually.

[BigTerp]

Nothing fancy....

 

Berkeley Lighting Rod 6' ML

Plfuegger President 6930

6# YZ Hybrid

 

Very nicely balanced setup that I use for everything. I have 2 of the same setups. I've never been a guy to have a rod/reel setup for different presentations. This, for me, is a nice coverall setup.

 

For tubes I really like Mizmo Teaser Tubes 2.75" in Penrod Purple and Natural Craw colors with a 1/8oz hand poured internal tube jig with #1/0 Mustad hook. Where I fish (Upper Potomac River) the 2.75" tubes out perform the larger size tubes and many other baits.

[tkunk]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

I fish some pretty heavy tube jigs when I actually fish tubes.  Usually at least 1/2 oz., and more likely 3/4 oz.  I use medium/fast casting gear, a high speed reel, and 10-12# Invisx or Tatsu.  Keep in mind, I'm fishing Great Lakes, and I'm fishing pretty deep.  Over 20 FOW, usually.

 

Which heads do you use? All the 0.5+ oz heads I've seen have very long shanks.

[J Francho]

Bite Me Big Dude 3/4 oz. or homemade 1 oz. that I get from a local.

[kickerfish1]

ALX Zolo B Maestro spinning rod

Shimano Stradic FK 2500 spinning reel

Sunline Sniper 8#

3 to 4 inch tubes

[HookRz]

For me it depends where I'm throwing it and the size of the fish. Anything from a flipping stick to a short 6'3' medium light spinning rod. 

 

Some examples of rods I use for "traditional" open hook tubes, all spinning, without any brand shilling. Lots of companies make great rods. 

 

Lake Erie. 7'3" MHF for long casting. 6'8" MXF for more vertical presentations.

 

Inland lakes. The 6'8" MXF or a 6'9" MLXF, depending on cover. 6' 3" MLXF for docks. 

 

Small creeks. 6'9" LF or the 6'3" MLXF if overhanging brush is an issue. 

 

Big Rivers. 7'6" MLXF. 

 

Braid and appropriate weght Flouro leader for abrasion resistance. As always I'm using true leader material, not flouro designed to be cast. It's much tougher and thinner per pound test. 

[OnthePotomac]

My tube setup is the same as all my plastics on a bait caster.  BPS Carbonlite 7' MH fast tip with 15lb Invizx on a Curado 70XG.  Mizmo tube on a 3/0 EWG hook with a 3/16 pegged, or unpegged slip sinker, depending on the junk I am throwing in to.  I have said before that the 15lb Invizx flouro is the same diameter as other manufacturers 12lb flouro.  I like to keep equipment requirements simple.

[DubyaDee]

I always have this set up ready on deck. I never start with a tube but I always end up throwing it when all else fails.

 

Fenwick Aetos ML 7'6"

Shimano Stradic FK 2500

10 pound Power Pro to 12 pound fluoro leader

Xtreme bass tubes, sweet green/Canadian mist

Big Bite tube head 1/4-3/8

 

 

  

 

[fishindad]

I use similar to what JFrancho uses for tubes but usually fish a bit shallower (less than 20 ft) thus 3/8th and 1/2oz heads. I use a MH casting rod with 12 lb fluoro or copoly and either Bite Me heads or Poor Boy goby heads. Both have big hooks that require heavier gear to drill the hook home and not mess around. Have lost too many big smallies due to playing around with lighter lines and not getting good hooksets. Have not noticed any lack of bites going up in line size and it helps with the zeebs that litter the bottom of my lakes.

[moguy1973]

I like throwing tubes on a spinning rod.  I just put a Shimano Sedona on a Lew's TP1 Speed Stick with 30lb braid and an 8lb leader of YoZuri or P-Line CX Premium.  Working well so far.

 

I like using either an EWG round shakeyhead without the screwloc stupid rigged or heads with a wire weed guard, both in 1/4oz.

[Bluebasser86]

I've been fishing mostly a homemade stupid tube head, 1/8oz with a 3/0 hook and 3.5" tubes. Throwing them on a 7' M/F LTB, Daiwa Zillion SV XXH and 15lb Tatsu. This is the only setup I've found to combat zebra mussels very effectively.

[kbeeb374]

6'3'' MXF Cabela's arachnid, stradic Ci4+ 2500 with 10# braid to a 6lb invisX leader.  This quickly became my favorite rod this year and I went to look for more and they were discontinued and sold out... of course.

 

I mainly fish smaller rivers with 2.5-2.75 inch tubes on a homemade 1/8 oz tube jig.

 

If anyone has any Cabelas arachnid spinning rods I would love to try some of the longer ones as well!!

[J Francho]

Interesting mix.  Seems like zebes and depth dictate heavier gear.

[PatrickKnight]

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

Interesting mix.  Seems like zebes and depth dictate heavier gear.

 

I agree I am really surprised at how different some of the set ups are!

[J Francho]

Normally these threads are just personal preference, but there's definitely a pattern.

[tkunk]

I use a 7'3 M/XF spinning rod. For line, I run 8-10 lb braid with a 12-15 lb fluoro leader. I can't use a lighter leader because of zerbra mussels. My line gets nicked up on just about every cast. I retie, tear my bait, or lose a head about every 5-10 minutes, so tube fishing is painful and expensive, but it works.

 

Most of the time, I use 1/4-3/8 oz heads, but based on some of the comments here, I might start going a bit heavier and break out the baitcasting gear.