Tubes

[NYWayfarer]

Really loving fishing for Smallmouth Bass this season with tubes.

 

I have been using the Zoom salty tubes however the tentacles are quite fragile. I notice I am going through more baits as they lose so many appendages. Good news is they are cheap enough.

 

What tubes do you guys recommend?

 

I also have Berkley Havoc Smash Tubes (a little too big) and Big Bite Baits salt tubes that work well and have sturdier tentacles. The Zoom seem to work better though.

[mrmacwvu1]

Cabin creek tubes have caught smallies for me from Lake Erie to the new river and many places in between 

[TOXIC]

Lunch Money Tubes.  Hands down.  Also carried by Case Plastics.

 

https://fishingcompleteinc.com/lunch-money-flipping-tube-4-10-pk/

[NYWayfarer]

I should have added this question to my original post. How do you like to rig them?

 

I have been using the weighted tube hooks from Strike King. This works for me in open water and I rarely get snagged where I lose the bait.

 

I see you can Texas rig them, weighted or no weight?

[IndianaOutdoors]

I've been using el cheapo arky tube jigs from Walmart because I tend to break off alot in root balls and rock crevices.  I have experimented some with using plain worm hooks and casting weights stuffed in the nose of the tube.  I would like to try the stupid rig but haven't invested in the proper jigs yet.  Weightless was far to slow sinking for me.  Especially in current

[Ski213]

I like cabin creek. I've used them for a long time as they are a local business to me.

 

I generally t-rig them with weight. 

[kickerfish1]

I have used quite a few. Cabin Creek, Zoom, Yamamoto, and Strike King. Really like the coffee scented Strike King tubes in the 3.5 inch size.

[RichF]

I love SK coffee tubes.  Poor boys are good too and are pretty cheap.  I rarely flip tubes.  Most of the time, I'm using the tube jig heads in open water for smallies.  

[A-Jay]

 

PROvider Tackle make a quality product.

The "Performance Series" Bite Size - BBQ Melon 3.5" model is a solid SMB producer for me.

http://www.providertackle.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=66_70&product_id=174

A-Jay

 

[nighthawk25]

I don't fish tubes a whole lot but have had decent success with the 3.5 inch SK coffee tubes with a 1/4 oz internal jighead.

[NYWayfarer]

1 minute ago, nighthawk25 said:

I don't fish tubes a whole lot but have had decent success with the 3.5 inch SK coffee tubes with a 1/4 oz internal jighead.

 

I am interested in the Coffee Tubes. Can you guys that have fished them tell me if the tentacles are durable? At least more so than the Zoom?

[kickerfish1]

The SK coffee tubes seem to have pretty solid durability of the tentacles. I have had the same bait last for a half day before. Most of the time for me the area by the hook and weight will tear first on a tube of any brand for that matter. For the $ I would get a pack or two and see what you personally think. I really dont have any complaints about them or failures while using them.

[nighthawk25]

47 minutes ago, Finesse Wayfarer said:

 

I am interested in the Coffee Tubes. Can you guys that have fished them tell me if the tentacles are durable? At least more so than the Zoom?

I haven't tried Zoom tubes but the coffee tubes seem pretty durable. They're pretty reasonably priced so I'd buy a pack to compare.

[bowhunter63]

I have used the SK Coffee tubes and zero complaints.

[Raul]

6 hours ago, Finesse Wayfarer said:

I should have added this question to my original post. How do you like to rig them?

 

I have been using the weighted tube hooks from Strike King. This works for me in open water and I rarely get snagged where I lose the bait.

 

I see you can Texas rig them, weighted or no weight?

 

Classic internal jighead in open water or "stupid rig" when fished in our around cover.

 

Stupid rig:

 

[gim]

I fish tubes a lot, for both smallmouth and largemouth.  I usually down size to the smaller tubes and use mostly natural colors for smallmouth and use the bigger tubes in brighter colors for largies.  I use a tube jig if I'm fishing in rocks/hard bottom and rig it with a skip gap hook if I'm fishing around weeds.  I like the bass pro bitsy tube and the Berkley power tube.

[moguy1973]

BPS 4" Magnum Flipping Tubes.

 

I usually fish them with a wire weed guard that hooks under the tip of the hook or recently I've started using a ball headed shakey head with the keeper cut off that has a wide gap hook rigged stupid style like in the video above.

[Montanaro]

Poor boys + owner tube hooks

 

Simply outstanding.

[Bluebasser86]

Strike King Coffee tubes, V&M Smallie tubes, and recently added the 3D Goby tube from Savage Gear. I pour my own heads and do the stupid tube rig. 

[tander]

Who makes the best hook for rigging the stupid tube ??

[NYWayfarer]

Thanks everyone. I am going to pick up a pack of the coffee tubes and stupid rig them.