Have tubes lost their edge???

[Wormy]

I have noticed this year that places I would usually catch a lot of fish on a tube has not been producing but rather these fish are biting creature baits. I have seen other popular lures lose there edge over the years becuase so many people fish them, just wondering if any of you have ever experienced this?

[roadwarrior]

Nope. I think on any given day, a different profile may be somewhat more effective. One of my local ponds is always productive, but some days I won't have much success on a particular soft plastic that was just killing 'em the week before. A couple of weeks ago a Mizmo tube, black with red flakes was hot, last weekend I didn't get a bite until I changed to a Kreature. Most days a weightless Senko or Fat Ika presentation is very effective, other days I have to fish deeper with a T-rigged tube, Kreature or Kut-tail. Sometimes soft plastic just doen't get it, but a jig does. Now, I'm not talking about fishing in general, but a specific "control" pond. If that's how it works at this pond, I'm sure that's how it works on other water, too.  

[playmaker47]

ive always caught them on a tube. i fish it more than any other thing because it is my #1 lure and technique. ive still had lots of success

[Fishie]

Senkos don't produce for me this year but I am hammering them on tubes and flukes.

[texasbass1]

I do think that fish can get conditioned to baits, particularly when everyone is throwing them. I have always like fishing gitzits but the last couple of years gotten away from them because they weren't producing. Last Sunday, it was one of those windy, blue sky, hot Texas days, Slow tough fishing. I pitched one under a dock at noon and caught a 5.51 LMB. Restored my faith in the little things.

[Will]

I have noticed this year that places I would usually catch a lot of fish on a tube has not been producing but rather these fish are biting creature baits.

How big of an area are you talking about? I agree with texasbass1, maybe the fish you were catching are conditioned to the tubes and the creature bait is something new to them.

[Chris]

I think a lot has to do with how your fishing it. You can fool conditioned fish into biting a tube even if everyone has been hammering the bass with them. A tube can be identified by a bass as a crawfish, baitfish, or just something invading their territory. Most people just pitch the tube into an area and hops it twice then moves to another spot. Well if that fish has seen this a 100 times they kinda get wise to it. You can fish it weightless or fish a fat ika which falls different and slower. You can use a heavier weight which falls faster, you can pitch it to a spot and leave tention in your line so it swims away from the structure. You need to give the fish a different look. Try a different style thats fatter. Put it on a dropshot with foam in it anything that will give the bass a different look. Pitch it into a spot and just quiver it in one spot for a minute or two. Think outside of the box

[gamblerOH]

A tube is my favorite bait of all time. They have always produced for me. You cant fish a tube fast, you have to be patient and WORK the tube not just chunk and wind. I have been having sucess this past week while prefishing with green pumpkin tubes by netbait. They were not producing until I added a tube rattle, this little change seemed to help the fish find it and so far so good. Try to switch it up. I do not believe fish get conditioned to a bait. A week ago while fishing a river I hooked a nice fish on a carolina rig and it broke me off (I hadnt retied in a while :-[ ) then about 3 cast later my partner hooked it and reeled it in. It was a nice 4 pounder and had my tube in its jaw. If they were going to remember a bait they surely would remember one that is hanging out of their mouth. If a fish is hungry its going to eat, and that fish must have been starving

[Marty]

Have tubes lost their edge???

Not that I can see.

[Rattlinrogue]

Tubes still produce.I had a good outing this morning(7-23-05) Pitching a watermelonseed tube at lily pads and brushpiles.They tore it up.

[Muddpuppy]

My buddy showed me up useing a tube the other evening.  At least until I pulled out the heavy artillery and put a "Hoo Daddy" on his act.     They were hitting tubes like they were going out of style and not much else.

[SBM-RL]

The two biggest bass ive seen caught this year were both caught on a tube so im pretty confident in them