Day in day out tube colors for smallies in MD, PA.

[justfishin]

I have friends whom have every color imaginable in their boat as far as tubes. Its a waste of money and space, trust me. I will probably get busted in the nose for saying this but, if you come to Maryland or PA and you want to use a few colors here is all you need, period.

1. Day in and day out the number one is Green Pumpkin ( I like red flake in mine).

2. Dark Melon/ Purple Flake.

3. Smoke/Purple Flake

4. Green Pumpkin/Smoke Purple Tail.

You would actually do well owning only two colors for your trip, Green Pumpkin and Dark Melon. I also don't use small tubes for the smallies, no matter what I hear at the ramp, I always use the big salty tubes in both 3 1/2 an 4".

There I said it, I feel better now. ;D

[BassChaser57]

I have to agre 100% with your selections with but will add a #5. Pearl color at times will knock -em dead. It resembles a dying minnow. Good fishing.

[justfishin]

Yes, I forgot about Pearl although, I don't use it in tubes. When they are on that " White Bite ", I call it, I use a 5" Pearl grub paired with a hot pink leadhead, or a Pearl Super Fluke. When you just cannot get anything going a Pearl grub and hot pink leadhead seems to always get a few. Good luck as well. One other thing, I always use a rattle in all my tubes, even in clear water. I make my own out of Mickey Dee's straws and #9 birdshot. Cut a Mc straw in about 3/4" lengths, use tweezers to squeeze one end shut, leave a little overhang and melt it over a candle flame quickly, hold and go over the melted part with another pair of tweezers drop in 2-3 shot, squeeze the other end, and repeat. Whala, McRattles!

[Garnet]

Just add Black Neon and Mustard and Clapper Majic for one certain lake and I can get thru a season.

Garnet

[pathfndr2]

I agree but add white (usually two tone with black back)   and Electric Blue.   Sometimes they just likem.    

[roadwarrior]

Well, give this one a try and let us know what you think: Mizmo 3 1/2" Kent's Classic (squash green).

[justfishin]

I certainly will. It looks good. I also eyed up that Purple Oy !!! Thanks.

[BASS fisherman]

What about a brown?  Gets em good on the 3 rivers.

[TopDog]

LOL! Boats full again! ;D

[justfishin]

Lol, exactly AlphaWolf. Its not hard to get caught up in the tube color thing. Goodness knows, I used to be as guilty as the next guy. I had tons of colors. It was a guide thing for years. One of us would be on the river and get home and say man, it was the smoke/purple and copper flake, they were nailing them and etc, etc. Years of experiance and river smallies have convinced me that you don't need the color combos. I have been to Erie, Thousand Islands, New River, James River, etc, and if you took only Green Pumpkin Tubes, you would be fine. I always take Dark Melon/Purple Flake because of the dark color in stained water, and Smoke/Purple Flake if I am fishing shaddy water or it is clear. Thats just me. Hey, the absolute best time for big smallies here is when the river is on the rise, muddy as heck, like chocalate milk, and cold, as in the low 40's and high 30's. They don't care about colors in these conditions. A big tube to displace water and a rattle brings them to the bait, not color. I am convinced of that and proved it a million times. I think a Green Pumpkin tube and a Dark Melon or Black tube is really all you need, really. The purple flake thing is a idiosyncracy of mine along with the Red Flake in my Green Pumpkin tubes,lol. But hey, its fun buying way too much stuff, its what we do! For smallies take some Green Pumpkin/Red Flake and some Dark Melon/ Purple Flake and Smoke/Purple Flake 3.5 and 4" big salty tubes fishing for smallies paired with some 1/8 and 1/4 jigheads and you tell me. If they are not hitting any of these, go home and watch The Flintstones or make some more kids,lol. I am still going to give RW's " Kents Classic a whirl.

[bassnleo]

My 4 basic tube colors are GP, black, smoke, brown.  I do own a few variations like Green Pumpkin Candy, but agree that the basics mentioned will catch you fish anywhere in PA.