Tube Baits

[crappiekid24]

How do you work a tube bait and rig one? I like to have a stop and go retreve but dont know if thats alright. I rig them with a tube jig.

[CrappiePappy]

How do you work a tube bait and rig one? I like to have a stop and go retreve but dont know if thats alright. I rig them with a tube jig.

most of the time, when I'm using a tube jig, I'm "swimming" it. That is, I'm casting it out, raising my rod tip to about the 10 o:clock position, closing the bail on my spinning reel (by hand), and start slowly turning the reel handle. I don't impart any "extra" motion, normally, like your "stop & go" or shaking the rod tip or jerking the rod tip or slowing down/speeding up my retrieve ... but, if that's what it takes, on those occasions when a steady slow retrieve doesn't seem to be what they want, then I'll resort to those measures.

As far as "rigging" one ...... Just run the hook point into the "head" of the tube, and thread the tube onto the hook shaft and over the retainer barb, until the head of the tube is flush against the lead head of the jig (if using a non-insert type jighead), and the hook exits thru the open hollow of the tube. You can, and I occasionally do, glue the head of the tube to the lead head of the jig, with just a tiny dab of quick drying glue. This works the same, whether the jighead is "plain" or "weedless".
This prevents those "tail nippers" from constantly pulling the tube down on the hook shaft & off of the retainer barb. After a few instances of having the tube pulled down on the hook, most hollow tubes are torn up to the point of having to be replaced. Solid body tubes don't suffer that fate quite as easily, or as often.
Insert style jigheads are self explanatory .... you push the whole lead head of the jig into the hollow of the tube, then "pop" the line tie eye thru the tube body and tie it on your line. This type jighead is meant for hollow tube bodies, but "can" be used for other types of plastic bodies. If it's a "weedless" version, then the "guard" has to be bent forward and inserted first, and used to make the exit hole in the tube body .. followed by the line eye. This can be done, but it's a tedious proceedure. And it can result in bent guards, or torn tube bodies, depending on the way the jighead guard is made or how soft the tube body is.
As to whether or not your "stop & go" retrieve method is "alright" .... yes, as long as it's creating bites :D If it isn't, or at that particular time it doesn't ... then try the others. Experiment .... try one retrieve method for a dozen casts to an area/target, and if no results, switch up and try another dozen casts using a different retrieve method. I usually go thru at least a couple of retrieve method changes, before resorting to any "color" changes.

When swimming a tube jig, or any jighead/plastic body or hair/feather jig, for that matter ...... detecting the bite, by watching the line, is paramount to catching the fish. I try to "see" the bite (line movement) rather than "feel" the bite (rod bend). Any slight jumping of the line, sideways movement of the line, or having the line suddenly go slack (when you know the jig can't be on the bottom), is an indication of a strike. An immediate hookset, upon "seeing" any of these types of line movement, is the proper response. You may even "feel" the strike thru the rod, but hopefully that's the result of the weight/movement of the line, and not the fish pulling the rod down. Not that having the fish pull the rod tip down is bad ... that could just mean that they are hungry or in an aggressive mood. But, on those occasions where they are just "taste testing" your bait, or in a neutral mood, the less resistance they feel when they mouth the bait ... the better. They're less likely to spit it out, before you can set the hook, if they don't feel the rod. That's just IMHO, of course. ........... luck2ya ... cp

[CK14]

i use tube jigs about 95% of the time. i like to swim jig them back like CP and i also like to bobber fish them. here is a picture on what a rigged up tube jig should look like.

[willsjwills]

this is good advice, my man. remember these are crappie and not bass. bass fishing calls for a totally different approach- namely moving your bait fast, erratically, or changing retrieves. crappie do seem to prefer a slow steady retrieve. SLOW. these fellows know what they are talking about. what you have to do is practice patience to get it down pat. good luck

[NIMROD]

I use large Umbrella Tubes made by Southern Pro. I push a 1/8 th oz. round leadhead inside and pop hook I through . Then tie it on , you have to retie to replace tube. This way it's tough for them to pull off tube. My fishing method is to slowly swim bait over cover at times. But mostly it's vertically jigging brushpiles. I move jig very little and when I do it's slowly. Most people try to impart too much action in their jigging. We place brushpiles on channel drops and fish them most of the year.
What ever way you fish do it slow and if no luck slow down some more. Good Luck NIMROD.:D

[crappiekid24]

Thanks guys when I work em I let them sink then swim em but when I do its slow.