Small tube jigs

[sccamper]

Im just starting to use small tube jigs with a tube weight and keep messing up jigs trying to slide it over the weight. It looks like I could slide the weight through the body of the tube and stick the eye of the hook through the body but that means retying each time I change. Now Im slipping the hook through the front following with the weight and leaveing the eye exposed and the tube is left with a larger hole in the front. Is that normal or is there a better way?
The tube weight is the proper size for the tube.

[dmbutler47]

You should be using a jig head. You put it on by the hook and slide it over the "lip". You dont put it over the head or the eye. this way you can change tube colors easy and never have to retie. If you are using what I think you are you still dont have to pull the tube over the top, put it on the same way as i just mentioned. it will stay on fine. you can even hit it with a little super glue and it will last longer.
http://www.gamakatsu.com/new_products/new_jighead.htm
I found this site and it shows the different ones, I think you are using a tube25, i prefer a round211. this is not the brand i use, but you can see what i am talking about

[sccamper]

I am useing that style weight but thought that was the idea to keep it small and not have a larger head.

[dmbutler47]

the ones on that site are rather large, i dont know the brand i have, i bought them in bulk a long time ago with many different size heads, i have some rather small ones though. the round head helps it roll off of brush wen jigging it. at lest that is what i have been told, i could be totaly off about everything though...who knows....sometimes i drink too much and everything sounds good!!!!!!

[pstone]

You can get the roung jig heads in 1/32 or smaller, and you will be happier.

Otherwise, you need to retie to change colors.

[CrappiePappy]

Im just starting to use small tube jigs with a tube weight and keep messing up jigs trying to slide it over the weight. It looks like I could slide the weight through the body of the tube and stick the eye of the hook through the body but that means retying each time I change. Now Im slipping the hook through the front following with the weight and leaveing the eye exposed and the tube is left with a larger hole in the front. Is that normal or is there a better way?
The tube weight is the proper size for the tube.

is known as a "insert head". And yes, they are meant to be pushed into the open end of the tube, and the line eye "popped" thru ... and yes, by their design, it's necessary to completely remove the jighead & tube ... (to change colors or add a new tube).
If you are threading the tube onto these jigheads, and ripping open the tip end of the tube ... then it's probably necessary for you to glue the tube to the jighead. Otherwise, you have gained nothing by threading the tube onto the jig ... you've just sacrificed a tube, for naught. If you plan on changing tubes (colors?) very often ... a ball or minnow head jighead would be a better choice. And don't worry about the added length/size ... a 1 to 1.5 inch tube on a 1/32-1/16oz jighead is about the same lenth as a 2" minnow ("small" Crappie minnow). I use these all the time ... and catch some pretty small Crappie & Bluegill on them - but also some Slabs :D .......... cp

[Roberta]

If you wet the jig or put a squirt of scent on the jig first, it will slide in easier. This may seem obvious, but be sure you're using the the right sized jig for the size tube you want to use. We like the natural way this type of rig moves in the water.
For faster changes, you can use a snap. We use the swivel type, but you can also get the "duo-lock" type that doesn't have a swivel. There are two schools of thought on the use of snaps and we ascribe to the one that feels that the looser tension allows for the freer darting movement typical of baitfish. - Roberta

[sccamper]

Thanks for the info!! Ill try a few suggestions to see what I like.

[wrwest]

I had the same problem, I did somthing a little diffrent. I put the tubes in a bowl of HOT water. When the tubes were nice and soft/flexible I would insert the weight. I still had to go slow. I made up severl of the ones I wanted to use before I went fishin.