 We
bass angler’s are always looking for new weapons
in our ever growing arsenal of tackle. If it is new or
different and catches fish, we want one, or two or three….
The tube jig is just such a bait.
Although on the market for several years now, tube
baits have undergone some changes and are making a big
comeback. Denny Brauer, last year’s Bassmaster
Classic champion, brought the bait back into the spotlight
following his victory using tube baits.
The original tube jigs were 3"-31/2" long.
The new tube jigs are 4" plus and are bigger in
diameter than before. They come with salt impregnated
in them and in a variety of scents to enhance their
fish catching ability.
Most anglers fish them using a Texas rig. I like the
Texas rig with the weights snugged up against the bait
rather than slipping up and down the line. This is because
I primarily fish them in the brush. The "fixed"
weight doesn’t seem to hang up as much as one
that slides up and down the line. I use a 4/0 or 5/0
wide gap hook when fishing tube jigs.
In my opinion, Strike King Lures and Gambler make the
best baits. They are both scented and hold up to the
rigors of tournament fishing quite well. Other companies
also have a variety of tube baits available. I like
to use the watermelon and green pumpkin colored tubes
most of the time. In clear water, I like white or shad
colored baits. For a different look, I will use some
Spike It dye on the end of my tubes. Sometimes, the
little different color on the end of the bait will trigger
a strike by making it show up better in the water.
Depending of the depth and thickness of cover I am
pitching into, I use a 3/16 – 3/8 ounce weight
on a medium heavy or heavy action worm rod. I use my
TP 3000 C Abu Garcia high speed reel with 20# P Line
to take up slack quickly for hook sets and to get the
fish out of the cover before it gets me hung up. I am
convinced that the high speed reel has helped my "bite
to catch" ratio increase.
Last spring while fishing a BASS Central Invitational
in Eufaula, Oklahoma I made a discovery that made the
difference for me in making a check or not making a
check in the tournament. The lake was coming up fast,
as much as a foot or more per day. The bite was slow
and strange. I was catching a few fish in practice on
the tube jig, but had trouble getting them to hit it
aggressively enough to detect the strike before they
dropped it. On the last afternoon of practice I tried
a new device especially designed for big tube jigs,
a tube rattle by H&H Plastic Rattles.
This rattle is about ¼" in length and big
enough to snuggly fit into the tube without falling
out. It is large enough to produce effective sound,
yet small enough that it does not interfere with setting
the hook and getting good hook penetration in the fish’s
mouth. It is the perfect size for the new, larger tubes
on the market.
The next time you are in the tackle store or department,
look for and try some of the big flipping tubes. Use
them in the same place you would use a jig or plastic
worm. Start off with one or two colors and see how you
like them before investing a lot of money in them. Also
look for some H&H rattles. If you have trouble finding
them, you can call them at 501-847-2135 or visit their
website at www.plasticrattles@worldnet.att.net for the
dealer nearest you. They really made a difference for
me last spring.
Until next time, enjoy the Texas Outdoors.
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