Smallmouth Tubes

[Bass Fishing Man 62]

Tubes are great baits but smallmouths being intense feeders tend to come behind and suck it in, therefore swallowing the tube...  it’s hard to tell until they load up on the bait ... any thoughts on how to help stop this??? Mono vs mono &braid, longer tubes , different styles of heads.. Would like to hear some opinions...

Thanks!

[Gavin]

Quit fishing tubes years ago. Hi Viz  braid and a leader helps.Good polaroids and watch your line. You will kill some fish with small plastics when you lose contact with the bait. A Ned with a weed guard doesn’t gut hook as many as a tube.

[moguy1973]

I use 4.5" BPS magnum flipping tubes and have never had a smallie deep hook one.  I either stupid rig them (weedless) or use a wire weed guard tube jig head.

[Dutch]

10 hours ago, Bass Fishing Man 62 said:

Tubes are great baits but smallmouths being intense feeders tend to come behind and suck it in, therefore swallowing the tube...  it’s hard to tell until they load up on the bait ... any thoughts on how to help stop this??? Mono vs mono &braid, longer tubes , different styles of heads.. Would like to hear some opinions...

Thanks!

Learn how to remove a bait from a gut hooked fish and your tube size and rigging won’t matter.

[jdmidwest]

Pinch the barb.  I use BPS Tender Tubes, usually get them hooked in the lips.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I use braid and leader with the Zman TRD tubes and never guy hook em and they are small baits. 

[Seth]

Go to a heavier weight so you can stay in contact with the soft plastic. I typically throw a 1/4-3/8oz bullet weight on a trigged tube and I can't recall ever hooking one deep. In the past I would use an 1/8oz bullet weight on a trigged senko style bait and I had issues with deep hooking fish because I was losing contact with the lure in current seams. The lighter setup allowed for a more natural presentation, but it was more prone to deep hooking fish due to slower bite detection.

[Flysmallie]

15 hours ago, Gavin said:

 A Ned with a weed guard doesn’t gut hook as many as a tube.

I use a Ned without a weed guard and don't have any problems either. 

[Seth Clarkson]

Pinching the barb definitely helps and using that trick to remove a hook when they swallow it makes a heck of a difference. Took awhile to do it very well, but it has definitely made a difference for me going in by the gills and turning the hook out from below rather than coming in from the mouth. 

I also never have that problem with a ned rig, not sure why there is such a difference. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

1 hour ago, Seth Clarkson said:

Pinching the barb definitely helps and using that trick to remove a hook when they swallow it makes a heck of a difference. Took awhile to do it very well, but it has definitely made a difference for me going in by the gills and turning the hook out from below rather than coming in from the mouth. 

I also never have that problem with a ned rig, not sure why there is such a difference. 

Do you use braid?   Braid is so sensitive it’s crazy.