Some Guidelines To Tackle For Using Tubes Needed.

[713lefty]

I've seen many references to tubes, brown, dk green, 1/8 & 1/4oz. I use a medium heavy spinning rod for jig n craws with 10# invis-x. I think a mh is too stiff for a tube. What type of spinning rod for tubes? I'm thinking 8# or 10# invis-x fluorocarbon on a 6' or 6'6"medium action rod. How does that sound?

[Ham]

Sounds about right. I don't think you need fluro for tubes, but that's your call. You could use a MH for tubes especially if you are using the BIG multi-dip ones. A medium should do for most tubes. A ML woould for for exposed hook jigheads, but I prefer the Medium.

[713lefty]

Thanks Ham! Do you texas rig, or use jig heads with a medium action rod? I guess it's tough to texas rig a 3" tube, not enough room.

Anybody else have a favorite rig.

[Dutch]

I fish a lot of tubes. I use M or MH 6.5' for almost all tube applications. I have found that I only need a few basic colors to work day or night (pumpkin seed/ melon pepper/ smoke/ black neon). Once in a while some of the other colors work better but not very often for me. I never go fishing without 2-4 tied on.

[713lefty]

I fish a lot of tubes. I use M or MH 6.5' for almost all tube applications. I have found that I only need a few basic colors to work day or night (pumpkin seed/ melon pepper/ smoke/ black neon). Once in a while some of the other colors work better but not very often for me. I never go fishing without 2-4 tied on.

How do you select the med or mh?

[Dutch]

I fish 1/8, 1/4, 3/16, 3/8 heads on tubes from 2.5"-4". The smaller lighter ones get the M and he heavier larger ones get the MH. If I had to go for only one size rod it would be the M because of its versatility. For me good quality rods are a must for this kind of fishing because the bite can be only a slight change in weight which can go unnoticed on a rod that is lacking sensitivity.

[Ham]

I thow a 4 inch tube on a 1/4 oz weedless jighead. I am using mostly heavy bodied tubes like Bass Pro's 4 inch Mag Flipping Tube. If I throw a tube, I'm looking for a little bit better sized fish. I have lots of smaller plastics I fish on ML if I am looking for numbers.

My favorite colors are almost always greens and browns with various glitters. I always look at water color and amount of available light.

I don't like to t rig my tubes, but the old Shaw Grisby HP hook will let you t rig any size tube. Someone is most likely still offering a hook like that.

[Al Agnew]

About the only way I fish tubes is with a split shot inserted into the tube and then an EWG hook texas-rigged and skin hooked. I just pick a hook that I can insert into the head of the tube and back out, then run through the body of the tube very close to the rear end of the body and the point skin-hooked. So depending upon the size of the tube body, this can be anything from a 1/0 to a 3/0 hook. The split shot (or egg sinker) should be big enough that you have to force it up into the tube. You can run it all the way up to the head and get a spiraling, nose first fall, or push it back more toward the center of the body and get a more level fall.

With such a rig, you need a rod heavy enough to set the hook through plasic if necessary. I use a medium spinning rod, but I always use braided line, which helps immensely in hook setting.

My usual guideline on color is, if the water is clear, you want something that is as close as possible to matching the color of the bottom of the river or lake. If it's a clear Ozark stream, the gravel is usually a light brownish color, so I'll use a tube that is brownish. If it's a lake, the bottom is often algae colored and more greenish, so I'll go with a more greenish colored tube. If the water is murky, color doesn't matter a whole lot and I'm likely to use black.

[713lefty]

Thanks to all for the help. I found some G-Lock EWG by Gamakatsu I already had in 2/0, 3/0 & 5/0. I also now have a use for the large bag of split shot I accidently picked that don't have the removable "wings". I have many big 4" & 4 1/2"flippin tubes, I'll get some 3" tubes next. Then I'll to look for a good rod (or 2) at a low after Christmas price!

Thanks Again!

[Dutch]

You might want to check out the St Croix Avid series. I have some of them and they work pretty well with tubes.