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  1. #1
    Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
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    Missing/Losing a TON of Fish on a "Stupid" Tube

    It's winter and I'm reflecting on the past year's successes, failures, regrets, and so on. One that has really been stuck in the back of my mind that I've been puzzling over was a tournament I lost near the end of the season fishing a tube rigged "stupid" style. I just kept missing fish, and it seemed that those I didn't miss I managed to lose. In almost every case, the hook failed to come out of the tube on the hookset. This day in particular was bad, but I've had issues with it the other times I've fished it as well. The erratic action is awesome, keeping it weedless is even more awesome, but all the bites in the world don't matter if you don't get them in the boat!

    I was using the jighead everyone is going to recommend, fishing it on an 8lb fluoro leader on 20 lb braid on a medium power fast action spinning rod. I've experimented with soft tubes, harder tubes, thinner walled and thicker walled tubes. Is this simply a technique where you just really need to lay into them to get the hook set? I've experimented with everything I could think of short of hammering them like I would on a hollow body frog bite. Is there some mistake I'm making it rigging it up? I've managed to get it to look like it's "supposed" to look - Texsposing it and skin hooking the point. Do I need to rip out some plastic around the eye of the jighead to allow it to pivot easier?

    I'm absolutely baffled on this one. At this point I've just about completely written it off as a viable technique, but there are just too many people that talk about how well it works for them for me to give up on it.

    Anybody had a lot of success with some tips to offer? What have I been doing wrong?
    2011 Skeeter ZX225
    225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
    Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
    Console: HDS 16 Carbon
    Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360

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    #2
    .
    Last edited by Snickers89; 01-17-2018 at 04:04 PM.

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    #3
    Are most fish you losing smallmouth?

  4. Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
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    #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Snickers89 View Post
    straight jig or flat eye? I have MUCH better hook up ratios with flat eye jigs.

    Although I don't have a ton of hours using a stupid rig, it seems like there just isn't enough bite in the hook....or the shank is too short. too much "meat" in there to get a good hookup.For that reason, I kind of gave up on them
    The ones I have are flat eye. I threw both 1/8 and 1/4 oz with the same results. Though I'm not happy to hear you gave up on them, it kind of makes me feel better that I'm not the only one who's had issues. They have 2/0 hooks and were being used in 3 and 3.5 inch tubes. This is the same size hook I'd use if Texas rigging them.


    Quote Originally Posted by Srt1010 View Post
    Are most fish you losing smallmouth?
    It's been a mixture of large and smallmouth, but almost all largemouth on the day that they cost me the most. It's not even like I was hooking them and losing them. By and large I'd set the hook, have the rod load up and feel the weight, then have the thing come flying back at me with the hook still pretty well buried in the tube.
    2011 Skeeter ZX225
    225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
    Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
    Console: HDS 16 Carbon
    Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360

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    #5
    Ive never used the jigheads. The ones I throw are weights with holes in them that u put inside the tube then rig your favorite ewg hook. I bought mine years ago from bass pro I don't think they sell them anymore but I know other types are being made. I also use casting gear with all my tube fishing

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    #6
    one fall i was missing and losing every smallmouth i hooked on a tube (with a jig head) - i finally got one in the boat and noticed the hook had pierced the fish through the outside of the top lip - after looking at it for a couple of minutes i figured out the fish was hitting the tube head first (line tie in the mouth with the hook outside the mouth. ended going with fireline on a lighter head and smaller jig and started hooking them right.
    2020 Ranger Z519 | 2020 Mercury Pro XS 225 4S | Helix 10SI | Helix 10 MDI G3N | Helix 10 MDI G3N | Noco GENIUS 10X4
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  7. Member Jesse-C's Avatar
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    #7
    Hook buried in the tube? I just lighly skin hook it and haven't had many issues except for the occasional bite at the end of a super long cast.

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    #8
    I would hook them with a wacky hook nose weight if I was getting hits and not the fish. search you tube there are videos of flukes and they always hit them head first.. same with jerk baits etc.

  9. Member bigbitef11's Avatar
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    #9
    I think I saw this tip on here from some genious, so I won't take credit.

    The key with smallmouth and the stupid tube for me is using a wide gap hook that is just slightly longer than the tube.

    Then you can just skin hook the end of the hook so the tube impedes the hookset less.

    Ideally you want to use the softest tube you can get away with in the particular cover you are fishing.

    I remember one smally about 5 pounds that came off at the boat on a stupid tube. It was a SK coffee tube, which are thick and tougher to get a good catch rate on.

    I've had better catch rates on berkly power tubes, but still use the coffee tube in heavy cover where I use a baitcast and heavier line (12+#).

    Seems like I have better catch rates with MH rods and baitcast rods for tubes and smallies. Might be related gear ratio and getting the fish in quicker or longer rod.

    Trim the tube, let them eat it longer, and bend the hook up right or left slightly to cover all the bases.

    I keep using stupid tubes cause the alternatives (texas and weedless tube heads) don't work better and I appreciate not leaving tube jigs snagged in the lake. If I get frustrated I'll lean on a finesse jig, jigworm, and crawjig more.

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    #10
    What size tube are you using and how are you working it ?

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    #11
    The best rigging for me fishing any bait is hook-exposed, but if cover dictates I have to protect the hook point. There are several ways to fish a tube "weedless"... if one isn't working for you try another. A jig head with a light wire weed guard or a wide-gap swimbait hook may be a better option for you. Title-shot jigheads work well for me. I read your original post and thought to myself that stubborness was part of the problem.

    oe

  12. Dumbass bilgerat's Avatar
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    #12
    Try this. The hookup ratio is fantastic

    Been doing this for years. Drop shot weight with the eye opened up. The weight can be trimmed with dykes if you want to lighten it up. The advantage is the weight is independent of the hook so it won't interfere with hookups. The hook in the picture is a Gammy 3/0 thin wire hook.


    Line the hook up next to the tube to determine the exact spot the hook eye will enter the tube head.


    Poke the hook eye through and run it down and out the bottom.


    Hang the weight on the Z bend of the hook as shown. Slowly pull the hook in the direction shown. The weight will be pulled up inside of the tube.


    Ranting incoherently

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    #13
    I also believe it is due to the fact that the fish take the bait head first. Success improves with a lighter sweeping or leaning into the fish type of hook set. Quick heavy set seems to just pull the bait out of their mouth.

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    #14
    Quote Originally Posted by bilgerat View Post
    Try this. The hookup ratio is fantastic

    Been doing this for years. Drop shot weight with the eye opened up. The weight can be trimmed with dykes if you want to lighten it up. The advantage is the weight is independent of the hook so it won't interfere with hookups. The hook in the picture is a Gammy 3/0 thin wire hook.


    Line the hook up next to the tube to determine the exact spot the hook eye will enter the tube head.


    Poke the hook eye through and run it down and out the bottom.


    Hang the weight on the Z bend of the hook as shown. Slowly pull the hook in the direction shown. The weight will be pulled up inside of the tube.


    http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Yamam...page-YSTW.html

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  16. Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
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    #16
    Thanks for the advice, everyone. I've tried most of the advice being given for actually getting the jigheads to work - different tubes, different sizes, different hooksets. I've even tried offsetting the point with a pair of pliers at the hook bend, as that's something that I've used a lot in ice fishing to give a jig an erratic motion as well as to greatly improve hookup percentages. Okoboji Eagle is right - there has definitely been some stubbornness on my part in trying to force this technique to work. Given my lack of success there and some confirmation here that some others are having (or have had) the same problems, I'm going to give it up and move on to an alternative.

    I've used multiple methods of fishing a tube with an exposed hook and have had a ton of success doing that...I just need something for getting through heavy cover where an exposed hook won't work - weeds, chunky rock, wood, etc. I've also fished a fluke with the nose hook in the past with great success. I've not tried it with a tube, but that sounds like a great thing to check out for times when not fishing in the thick stuff. That should be a great technique for some of the "hard nosed" tubes on the market!

    The weights inside the tube with a regular EWG hook look like the ticket. That's definitely going to get the good ol' college try this year, and I'll report back with results. I suspect that rig will skip well also so it could be a fantastic rig for fishing around docks. I really appreciate the illustrations and links there!
    2011 Skeeter ZX225
    225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
    Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
    Console: HDS 16 Carbon
    Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360

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    #17
    Throw away those ewg's. They have horrible hook ups by their design. I use the Owner K hook and crimp a split shot on the shank below the eye. When bit, just keep pressure until the fish hooks himself. This hook is designed to roll until it catches on the lip and has excellent hook ups.

    good luck!
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    #18
    Quote Originally Posted by DrewFlu33 View Post
    It's winter and I'm reflecting on the past year's successes, failures, regrets, and so on. One that has really been stuck in the back of my mind that I've been puzzling over was a tournament I lost near the end of the season fishing a tube rigged "stupid" style. I just kept missing fish, and it seemed that those I didn't miss I managed to lose. In almost every case, the hook failed to come out of the tube on the hookset. This day in particular was bad, but I've had issues with it the other times I've fished it as well. The erratic action is awesome, keeping it weedless is even more awesome, but all the bites in the world don't matter if you don't get them in the boat!

    I was using the jighead everyone is going to recommend, fishing it on an 8lb fluoro leader on 20 lb braid on a medium power fast action spinning rod. I've experimented with soft tubes, harder tubes, thinner walled and thicker walled tubes. Is this simply a technique where you just really need to lay into them to get the hook set? I've experimented with everything I could think of short of hammering them like I would on a hollow body frog bite. Is there some mistake I'm making it rigging it up? I've managed to get it to look like it's "supposed" to look - Texsposing it and skin hooking the point. Do I need to rip out some plastic around the eye of the jighead to allow it to pivot easier?

    I'm absolutely baffled on this one. At this point I've just about completely written it off as a viable technique, but there are just too many people that talk about how well it works for them for me to give up on it.

    Anybody had a lot of success with some tips to offer? What have I been doing wrong?
    The first thing that jumped out at me in your OP was the tube jigs were only 2/0 hooks. 3/0 is the smallest hook for (3" +/- )tubes....2/0 for bitsy tubes and you have to modify the hook to increase %'s. I did have a similar issue when I first started throwing the stupid tube but like all things you have to modify and figure out the best for you. went with smaller and thinner tubes....not a problem anymore.
    You should know that in bee tending if you don't shut your trap the bees will get out.

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    #19
    Trokar has a new stupid tube head coming out.

  20. Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
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    #20
    Quote Originally Posted by BassVoodoo View Post
    The first thing that jumped out at me in your OP was the tube jigs were only 2/0 hooks. 3/0 is the smallest hook for (3" +/- )tubes....2/0 for bitsy tubes and you have to modify the hook to increase %'s. I did have a similar issue when I first started throwing the stupid tube but like all things you have to modify and figure out the best for you. went with smaller and thinner tubes....not a problem anymore.
    Guess I could try something with a bigger hook. Seems like it'd be tough to get a bigger hook into the 3 inch tubes I use most often, but could try it. I've mostly written it off by now, though. Anxious to try out the drop shot weight method, though!

    Quote Originally Posted by UkCatsBasser View Post
    Trokar has a new stupid tube head coming out.
    I'm sure they'll be high quality, but given that their standard hooks run close to $2 a piece I'm betting these see $3 or more a piece.
    2011 Skeeter ZX225
    225 Yamaha HPDI Series 2
    Minn Kota Ultrex 112 52"
    Console: HDS 16 Carbon
    Bow: HDS 12 Carbon, Solix 12 G2, Mega 360

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