Headed up to Minnesota in a few weeks to catch some smallies. Haven't fished for them since I was a kid and they are not a plentiful fish in the area I live.

I know that tubes and grubs are a popular bait for these fish and just curious how you guys are rigging them. I rarely fish grubs and I imagine that the popular rigging method is on a standard ball head jig? That's not an option I have for LMB since most of the places I fish are weedy and full of snags. Any suggestions for types of jigs or brands or any other ways to rig them?

Same question for the tubes. I sometimes fish them for largemouth, but that is usually Texas rigged with a 1/8 oz. tungsten weight. Is that how you fish them for smallies too? I've also got some big bite tube heads but I've yet to tie one on.

Ay help or other suggestions for baits this time of year would be appreciated; thanks.

Well, it's important to let us know what type of cover/depth/current you'll be fishing first. You can rig both of those baits in a variety of ways, but cover/depth/current really dictate which one to use....and to a certain degree, water clarity.

The primary things I consider before rigging are:

• is the area rocky? If so, that rules out bullet weights and darter heads...unless you enjoy getting hung up on every cast. Football heads are a good choice here.
  
• Is the area weedy? That rules out open hooks...unless it's sparse weeds. Then a jighead with a wireguard will work.
  
• Is it clear water? If so, then a splitshot (mojo) or drop shot rig would be an option.
  
• Less than 10 feet? That really dictates how a tube should be rigged - most importantly, what kind of jighead to use. You want a spiral action in less than 10' (my preference, yours may differ.) to get a reaction strike. In water deeper than 10', I want to drag and hop it off the bottom.
  
• Are the areas mixed rock/weed/depths? That really adds some fun to the mix!
  
• Is there current? Generally that means heavier weights; the stronger the current, the heavier the weight.
  

So...tell us about the cover/depth/current and water clarity, and we'll help you hone in on some options!

I rig up grubs with jig heads with and without weedguard depending on the situation.

For tubes I rig them with a jig head and no weedguard if open water, add a weedguard if needed. More rocky I fish Trigged. The most snag free is with a bell sinker inside the tube.

If you don't have weedguard and want the jighead, you can rig weedless like this.

Charlie Brewer Spider jig heads. 3/0 hooks with 4" grubs, 2/0 hooks with 3" grubs. I slit the grub bellies 1/2 way through to make hook setting easier.

oe