I like fishing some of the smaller slimmer 3.5" tubes. Things like the fat gitzits and zooms. Does anyone know a good source of these type of tubes (any similar makes suggested would be appreciated too) in shaddy smokey type colours, dark back light bellied type two tone ones too? I need to ship them to the UK, so places like Tackle Warehouse , Cabelas and Bass pro are prohibitively expensive for shipping, or in the case of Tackle Warehouse, a real pain to buy stuff from because they want you to jump through ridiculous hoops first!

 

Any basement makers or similar you could recommend or shops holding a range of styles?

 

Many thanks

 

Tim

Buy direct from Canyon Plastics Bait company maker of the Gitzit.

Tom

The 3.5" Yamamoto tubes, and 3.5" BPS tender tubes are both a single dipped, thin walled, slim tube.

Both Netcraft and Barlows offer tubes in various colors, sizes and configurations. Very inexpensive and they work just fine. Not sure if they'd have your particular color or not, but it might be worth a look-see for you. Both are offered in catalog or online formats.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Still a fail though sadly. I've looked at all the options suggested and most don't ship outside North America as standard. BPS will, but their postage charges are insane. They used to be OK years ago, but seemed to become bored with the business, so imposed a huge minimum charge. Canyon plastics don't have a non North America option. I emailed them years ago wanting to buy some gig curly tail grubs and they wanted $100 postage. I don't think they wanted my business either.

Powerteam Lures Food chain tubes are excellent. the have a solid nose section even on the smaller tubes, which is a little uncommon. You can get the from *** or Powerteamlures.com

I would highly recommend Dry Creek Outfitters in Murtaugh Idaho. He's a class act for sure and may be able to help.

Maybe the forum sponsor, Valley Sports? They support us, we should support them. Plus, Ron is a class act.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Still a fail though sadly. I've looked at all the options suggested and most don't ship outside North America as standard. BPS will, but their postage charges are insane. They used to be OK years ago, but seemed to become bored with the business, so imposed a huge minimum charge. Canyon plastics don't have a non North America option. I emailed them years ago wanting to buy some gig curly tail grubs and they wanted $100 postage. I don't think they wanted my business either.

TW sells and ships international, and they carry the Yamamoto tubes I mentioned.

I just bought some Whisky River Tubes. They are skinny sized like you are looking for and come in the smokey colors.

TW sells and ships international, and they carry the Yamamoto tubes I mentioned.

Thanks

 

The trouble with TW is that you have to pre register with them and fax (how delightfully retro) stuff to them before they'll accept an international order. Lousy way of doing business, so I won't!

 

Dry Creek looks very promising, but you can only order directly if your in the States. I might try emailing them to see if they can do a shipment, but I suspect that it will be a bad deal if they're not used to doing it. The shipping quotes are usually ridiculous. If I could find a supplier on ebay it would be too easy, but I can't. Jeez, it's hard to spend your hard earned sometimes!

Ha! Just had a partial success at Whiskey River. Thanks for that. They had an international option, so so far so good. They still have to calculate the shipping, so we'll see what happens, but it's a step in the right direction. Many thanks for the heads up.

PowerTeam Lures "Food Chain Tube" are the best I have found.  They have very life like tentacles and come in all of the great colors.  Great baits.

Question: Don't they have some kind of fishing forums there in the UK? If they do, I'm sure some of them pour their own soft plastics. Shouldn't be difficult to find someone to help you out over there.

 

And if the do not have a forum there....maybe you ought to think about starting one!

Plenty of forums in the Uk. No bass though! Tubes are virtually unavailable in the UK as people don't use them. I catch plenty on them, but am in no rush to make them more popular! I can make soft plastic baits myself, but have never worked out a way to cut the tails on tubes satisfactorily, so it is, or should be easier to buy them in!

Let me know if you need help getting this stuff, drum master.

 

For some of you that don't know, I've had the pleasure of fishing with Tim a few times.  He's no joke, and if says he needs tubes - he really needs them, lol.

Lol. Thanks John. You having it cold enough at the moment? Fishing through a 6" hole isn't quite like ripping it up in the bullet!

No it isn't, but it helps make the winter pass.  It's actually been pretty warm here after the deep freeze a week ago.  Might be checking my ditches for trout this weekend.

but have never worked out a way to cut the tails on tubes satisfactorily

 

 

Yeah I'm having that same issue as well. I've built a few different ways to cut em but havent found a winner yet lol

If you do crack it, please let me know!

No it isn't, but it helps make the winter pass.  It's actually been pretty warm here after the deep freeze a week ago.  Might be checking my ditches for trout this weekend.

Excellent! You have some impressive trout fishing up there.

Couldn't believe some of the pictures from a couple of weeks ago. Niagara Falls frozen? No David Blaine in sight? Wow!

Couple things. I would be willing to get your order shipped to me and I could ship it to you. Or perhaps someone you know or trust more could do that.

 

I have a nice two cavity INJECTION mold for $125 that makes two tubes at a time with tentacles all cut.

 

Or dip them yourself. That is cheap and fairly easy. I believe lurecraft makes a tube tail cutter.

Thank you for your offer, very kind of you. 

 

I tend to use the tubes as baitfish imitations mostly, rather than as crayfish imitations, so like the shaddy patterns and particularly the two tone ones. I don't imagine it's very possible to get the two colour effect with an injected bait, or is it?

You can if you shoot the tube then cut off the rest of the body and leave the skirt on the dowel and then shoot the tube again with the color you want the body to be.

He is talking about a horizontal split in colors down the length of the bait. It could be done with a twinjector but now we are talking pretty advanced and more expensive equipment.

 

And you can not get that effect dipping that I know of.