Really loving fishing for Smallmouth Bass this season with tubes.

 

I have been using the Zoom salty tubes however the tentacles are quite fragile. I notice I am going through more baits as they lose so many appendages. Good news is they are cheap enough.

 

What tubes do you guys recommend?

 

I also have Berkley Havoc Smash Tubes (a little too big) and Big Bite Baits salt tubes that work well and have sturdier tentacles. The Zoom seem to work better though.

Cabin creek tubes have caught smallies for me from Lake Erie to the new river and many places in between 

Lunch Money Tubes.  Hands down.  Also carried by Case Plastics.

 

https://fishingcompleteinc.com/lunch-money-flipping-tube-4-10-pk/

I should have added this question to my original post. How do you like to rig them?

 

I have been using the weighted tube hooks from Strike King. This works for me in open water and I rarely get snagged where I lose the bait.

 

I see you can Texas rig them, weighted or no weight?

I've been using el cheapo arky tube jigs from Walmart because I tend to break off alot in root balls and rock crevices.  I have experimented some with using plain worm hooks and casting weights stuffed in the nose of the tube.  I would like to try the stupid rig but haven't invested in the proper jigs yet.  Weightless was far to slow sinking for me.  Especially in current

I like cabin creek. I've used them for a long time as they are a local business to me.

 

I generally t-rig them with weight. 

I have used quite a few. Cabin Creek, Zoom, Yamamoto, and Strike King. Really like the coffee scented Strike King tubes in the 3.5 inch size.

I love SK coffee tubes.  Poor boys are good too and are pretty cheap.  I rarely flip tubes.  Most of the time, I'm using the tube jig heads in open water for smallies.  

 

PROvider Tackle make a quality product.

The "Performance Series" Bite Size - BBQ Melon 3.5" model is a solid SMB producer for me.

http://www.providertackle.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=66_70&product_id=174

A-Jay

 

I don't fish tubes a whole lot but have had decent success with the 3.5 inch SK coffee tubes with a 1/4 oz internal jighead.

1 minute ago, nighthawk25 said:

I don't fish tubes a whole lot but have had decent success with the 3.5 inch SK coffee tubes with a 1/4 oz internal jighead.

 

I am interested in the Coffee Tubes. Can you guys that have fished them tell me if the tentacles are durable? At least more so than the Zoom?

The SK coffee tubes seem to have pretty solid durability of the tentacles. I have had the same bait last for a half day before. Most of the time for me the area by the hook and weight will tear first on a tube of any brand for that matter. For the $ I would get a pack or two and see what you personally think. I really dont have any complaints about them or failures while using them.

47 minutes ago, Finesse Wayfarer said:

 

I am interested in the Coffee Tubes. Can you guys that have fished them tell me if the tentacles are durable? At least more so than the Zoom?

I haven't tried Zoom tubes but the coffee tubes seem pretty durable. They're pretty reasonably priced so I'd buy a pack to compare.

I have used the SK Coffee tubes and zero complaints.

6 hours ago, Finesse Wayfarer said:

I should have added this question to my original post. How do you like to rig them?

 

I have been using the weighted tube hooks from Strike King. This works for me in open water and I rarely get snagged where I lose the bait.

 

I see you can Texas rig them, weighted or no weight?

 

Classic internal jighead in open water or "stupid rig" when fished in our around cover.

 

Stupid rig:

 

I fish tubes a lot, for both smallmouth and largemouth.  I usually down size to the smaller tubes and use mostly natural colors for smallmouth and use the bigger tubes in brighter colors for largies.  I use a tube jig if I'm fishing in rocks/hard bottom and rig it with a skip gap hook if I'm fishing around weeds.  I like the bass pro bitsy tube and the Berkley power tube.

BPS 4" Magnum Flipping Tubes.

 

I usually fish them with a wire weed guard that hooks under the tip of the hook or recently I've started using a ball headed shakey head with the keeper cut off that has a wide gap hook rigged stupid style like in the video above.

Poor boys + owner tube hooks

 

Simply outstanding.

Strike King Coffee tubes, V&M Smallie tubes, and recently added the 3D Goby tube from Savage Gear. I pour my own heads and do the stupid tube rig. 

Who makes the best hook for rigging the stupid tube ??

Thanks everyone. I am going to pick up a pack of the coffee tubes and stupid rig them.