So I been catching smallies on jerkbaits and wacky senkos but it seems like it’s getting a little slower on the bite. I have read and read that smallies love tubes so I figured I would give it a shot.  I saw most people would T rig them or use a jig head insert of like 3/16-1/8 weight.  I fish mostly shallow waters of 2-10’ft.  I’m wondering what is a good tube jig head insert as far as company or size etc? I looked for this but couldn’t find anything specifically mentioning this (sorry if I missed it). I’m fishing mainly for Lake Erie smallies in the harbor where I’m from. Or what is a good hook to T rig a tube.  I tried a 3/0 EWG but it seems like there is still not enough room for good hookset.  I think they make a tube hook but unsure. Thanks for any advice in advance 

I smallie fish in the rivers around here. I use Strike King Bitsy Tubes. T-rigged, 1/0 Trokar or Gamakatsu hook with an 1/8 oz. hook. 

 

VMC makes great tube jigs, but you can often find other, similar shaped heads for less.  Some ball head jigs can also work.  The most important part is hook size.  

 

For a T-rig, I probably prefer a straight shank hook with a wide gap. 

They sell a small WGH with a small clip on the end next to the eye.  These work well.  I have used the internal weights that you thread the small hook through, they work great.  I have even gone with a Carolina Rig with a small piece of Styrofoam wedged in the belly, and Texas rig right through the weightless tube.   It floated high behind that big Carolina weight.  This worked great because you can work the tube without moving it with just a little shake.  Smallies will slam it.

First question: What size tube will you be using? Second question: Will you be rigging it with the jig's hook exposed, or 'stupid' style? Some tube jigs have hooks with shanks that are too long, especially for a 2.75in. tube. A jig with a 90 degree line tie will spiral more on the drop than one with a 60 degree and even in light vegetation, that can make a difference. Too long a hook shank will interfere will the tail action.

Internal weights are a great way to go for a weedless presentation, or when skipping the tube, but you loose that spiraling action that makes a tube unique.  I don't have the link, but Glen did a video on rigging tubes and how to work them. It'll point you in the right direction.

32 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

First question: What size tube will you be using? Second question: Will you be rigging it with the jig's hook exposed, or 'stupid' style? Some tube jigs have hooks with shanks that are too long, especially for a 2.75in. tube. A jig with a 90 degree line tie will spiral more on the drop than one with a 60 degree and even in light vegetation, that can make a difference. Too long a hook shank will interfere will the tail action.

Internal weights are a great way to go for a weedless presentation, or when skipping the tube, but you loose that spiraling action that makes a tube unique.  I don't have the link, but Glen did a video on rigging tubes and how to work them. It'll point you in the right direction.

I plan to use 3.5-4.5 inch tubes ether T rigged with a small bullet weight or was going to use the 3.5-4.5 inch with the lead head inside jig head kind of like Hanks showed on his video with the hook comming out. Just wasn’t sure what size hook etc.  I saw some 1/8 and 3/16 weight but the hook looks tiny and the line tie doesn’t come out the tip of the tube. More of out the top about 1/4 inch from the tip

The trokar tube hook is what I use.

I'm not a huge fan of the EWG hooks with tubes as I used to miss a lot of fish.

 

 

 

 

The Trokar and Eagle Claw tube hooks are perfect for T-rigging as most EWG hooks have too long of a shank for use on tubes. 

As for jig heads, I prefer ones with thin wire hooks so I can use 6lb. mono and get good penetration.  Most of those have the 90 degree line tie. There are dozens of companies that make tube jigs and many purists pour their own because they have the option of using their preferred hook with whatever weight they want.  A true tube jig has the line tie off the top not the tip. The angle that it comes out is what determines how much,or little action the tube will have on the fall.

3 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

The Trokar and Eagle Claw tube hooks are perfect for T-rigging as most EWG hooks have too long of a shank for use on tubes. 

As for jig heads, I prefer ones with thin wire hooks so I can use 6lb. mono and get good penetration.  Most of those have the 90 degree line tie. There are dozens of companies that make tube jigs and many purists pour their own because they have the option of using their preferred hook with whatever weight they want.  A true tube jig has the line tie off the top not the tip. The angle that it comes out is what determines how much,or little action the tube will have on the fall.

Awesome thank you that’s great help!

With a tube I wouldn't worry about how much of the hook gap the tube takes up because they compress when the bass chomps em. If anything a tube does a great job of concealing a hook. I use a swing oil J tube, bulky tube, a lot on a slider head and really can't think of a fish I have missed with that combo.

These vids show several options.

 

 

 

 

I use Strike King and Arkie tube inserts. This year I am going to try T-rigging them for a weedless approach.

I use something that is not used much I don't believe anymore.  It's the old gitzit glider.  Its a little flat piece of lead with a hole in one end you insert into the tube.  You then take an EWG hook about a 3/0 depending on maker and put through the hole in lead then push hook up through the tube.  Almost like the stupid tube rigging.  So thankful a friend of mine made a mold for me for these little things.....may be old school but I like it.

On 5/22/2018 at 5:59 AM, Oregon Native said:

I use something that is not used much I don't believe anymore.  It's the old gitzit glider.  Its a little flat piece of lead with a hole in one end you insert into the tube.  You then take an EWG hook about a 3/0 depending on maker and put through the hole in lead then push hook up through the tube.  Almost like the stupid tube rigging.  So thankful a friend of mine made a mold for me for these little things.....may be old school but I like it.

I may have asked you before on another thread, but are these essentially the same thing?

 

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Phenix_Tubebait_Gliders_10pk/descpage-PTG.html

 

I like Bite Me Big Head Goby Head tube jigs.  They're heavy, so you'll want to use a stout rod.

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

I like Bite Me Big Head Goby Head tube jigs.  They're heavy, so you'll want to use a stout rod.

awsome thank you and thanks everyone for the help. Can’t wwit to get my first on a tube

2 hours ago, Oregon Native said:

I use something that is not used much I don't believe anymore.  It's the old gitzit glider.  Its a little flat piece of lead with a hole in one end you insert into the tube.  You then take an EWG hook about a 3/0 depending on maker and put through the hole in lead then push hook up through the tube.  Almost like the stupid tube rigging.  So thankful a friend of mine made a mold for me for these little things.....may be old school but I like it.

DO they not sell those anymore ? Those look awesome to use also? I would love to try multiple ways to see what works best for me

I don't believe they do but am sure they can be found maybe on ebay

On 5/22/2018 at 6:17 AM, cgolf said:

I may have asked you before on another thread, but are these essentially the same thing?

 

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Phenix_Tubebait_Gliders_10pk/descpage-PTG.html

 

I am pretty sure he is talking about the same thing. 

I have used those before and they work well once you get the rigging down.

 

 

I was just going to post up the videos that Glenn put up but he beat me to it.  Lately I've been using the hooks he showed that have the wire weed guard on them and they work well.  I bought them on ebay and I think the hooks could be a little better on the ones I bought as sometimes they throw the hook but I tried them with a different rod that has a little more backbone and have had a little better catch rate.  I've tried the stupid rig to keep them weedless and have bought some stupid jig hooks from Blue Rock tackle to try but haven't used them yet. 

 

As for size, I typically don't like going much over 1/4oz or 3/8oz for weight, and I usually use 4"-4.5" tubes and a 3/0 or 4/0 hook is a great size for those size of tubes.  Any bigger of a hook and it's running out the back of the tube and there's nothing to run the hook through.  Like said above a tube jig hook with an EWG hook doesn't rig great so I typically use a standard bend hook.  

2 hours ago, BassNJake said:

I am pretty sure he is talking about the same thing. 

I have used those before and they work well once you get the rigging down.

 

 

Only issue I ran into was that I had a lot of tubes with a solid nose, so the weights weren't compatible with those.

On 5/23/2018 at 8:41 AM, BassNJake said:

I am pretty sure he is talking about the same thing. 

I have used those before and they work well once you get the rigging down.

 

 

Yup....didn't know bout these but that's them....thank you

For tubes I actually do not prefer a strong hook.  Usually if I am using a tube I am fishing medium sized rivers with a lot of snags m.  Lighter hooks will bend out on snags and I just use the plyers to bend them back.  The last tube jigs I bought from cabelas in Saginaw.  They were cabelas brand and it was like 25 of them for 5 bucks or somthing.  I bought 90 degree 1/8 and 1/4 oz.  only issue with 1/8 was it was a smaller hook than I usually like.  I prefer tube hooks to be 1/0-2/0