I have never fished this rig, but have tried rigging it at home. I always end up tearing the tube up when trying to reverse the jig head inside the bait. I’ve tried it with Bite Me and VMC Dominator heads using Strike King, Cabin Creek, and Zoom tubes in 3.5 inch. Also the hook extends beyond the end of the tube making rigging it weedless a problem. Is there a trick to doing this?

 

Joe

I generally use the stupid jig heads from Secret Lures, and always wet the head before trying to rig it in the tube. It definitely takes a little finesse to rig them without tearing the tube, but once you get used to it it's not too bad. Also if the hook is going beyond the end f the tube I would say you are using the incorrect size hook for that tube size, or you aren't far enough up into the tube with the head.

22 minutes ago, walleyecrazy said:

Also if the hook is going beyond the end f the tube I would say you are using the incorrect size hook for that tube size, or you aren't far enough up into the tube with the head.

I’ll keep working at getting the head in without tearing the bait.

One of the tube head jigs I was using (VMC) was the same one I saw Ike use in his video on the rig with a 3 1/2 inch tube. Do they come in different hook lengths?

I am a stupid tube fanboy, but I never tried Dominator heads. The hook angle looked totally wrong to me. Personally, I use the Secret Lures ones as they are functionally perfect for this application.

 

Here's the instructions from the back of their heads if it helps.

42 minutes ago, walleyecrazy said:

I generally use the stupid jig heads from Secret Lures, and always wet the head before trying to rig it in the tube. It definitely takes a little finesse to rig them without tearing the tube, but once you get used to it it's not too bad. Also if the hook is going beyond the end f the tube I would say you are using the incorrect size hook for that tube size, or you aren't far enough up into the tube with the head.

X2.

 

Wet the jig head before inserting it into the tube and put the eye where you want it and then press down on both sides of the eye to bring it through the plastic.

 

And as Walleyecrazy penned, if the hook is going beyond the length of the tube you are using an incorrect size hook so go down in the length of the hook.

I’ll have to check out the Secret Lures heads!

51 minutes ago, 5/0 said:

I’ll keep working at getting the head in without tearing the bait.

One of the tube head jigs I was using (VMC) was the same one I saw Ike use in his video on the rig with a 3 1/2 inch tube. Do they come in different hook lengths?

 

I can't speak to the VMC hooks, but the Secret Lures stupid tube heads come in both 3/0 and 4/0 sizes. Both sizes work good in tubes from 3.5-4.5" with the 4/0 being my preferred size.

I have to ask if you're using tube jigs? Because the lead on them extends farther down the hook, turning them inside the tube without tearing it, is difficult in narrow tubes.  I use a ball head jig and a drop of anise oil bases attractant. As for the hook extending past the body, place the jig alongside the tube (see the top illustration in MIchigander's post). You want to match it has plastic behind the bend. Go longer tube, or shorter jig.

11 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

I use a ball head jig

I’ll have to give this a try. Maybe a smaller dart head as well.

If any of you want a cheaper head to rig tubes this way, the Big Bite Bait Wacky Rig jig head works great.  Its entirely too big for its intended design.  They should just change its name to stupid tube jig and keep the same price.  It would immediately become the cheapest option in the market, and the Youtube fishing brohs would storm all available online markets and buy them out.

Ahhhh, finally got it! Got some Stupid Tube & Bite Me EWG heads. As nearly all of you commented the shanks on the heads I was previously trying were too long. As for the difficulty reversing the head, I was bring the hook out too far down inside the tube leaving no room to work the head around. 

Thanks for all your input!

 

Joe

7 minutes ago, 5/0 said:

Ahhhh, finally got it! Got some Stupid Tube & Bite Me EWG heads. As nearly all of you commented the shanks on the heads I was previously trying were too long. As for the difficulty reversing the head, I was bring the hook out too far down inside the tube leaving no room to work the head around. 

Thanks for all your input!

 

Joe

Awesome!!

I’ve never understood this rig or been able to rig it. I’ve also watched Jacob wheeler’s camera man lose hundreds of them on the TN river so I don’t really think I want to try it

1 minute ago, TnRiver46 said:

I’ve never understood this rig or been able to rig it. I’ve also watched Jacob wheeler’s camera man lose hundreds of them on the TN river so I don’t really think I want to try it

Sounds like the camera man doesn't rig/fish it right. My hookup to land is near 100%. And I rarely break off.

1 minute ago, Michigander said:

Sounds like the camera man doesn't rig/fish it right. My hookup to land is near 100%.

No he lost the tubes, not the fish. I should have specified, he has to break them off constantly 

Just now, TnRiver46 said:

No he lost the tubes, not the fish 

Was he more successful with an open hook?? LoL

3 minutes ago, Michigander said:

Was he more successful with an open hook?? LoL

It reminded me of a pro, either drew Benton or drew cook fishing pickwick with a ned rig. Not too long into it, he said “I’m almost out of jigheads” 

 

When you are fishing solid rocks the lead gets stuck, not the hook point 

 

Just now, TnRiver46 said:

It reminded me of a pro, either drew Benton or drew cook fishing pickwick with a ned rig. Not too long into it, he said “I’m almost out of jigheads”

One of the advantages of a stupid tube is that you can use heavier gear. I use similar to what is throw a TRig on.

There's a technique to it in rocks. Some people just drag and break off a lot. Not saying I don't lose to rocks, but I lose less than I used to.

I haven’t fished it yet, it’ll get a shot next weekend. But I would think it would come through rock way better than an open hook.