I love the free-rig.  My favorite bait is a beaver.  No it’s “The Beaver”. 
 

today I wanted to try something new.  Me, free-rigging a tube. I didn’t think it all the way thru.  My smallest EWG was 1/0 owner.   My tube is tiny.  The hook was too big.  I resorted to tucking the tip up into the bung hole.   You know, for science.   
 

I casted it out and grinned.  What happened next floored me.  My rod was almost yanked out of my hands.  It went very parabolic.  in zero-flat.  Of course my janky too-big hook didn’t pierce the mystery fish.  I lost it.  I took scissors and cut a relief slot for the hook.  It was game on.  Fish after fish.   Fire!   I even managed to cast a few 3’s nd 4’s.  Mostly smalls due to my snack like tube, I think. 
 

I saw in clear water my sinker go down.  And the tube kinda spirals down after it.    
 

im hitting the store tomorrow to find 3” tubes. I bet mine are 1.5” (body).  Dinky.   I don’t think this generation of bass have ever seen a tube. 
 

I ended up fishing 10 hours today.  In a drizzle.  It was so much fun.  I’m a believer.   I caught a lot of fish.  Lots. 

One of the main reasons I’ve been tossing finesse swimming in my area. And hopping off the bottom and swimming it. Everyone throws a stick bait, spinner bait, lipless crank here. It’s something they haven’t seen and silent too. Not rattling and such or flashing. I agree it’s like they are conditioned to what we have now. This past year and beginning of this year was my toughest year ever. 
 

congrats!!! I’ve never tried a tube sounds like ya smoked em tho!!

I've never used a Free Rig but a tube seems like a logical choice for one . I might have to get some weights and try it.

Carolina rig a tube or better yet double pegs - one on both sides of a tungsten t rig sinker -> tube on a EWG.

 

You can even put the two pegs a few inches apart so the weight and line are still 'free'.

 

This rigging has replaced C rig and free rig for me and when you want to its convertible to a pegged or unpegged t rig.

 

Tubes work.  🙂 

 

Try an alka seltzer or piece of foam inside the tube to give it some bubbly or more floaty action!

I just had an idea for a free rig. Instead of buying expensive special weights. Take the cheapest round jig heads and clip the collar and hook off. 

17 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I just had an idea for a free rig. Instead of buying expensive special weights. Take the cheapest round jig heads and clip the collar and hook off. 

 

It'll work, but over time line twist will blow you up.  The swivel eyelet is key to not having to worry about it.  I still have non-swiveling for my heavy weights, if I check on it enough, not a problem.

 

scott

7 hours ago, softwateronly said:

 

It'll work, but over time line twist will blow you up.  The swivel eyelet is key to not having to worry about it.  

In addition, the fine eyelets have less friction and allow the weight to sink more freely which helps with separation.

 

Now if one has a load of weights they'd like to sub into Free Rig action (or want even faster weight separation) buy one of these Fuji weight clips. I have the orange one.

 

 

In case my explanation sucked, here’s the juice of the day.  Last tattered one that came home w me. 
(See my too-big hook w too-small tube?)

The free rig is the real deal.  I made a video about it years ago, and I still use it today.  I haven't tried a tube with it, though.  I'm about to. 

 

3 minutes ago, Glenn said:

The free rig is the real deal.  I made a video about it years ago, and I still use it today.  I haven't tried a tube with it, though.  I'm about to. 

 

Your dropshot video is what got me onto fish in the early days.  

1 hour ago, Darth-Baiter said:

In case my explanation sucked, here’s the juice of the day.  Last tattered one that came home w me. 
(See my too-big hook w too-small tube?)

 

That set up should work just fine IF you stuff a piece of Senko into the tube

Yay!

 

 

2 hours ago, Darth-Baiter said:

Yay!

You dragging it on the bottom or hopping it up and letting it sink? 

2 hours ago, JackstrawIII said:

You dragging it on the bottom or hopping it up and letting it sink? 

hopping it.  but the bass usually hit right after the cast and the thing is spiraling downwards.   I was in 11 feet of water.  

Been sleeping on the tube for a while . Not anymore 

Do you literally just Texas rig the tube? Doesn’t stay on the hook well? I can’t say I’ve ever even had a tube in my hands so I have no idea what they are like 

49 minutes ago, Joedodge said:

Do you literally just Texas rig the tube? Doesn’t stay on the hook well? I can’t say I’ve ever even had a tube in my hands so I have no idea what they are like 

I stuff a tiny bit of stick bait up

inside there so the hook has something moe to bite into.   Then just Texas rig it. I do cut a slit in the tube opposite the hook point do it is squishier and the hook sticks the fish easier. I have use a biullet worm hook but now I free fig it all. 

3 minutes ago, Darth-Baiter said:

I stuff a tiny bit of stick bait up

inside there so the hook has something moe to bite into.   Then just Texas rig it. I do cut a slit in the tube opposite the hook point do it is squishier and the hook sticks the fish easier. I have use a biullet worm hook but now I free fig it all. 

Dang! Thank you so much. I may have to give a tube a try. I’ve always avoided them forever because I didn’t think they could be rigged weedless 

5 minutes ago, Joedodge said:

Dang! Thank you so much. I may have to give a tube a try. I’ve always avoided them forever because I didn’t think they could be rigged weedless 

Bonus. They are inexpensive usually