the bass have really turned on in S. La. for the past 3 weeks. this is the first year I ever fished tubes. the bass are doing their part really inhaling those tubes, however some days my hook-up ratio is only one fish for every three or four that pick up the tube. i was using 3/0 or 4/0 owner wide gap hooks til yesterday when I switched to a weedless oldham jig head with what looks like a 2/0 hook. I did not loose any of the five I set the hook on. Are there any other tube rigging set ups that deliver a high hook-up ratio in pretty heavy cover ?

I use 4/0 and5/0 Eagle Claw EWG and have pretty good results.

You may have been already but try skin hooking the tubes. I usually flip with 4" tubes and don't have a problem. You just pick up alittle bit of stuff if you are fishing weeds. Like Rattlinrogue I usually use a 4/0 or 5/0 EWG except a Gamakatsu. Maybe the difference is that usually they try and run with it right away. Might be the running is helping my cause.

bassdocktor

95% of the time I use BPS Magnum Flippin tubes or Mizmo Big Boy tubes. Both are 4" and on the bulky side. I mostly T-rig them with a 4/0 EWG Gamakatsu. A few weeks back, I tried using a 3/0 EWG Gammy and did not stick any of the 4 bass I had hit. I'd say stay with the 4/0 t-rigged for the heavy cover and skin hook them! Hope this helps!

Dahchi Copperhead 4/0, 5/0 are the best.

Garnet

How much weight are you guys using when flipping the tubes?

Avid,

Depends on the amount of vegatation for me. A few of the lakes I fish have a good bit of hydrilla and in the summer, I've had to go up to 1/2oz (my partner will go heavier) at times to punch throw some of the thicker spots. If there are holes in the grass, I try to go as light as I can. In these situations, I've had my best luck with 1/8oz bullet weights. Hope this helps!

Another vote for Gammy 4/0 EWG.The only thing you might try is to slack your line slightly,so the fish can't feel you,and let it get ahold of it better.On a jig bite I usually set the hook as soon as I feel the fish(the exposed hook has something to do with this).I have had days in the past while t-rigging that I had to let the fish have it a little longer before I set the hook.

Yeah I think I'm generally around 1/8. Not alot of thick stuff in the industrial rivers of Chicago or even in Michigan I haven't encounted anything that would require too much more. Also the water is usually pretty shallow so if I went too much heavier the tube would be right on the bottom. I'm not saying that would be bad but I think the slow fall might be part of the effectiveness at times.

bassdocktor

My friend Cedar1 and I lost a lot of fish on tubes last year and that day he told me believed why, and I think he was right.

We kept missing, but I think he was on the money that when we went to set the hook, the tube was slipping and covering the point of the hook.  The advice given and taken later was to glue the top of the tube to the hook to help prevent slip when you went to set it.  Seems to work, and you may want to give it a try, because the problem may not be the hook itself.

As someone just mentioned,I think if you'd skinhook the point of the hook you'd have better results,I normally use a 1/4 ounce weight but sometimes go up to a 1/2 if conditions call for it.

I am not a fan of owner hooks. The problem that you are having is because the hook is rolling into the bait and not presenting enough bite to impale the fish. You can

A) use a larger wide gap owner hook and split the skirt and skin hook the tip of the hook

put the hook inside of the tube with the point sticking out and skin hooking the tip.(when a fish grabs it the hook springs free)

C) use a Gama ewg hook

What Chris said...EXACTLY!

also, try to use inside tube weights, because that weight can force that mouth open when it is pulled on

Are you certain that the hits you miss are bass?  Sometimes I find that bluegills and crappie will just nip the end of the tubes.  Try changing color.  Also if you are using a heavy 1/2 oz bullet weight to punch through hydrilla, try using braided line.  No stretch means direct hook sets.  Cross their eyes!

A 4/0 EWG Gamakatsu hook is a pretty large hook.  I'm having trouble envisioning how you rig a tube with this large of a hook.  I currently use a 2/0 Eagle Claw HP hook with the little clip on it.  With the 4/0 hook, are you bringing the curve of the hook back around through the skirt tails, or through the body of the tube?  (I know, it may be hard to explain....anyone got a pic they can post?)

4/0 EWG Gamakatsu hooks are perfect for 4" tubes, but too large for 3 1/2" tubes. The point goes entirely through the tube entering and exiting the body approximately 1/4" above the skirt, with the point resting parallel to the body. With the smaller tubes I generally fish an inserted jig head or a 2/0 EWG in conjunction with an inserted bell weight for a weedless presentation.

With the 4/0 EWG hook, I use a bead and a 1/8-1/4 oz bullet or barrel weight, unpegged. I use this presentation for largemouth and the 3 1/2" tube fishing for smallmouth. I have never had a problem with hook-ups using a tube rigged any of these ways. On the initial tap I reel down, dip my rod slightly and make a snap hook. NEVER reset the hook, that only serves to pull the hook out and lose the fish.

The replies you've had are all great ways to rig a tube. What type of rod are you using?

I only ask this because I would assume you are using a rod with enough arse in it to drive a good point home.

For all soft plastics, except C-rigged, I fish a Medium Power/ Fast Action spinning rig, specifically  a 7' St. Croix Legend Elite ES70MF, Shimano Stella 2500FA, #6 (11.9 lb test) Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft.

For all soft plastics, except C-rigged, I fish a Medium Power/ Fast Action spinning rig, specifically a 7' St. Croix Legend Elite ES70MF, Shimano Stella 2500FA, #6 (11.9 lb test) Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft.

RW,    with your setup, what kind of hookset action do you use?

On the initial strike I reel down, dip my rod slightly and use a snap set. I then raise the rod FIRMLY and the bass invariably loads the rod. I strongly discourage another hookset, which I see lots of guys doing. That tends to rip the hook out and the fish is lost.

I have had the same problem before, even skin hooking a 4/0 EWG and I discovered my problem.

I was putting the hook point back into the plastic too deep.  On the hookset, the tube would slide back and the hook point was actually poking into the tube instead of coming out of the plastic into the fish.  I just barely skinhook the point now and my hookup ratio on Trigged tubes is about 99%.

I use the 4" Prowler or similar tube, 4/0 EWG Superline, 15lb test line and 1/4 oz weight mostly, unpegged.

Brad