Question for Mike-tubes?

[occasionalfisher]

Mike, have you ever used any tubes on the Toona and if so what times of the year?
I read one of your articles that mentioned spots and smallmouth are a lot alike. I know smallies like tubes, seems to be that spots would too. I have only fished them a couple of times with no luck, but then again that is not much of a shock on this lake.
Thanks
Ron

[Mike Bucca]

Ron, One interesting fact that I found out about tubes. If you go up to tackle shops up North they have walls and walls of tubes and not so many finesse worms. The northern guys are serious about their tubes. You go to tackle shops here down south we have walls and walls of finesse worms and not so many tubes.

Tubes work very well on Allatoona and I think it is for the simple reason that our fish don't see them that much. I like to rig them on a jig head and or fish them weightless like a fluke/senko but with a weighted hook (think falcon hooks here). Bluff walls would be where I would throw my tubes. Fish them kinda deep this time of year. They are effective at all times of the year you just need to be at the depth level of the fish. As for colors I use the same color tubes as I do finesse worms. ie green pumpkins, browns etc. They are a GREAT crawfish immitator. When I fish them weightless I am trying to mimic shad so I use shad type colors.

Good question!

Mike

[occasionalfisher]

Thanks Mike. I tried them once flipping them around deep docks last summer. Got a few short hits, but I think I might pull out one soon and give it a try again. I have used them in small lakes and always had pretty good success, probably because they were just something different for the fish to look at.

[bassworm]

They skip real well around/under docks also.
A tube is one of my favorite baits to use on bedding fish.
I like the shad imitating type colors also. Usually dye the end.. Chartruese, what else.

[Ron288]

i fish the bitsy tube on jighead a lot.

[smallydreamin]

Tubes are lethal on smallmouths up North. We've used them on Lake Erie smallmouth for years.

They work great on Allatoona too. Try natural colors. The guys here in Georgia suggested dipping the tails in chartruese die. This helps in the spring.

Lead jig head is my favorite method but it gets hung up on brush and trees. The spots seem a little finicky when I use the weighted hooks.

Tubes are my favorite bait.

[bassamasta]

Try using the Vertical Lures Tube X. It is a tube in shape, but a monster in size. It is the length of a finesse worm and a little bulkier than a senko. There are four legs shaped like a jig trailer chunk. I've caught alot of spots on Allatoona with this bait in late summer and fall.

[bfriendly]

OK SO I guess I should actually try USING the pack of Watermelon seed, Small Tubes I bought about about 5 weeks ago? I think my Fear is that I have never had anyone show me HOW to rig one.........I hear Texas Rig! OK, but does the hook get exposed out the other side and pinched-in or sit in the Middle of the Tube?

[dannyp]

Skin hook it Bruce

[Mike Bucca]

Bruce, Go to Boaters World and pick you up some of these. Slide them on the hook up against the head and go to werk This is the jig head I helped design for Bass Stalker/Uncle Josh.

www.unclejosh.com/bassstalker/modules/cart/products.php/nav_id/73/page/1/id/65/name/SpotStalkers#product_images

Mike