Best Hooks for Tubes (smallies)

[Basshole]

What in your opinion is the best Hook and setup for tubing for smallies?
Photos would be great for the newbies!

[DropShotr]

Fot an inline or texas style approach start with your favorite 2/0 or 3/0 EWG worm hook and add this weight: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/store ... 0_100-10-3

For rigging I first take a bit of Mega Strike and put a bit on the weight for lubrication before working the weight all the way as far as it will go up into the tube. I start the hook into the tube just as a normal texas rig would start. Make sure to take the time to get the hook going into the center of the tubes nose. Care taken at this stage will show up on the retrieve. I hold the tube and move the hook around until I find the hole in the side of the weight. Bring the hook out and eyeball where the hook should go in and out of the tube. You can leave hook inside the tube, Texposed or my favorite is just put the smallest bit of the point into the tube. Weedless but easy to pop the point free on the hookset. I prefer the 1/16oz size for fishing shallow & 1/8oz to get down to about 10ft. This set up is used to immitate a minnow and my color choices reflect this.

For fishing rivers I have some Big Dude Goby head jigheads in 5/8 & 3/4oz. This set-up can take on the goby or crayfish role, although I prefer the dropshot to immitate gobies.

I swap out my normal Gammy splitshot/dropshot hook for a Gammy Wide Gap Finnesse hook when I nose-hook tubes on the dropshot.

Hope this helps,
DS

[curls]

Excellent post DropShot'r.

I'd like to add that if you can't get the BPS version of those weights easily, you can go to most tackle shops and get the version called "EZ-Tube". Red and yellow packaging/lettering. They can also come with built-in brass rattles, which I personally prefer and use a lot.

This setup is way easier and less time consuming than the traditional tube-jig where you have to change the entire jighead and re-tie every time you want to change the plastic.

I also use 2/0 or 3/0 hooks, depending on the size of the tube. 3.5" tubes get the 2/0 hook, and the 4"-5" tubes get the 3/0 hook. You can 'test' the size by holding the eye of the hook at the nose of the tube, and seeing if you'll be able to have the very bottom of the hook go through the body or the tail of the tube. Through the body = good. Through the tail = not as good (no 'meat' to hold the hook in line).

[RJ]

I've been using Fin-Tech Title Shot jigs for tubes for the past 3 seasons.....weight of the jig decided by what I'm fishing....they work like a charm for me and are real easy to use and pop a new tube on compared to playing around with bell sinkers and stand-alone hooks.....

Another thing I like about that setup is the tube tends to sink on an angle compared to a helicopter type fall....

RJ

[XXXL]

I fish a lot with tubes and my faves are the "Bite Me" tube heads, I like the ones with the 60° Gamakatsu EWG Hook, the 60° Mustad Rnd Bend Hook work well too. I usually pick these up at BPS but you can order directly from their site too.

http://www.bitemejigs.com/bite-me-jigs- ... gory_id=18

When I can't get my hands on those I go with the Northland Inner-tube heads.

http://www.northlandtackle.com/Category ... 266&pc=265

As for weight I try go with the lightest that the wind and or current will allow. Typically a 1/8.

[toobinator]

I have the bite-me tube jigs in stock at Paddletales and they are an excellent choice. However, in most situations, I like to use a stretch jig made locally. They have an extra long shank on the hook that will catch some of those short strikers that other jigs may miss. They also have a tapered head that allows you to go in the side of the tube for rigging rather than up the centre, and they give you the spiral action that you don't get with a texas rig setup. For heavy cover, I use a Shaw Grigsby HP hook in 3/0 or 4/0 with an internal weight. Too hard to describe the setup here, come into the store and I will show you.

Ed

[riverdog]

Juding by your location you'll be fishing the Larry. 3/8oz is a must for most spots and heavier in the current. I like 2/0 or 3/0 sometimes the smaller hook is key and sometimes you could have 5/0 and it wouldn't matter. 3.5" tubes to 6" are great choices and I like something thats fat I find any Berkley tubes to skinny and break apart. More than anything gets different shapes of jigs from flat to round, minnow head shapes this really can be the difference. And fill them holes with scent! As for color well white is not hot and eithier is yellow!Tubing is like cheating

[Scum Frog]

I've been using Fin-Tech Title Shot jigs for tubes for the past 3 seasons.....weight of the jig decided by what I'm fishing....they work like a charm for me and are real easy to use and pop a new tube on compared to playing around with bell sinkers and stand-alone hooks.....

Another thing I like about that setup is the tube tends to sink on an angle compared to a helicopter type fall....

RJ

Love the Fin-Tech Tittle Shot's....awesome jig. Their other jig styles are great as well - knuckleball's and shaky style

[JZ]

Iam assuming you are talking about dragging or drifting for smallies.
The 1/8 northland inner tube seems to be a good all around hook for tubes. I will put a bit of scent (gel stuff not the spray) then just slide the jig head in. If I get ambitious, or if I just have too much time on my hands, I will first put some cotton batton in the tube to help hold the scent and maybe even put a small rattle in if the water is stained. My favour set up for fishing tubes is spinning reel, med or med light rod with 8lb fluoro (or light braid with fluoro leader) You want to tie directly to the tube but its a good idea to have a barrel swivel a couple feet above the jig or else you will have horrible line twist at the end of the day.

[Paddler]

I've been making my own with eagle claw 570 hooks and assorted weights of split shot.

I can pinch the split shot wherever I want on the hook to vary the type of fall.

It works well and is dirt cheap compared to buying leadheads.