Tubes are one of the best baits for smallmouth bass. You can hop them along the bottom, vertical jig with them and even use them on a drop shot rig. Most anglers will fish tubes by themselves for smallmouth bass, but you can also use tubes as a trailer on the back of a bass jig.
Best Techniques
Hopping Along the Bottom
Most anglers will hop these baits along rocky bottoms with some pauses mixed in. Most of your bites will come on the pause.
Dragging Along the Bottom
Some anglers have good success just slowly dragging these baits along the bottom.
Best Rigs for Tubes
Bass Jig
This may be one of the most effective ways to fish a bass jig and most anglers would never think of using a tube as a trailer on a bass jig. The slender profile is perfect for adding a finishing touch to a bass jig. For smallies, try combining a smaller 2″ tube with a finesse jig. You’ll get a lot more bites and catch some big bass too.
Carolina Rig
The Carolina rig is is a great rig for fishing a tube in deeper water. Drag it or hop it along the bottom. Both techniques can be very effective for smallmouth bass.
Drop Shot Rig
The drop shot rig works well with a tube, however, many anglers would never consider fishing it this way. With the smaller tubes, it’s actually a great way to present them. The action is very good.
Texas Rig
The Texas rig is a good way to rig a tube if you want to rig it weedless. You don’t need a weedless presentation most of the time when fishing for smallmouth bass, but you can definitely go to this rig when you need to. If you’re fishing around scattered weeds or wood, this is a great rig to use.
Tube Jigs
Tube jigs are made for rigging tubes. It’s a great way to rig them and present the bait as realistic as possible.
