How To Catch A BIG Bass: A Lesson In Tube Baits

Tube baits work great year-round and work best on those days when nothing else seems to work. Pick yourself up a package of tube jigs, preferably a small variety in size and color, grab either some lead-head jig-heads or some 3/0 – 5/0 offset straight-shank hooks, depending on the size tubes you bought that is; 2/0 – 3/0 offset straight-shank hook for smaller, 4/0 – 5/0 straight-shank or wide gap for larger). Rig these with a 3/16 to 1/2-ounce pegged bullet sinker or a 1/16 to 1/8-ounce jig head. With the sinker, rig it Texas style, or if you’re using a lead head jig simply push the jig eye through the plastic from inside the tube. Recommended line strength for these will be 15-25-pound test line Texas-rigged, or if you take the lead head jig approach, light line(6-8lb test) is recommended as your presentation will be slightly different than when Texas-rigged.

Focus on cover like brush or downed trees up to about 8-10 feet deep. When using the Texas-Rig approach, flip it into cover, shake it, retrieve it, and repeat. When using a lead-head jig, the approach is a bit different. After you cast your tube, you MUST let it fall on a totally slack line, as if it were a dying bait fish; you should let it simply spiral down to the bottom. Bass sometimes will give it what’s called a “soft strike” on the descent, which means the bass is just sitting there holding the lure in its mouth, not moving. So after you think your lure has reached the bottom, slowly and gently bring your rod tip up, and if it feels a little funny as if there might be some weight on the line, set the hook! Don’t set it too hard, but be quick, so you’ll want to tighten up your drag for a better hook-set, and loosen it during the fight. If there was no strike on the descent, simply lift and drop your lure a few times, then reel in and repeat.

Using a tube bait is a no-brainer if you use these simple tips. A simple lure with a life-like presentation is all it takes.

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