FISHING TECHNIQUES – TUBES FOR BASS
Posted on November 2, 2009
As previously discussed Bass can be found in a variety of environments.
Largemouth Bass will tend to be found in shallower water that is rich in structure such as weed beds stumps, fallen trees docks etc. That is not to say that they cannot be found elsewhere but generally that is where you will target largemouth bass. Largemouth for the most part are an ambush hunter so they will lay in wait hidden by structure or shadows. Place your selected bait or lure in close proximity to where the bass are likely to hide and you will increase your number of fish caught. This will be discussed in more detail within the specifics for each technique
Smallmouth Bass can be found right next to their largemouth cousin but in general they will be found in deeper water. Look for steeper drop offs or bottom structure in deeper water. Rock piles, changes in bottom from soft to hard, changes in depth (even subtle ones) can all hold fish. They may hide and ambush their prey just as the largemouth do, but they will also school more than the largemouth and will often roam open water looking for schools of bait fish or foraging along the rocky bottom for crawfish, smaller fish and other smaller food sources. They can sometimes be harder to locate and target than largemouth bass but if you find them and they are feeding you can catch a lot more fish in a short time.
TUBE JIGS
If you fish for smallmouth bass in large bodies of water then this a technique that you will need to get good at.
The tube itself is simply a round tube shaped plastic lure that is closed at the front end. The back end of the tube is open and has the back portion of the tube cut into long strands which move as the tube is pulled through the water. Although they can be fished in many ways by far the most popular is to drag them along the bottom to imitate crawfish. You simply take a tube jig head weight of the appropriate size and insert into the hollow of the tube. The hook generally extends out of the rear of the tube and is exposed over the top of the tube itself. You push the eye of the hook through the tube so that it is exposed on the top of the tube. Now just tie your line directly to the eye of the hook and you are ready to fish. This is a very easy and effective way to fish for many species.
The next thing to keep in mind is that the fish can often hit your jig while it is on the way down. It is very important to let your jig fall to the bottom, on a “controlled line”. This means, as the jig is sinking on its way to the bottom, it should not be on a tight line, or on a very slack line. You line needs to be bordering on tight. This will allow your jig to fall straight down instead of at a forward angle towards the boat or shoreline thus creating more of a natural presentation. While your jig is sinking to the bottom, make sure you watch your line, especially where it enters the water. Watch for any sudden movements in the line. If you see the line move to one side, or “twitch”, or if the line seems to stop falling – set the hook immediately. If you are not paying attention you will miss the fish taking the bait which will give the fish time to spit your bait out. Many of the record smallmouth bass catches have been on tube jigs. When dragged across a rocky bottom you will often feel what seems like just dead weight. No strike – No head shakes, you just feel something different that makes it feel heavy. Pull back on your rod and keep the pressure on it. More often that not a fish has picked up your bait and you are not aware of it. If you feel anything that indicates that it is a fish then set the hook and start reeling. Until then just keep the pressure on the rod until you know if you have a fish or have hung up on the rocky bottom. If you are hung up on the bottom try pulling your rod tip up sharply in different directions to dislodge it then let the line go completely limp and try reeling it in again. An unfortunate fact of fishing tube jigs in rocky bottoms is that you will loose a few of them over a day. A fortunate fact is that they are cheap in comparison to almost any other kind of lure. The tubes and the jig heads themselves each cost about $5 for about 10 pieces.
REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU ARE PULLING HARD TRYING TO GET A TUBE JIG UNSTUCK PULL TO THE SIDE SO THAT IT WILL NOT STRIKE YOU IF IT SUDDENLY RELEASES
Tubes can also be fished as a swimbait and in other manners but generally they are dragged across the bottom. To use as a tube like a swimbait that you cast out and retrieve, simply put the tube on an appropriate hook and cast it out. If you need it to sink further into the water column then just add a small weight either inside the tube itself of on the line in front of the tube. Try different retrieves. Slow or fast retrieves can work but my favorite is to do a retrieve where I reel it at a slower pace, then stop reeling which allows the tube to drop in the water column giving it a diving and darting action. I then give several short snaps of my rod tip to give the tube an erratic darting action in the water. I then just return to my regular retrieve.
KEYS TO FISHING TUBE JIGS
- If you are dragging tubes then make sure that your lure is in constant contact with the bottom.
- You can usually tell you have contact by the occasional tugging as it passes over the rocky bottom.
- If you are not feeling the bottom then try letting more line out until you feel it
- Use a low stretch line such as braid or fluorocarbon so that you can feel the bottom and the fish
- Always use a fluorcarbon leader. It is invisible in the water and it is very abrasion resistant
- If you are fishing from shore or a non moving boat or you are in fairly shallow water you could probably use a weight of 1/8th of an ounce or even less and be able to make contact with the bottom. However if you are fishing from a boat that is drifting, you are in water with a fast current or just deeper water then you will probably start with a 1/4 ounce so you can make bottom contact and go heavier if need be. Most bass fishermen in the Lake Erie area will use a 1/4 to 3/8 ounce as their go to weight but if the wind is very low and the drift is very slow then you can go to a lighter weight. Fishermen from the St Lawrence River area can easily go to a 1/2 ounce to start and go to 3/4 if need be. That is due to the very fast current that stops lighter weights from reaching the bottom.
- Slow down. Try and make sure that you are not going to fast. If you are casting use a slow retrieve bumping it slowly along the bottom. If you are drift fishing from a boat keep your speed under 1 mph if possible, otherwise you will need a heavy weight.
- Use the lightest weight possible – The lighter the weight the easier it is for the fish to inhale the bait and subsequently get caught.
- Should you detect anything different in your line, always set the hook!
Required Tackle
Rod – I prefer a sensitive 7 foot rod with a medium flex and a fast tip – Shimano and St Croix make very nice ones
Reel – Any decent spin casting reel will do, but I do like the shimano reels as they have a very smooth drag system
Line – You will need fluorocarbon line or at least a fluorocarbon leader, I recommend the seaguar abrazix (fluoro is invisible in water – it has low stretch and is very abrasion resistant)
Tubes – Get a variety of tubes as fish from different bodies of water will key in on different colors and sizes. You can get assorted kits but you are best to speak with local fishermen or tackle shops to determine which specific tubes will work in your area. All tubes will work in the same manner, but fish will definitely target certain colors and sizes much more than others so have a variety available to you
Tube Jig Heads – Again get an assortment of weights and hook sizes in your jig heads but to find out what is working in your area you are best to speak with a local tackle shop to see what size and weight they use. When in doubt start with a light jig head but if you cannot make good contact with the bottom then go heavier.
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