Tube baits are one of my favorite top five lures to fish because of their versatility in so many situations. Winning the Bass Master classic on a Zoom tube was a highlight in my career that has made the tube dear to my heart. Gain confidence in the tube and it can become one of your go to "baits" in numerous situations. It's a great bait to use in finesse situations but also can be a power bait for big fish.

There are many ways to fish a tube and my favorite is to flip in heavy cover. Zoom makes two sizes, 3 ½-inch and the big tube a 4-inch. I mainly cast with the shorter and flip with the longer. When I flip or pitch a tube I rig it with Woo's XPS Tungsten ¼- ounce tube weight available only at Bass Pro Shop. This is a rubber weight that has ground up tungsten in it to give it the weight. You insert the weight into the tube and your Mustad 4/0 wide gap tube hook goes through the tube and the weight. This eliminates a sinker on the outside, holds your tube on the hook, and gives the tube a very natural looking horizontal fall that bass can't resist. Spray it with Jack's Juice Crawfish formula. Fish the tube on a 7- foot XTR70HT Woo Daves' Extreme rod, Pro Qualifier baitcast reel spooled with 29 to 30 pound Bass Pro Shop's Excel line. Flip right into the center of bushes or lay downs and just yoyo it up and down. One neat thing about a tube is that each time you drop it; it will go off in a different direction creating an action bass love to bite. When fishing a tube I will use a sweeping hard hook set. The Mustad tube hook is made to insert all the way through the tube and the point lays on the outside of the bait so when the fish bites down the hook is exposed.

When I cast the tube I usually fish it on a 6-foot 6-inch MH Woo Daves' Extreme rod and 10 pound BPS Excel line. Now if I'm fishing cover I will rig Texas rig with Woo's XPS Tungsten 1/8-ounce tube weight. If I'm fishing open water I will rig on a light jig head with the hook exposed. A super trick when fishing on a jig head is to back the head up about ½-inch in the tube. This lets your tube fall more horizontal, giving you a lot better spiraling effect. Each time you twitch, the tube will take off in a different direction making it look more natural.

Tubes are also great baits to use on dropshotting and Carolina rigging. A lot of times when I Carolina rig I will put a small piece of styrofoam or cork in the tube to make it float up a little. This can be very deadly at times especially right after the bass come off the beds.

When fishing is tough, this is when tubes really become effective. I believe this is because of their size and natural looking action. When flippin', I use the black/red flake mostly, and when casting either green pumpkin or watermelon sometimes dipping the tail chartreuse or red.

When it comes to smallmouth, there is not another bait made that can compete day in day out with a tube. One of the best techniques for small mouth is to let the wind blow you along and just drag the tube along the bottom. Don't hop it or try and give it action. Just drift along and let the tube drag along the bottom. Smallmouth can't stand it. If there is no wind, I will fish it on a Carolina rig with a ¾ ounce Lindy No-Snagg Rattlin weight and make long casts. Point the rod at the bait and just reel real slow, never stopping the bait, but as slowly as possible.

Put a load of tubes in your Plano box and give them a try this year. I promise you will catch fish.

Good luck and may God Bless.