Going Tubin'
By Tim Sherman

With a title like this, you might think the following would be about fishing from a float tube. While the art of float tubing can be fun, I’m going in a different literary direction. Here we will focus on casting a soft plastic lure known as the tube, which can be productive throughout the year. It is a very versatile lure for both largemouth and smallmouth bass. It looks rather like a small squid with its many tentacle–like extremities. Some say the lure resembles a crayfish, and others believe it mimics a baitfish. Whatever the notion, tubes catch an incredible amount of bass.

Tubes come in sizes from petite 1 ½-inch to mammoth 8-inch sizes. They can be rigged Texas style to deter snagging or they can be rigged with an inserted jig head. They can be fished shallow or deep depending on the weight of the bullet weight or jig you choose. You will find the on the pegs at the tackle shop in dozens of colors.

SEEKING SMALLIES
You could consider smallmouth bass to be naive about knowing what a tube bait is. With so many anglers casting them, you would figure that smallies would be wise to the lure. In most cases a smallmouth can’t resist a tube. Reservoir and impoundment anglers fish tubes in relatively deep water. With the exception of Maryland reservoir faithful, most smallmouth bass fishing is pursued in flowing rivers. The Potomac and Susquehanna are the most notable big river fisheries. Smaller bodies of water such as the Patapsco and Gunpowder Rivers also have good habitat. Virginia anglers can also lay claim to the Potomac, and the Rappahannock has a remarkable smallmouth fishery as well.

When you need to get right into the kitchen of a bass – putting the lure right in front of its nose – flipping and pitching with a tube is hard to beat. A Texas-rigged 4 to 5-inch tube is best for these two presentations. A jig head with an exposed hook would surely snag one of the first limbs it encountered. When shoreline timber is too treacherous for skipping, a more vertical presentation is called for. The compact design of a tube is excellent for sliding through the branches of fallen trees.

Pitching and flipping also come in handy when working over a grass bed. Pitching is the better method for working the pockets along the edge of a weed line or the holes within a bed. Flipping is preferred for crashing a tube through matted vegetation. Bass often find refuge for the summer heat by hiding under matted vegetation. Today’s anglers are using heavy tungsten weights for this technique. These sinkers will often be in excess of 1 ounce. Tungsten is denser than lead and is therefore smaller in size compared to that of a lead sinker.

Heavy tackle is needed for flipping and pitching. Heavy power casting rods matched with line up to 30-pound test monofilament or 65-pound test braid is common for flipping. The backbone of the rod and strength of the line are of utmost importance when pulling bass out of the heaviest cover. Pitching tackle isn’t as extreme as that for flipping. A medium/heavy power casting rods and 20-pound test mono line should suit most situations.

There are dozens of colors for tubes from the many different lure manufacturers. I like to keep the selection simple. I find what works for largemouth bass also tempts smallies. I carry a few dark colors and some natural patterns. Black/blue is most likely the favorite color for flipping and pitching to largemouth bass, but it also works well in flowing rivers for smallmouth bass. Junebug is another good dark hue. It is a great color for targeting piers and wood in stained water. Natural patterns like smoke, green pumpkin, and watermelon round out the colors that I carry.

When it comes to fishing a versatile lure, the tube has many applications. Lunker largemouths and big bronzebacks love them. Master the many ways to fish a tube on rivers and tidal waters. You will find yourself going tubin’ on your subsequent bass fishing excursions.