The tube is definitely an old school lure. A lot of people think of it as a lure for smallmouth bass, but I can definitely confirm that you can catch largemouth bass with one as well. In fact, if you are targeting largemouth and there’s a lot of pressure in the area throwing a tube can be very effective since a lot of people don’t use one these days.
I personally only use one tube and that’s a Secret Lures Stupid Tube. They have a color called blue mist that I like if I want to imitate a bluegill, and another color called shad (pictured above) if I want to imitate a shad. The action you get with a tube is similar to what you would see if you threw a fluke on a swimbait hook with a little weight on it, but it’s still just a bit different and unlike any other lure out there.
I’m in central Texas so there’s usually a lot of grass around me and for that reason I prefer to throw a tube on a stupid tube jighead. This is basically just a weedless version of a regular tube jighead that looks similar to a texas rig and performs better when there’s cover around that the hook could get snagged on. There are a few companies that make this type of jighead but I prefer to use the one made by Secret Lures and I specifically like a 3/16oz 3/0 version. If you haven’t tried one of these and you are looking for a lure with a unique action in an area with some cover around you should consider trying one out. They can work at any time of the year and can also do really well when the bite is tough and the bass seem to be used to a lot of the other lures that are a little more popular these days.
Lure Summary – Stupid Tube
Suggested Rod Length: 6’10” – 7’3″
Suggested Rod Power: Medium or Medium Heavy
Suggested Rod Action: Fast or Moderate Fast
Suggested Reel Type: Spinning Reel
Suggested Reel Size: 3000
Lure Weight (est.): .41oz
Tackle Required
- 3/16oz 3/0 Secret Lures Stupid Tube Jig Head
- 20lb Sufix 832 Braided Line
- 12lb Sunline FC Fluorocarbon Leader
Suggested Soft Plastic Baits
- Secret Lures Stupid Tube