Product Review Editor
I know there are a good many bassin’ guys and gals who’ve made the same discovery I have.
What is it? That there are times and places where a tube type plastic lure can be just about as effective as anything you can hang on a line for both smallmouth and largemouth bass.
No, it’s not an every time out thing. But then what the heck always is? There are a few baits, I’m thinking of the variety of Senkos Gary Yamamoto came up with, that admittedly get more than their share more often. But there are no guarantees in this business of putting bass in the boat. And I’d be willing to bet Gary would be among the first to agree.
There are, however, things you and I can do where certain baits are concerned to bend the odds in our direction. I mentioned in my previous column that one of these things involves adding a bit of flash to the tail of your plastic tube baits.
In Part 1 of this column series I noted that I’d first seen this done by a friend who was working as a bass guide at the time. He’d worked out a way of giving his tubes a light reflecting flash that must have helped them look more like a minnow to the fish they were designed to catch.
The guide friend I’m talking about is Roger Luce, a well known bass fishing specialist from Oregon. Roger gave me a couple of his specially designed tubes. I’d used tubes before, of course, but by golly these flashy jobs Roger had designed did a better job for me more often than those I’d used in the past.
I’ve been making my own versions of what Roger created ever since he showed them to me. If you decide to do the same, and you’re missing a bet if you don’t, let’s look at what you’ll need to get the job done.
For starters, you’re not going to tear up a perfectly good tube. All you’re going to do is add some flash to it. The first thing you’ll need is a weight that can be inserted into the tube opening at the rear of the bait and then slid up to its head end.
The weights I use, and they are ideal for the procedure, are those marketed by Eagle Claw. I bought a substantial supply of these weights years ago. I assume they are still available. There may be other similar weights out there that work as well but I’ve not used them.
The little Eagle Claw weights I’m using have a metal loop at the head end. As I’ve detailed, insert this weight in the opening at the rear read end of the tube and then push it forward so it’s positioned at the tube’s head end. When you insert your hook, stick it into the head of the tube and then make sure the point of the hook comes down through the metal loop at the head end of the weight before you bring the hook on through the underside of the bait.
What this does, of course, is pin the weight inside the head of the tube right where you want it. There’s no weight hanging out there in front of the bait and that by itself has to be an asset. But it’s what else you do to the weight before it’s inserted into the tube that’s the real key to improving the bait’s effectiveness.
This is where that flash I’ve been talking about comes into play. Next time you have a chance, visit a fly fishing shop. Look for a glittering material often used in fly tying called Flashabou. There are other similar materials but Flashabou is one of the best.
Attach strands of this material to the weight. Leave them long enough so when you slide the weight up into the head end of the tube the strands of Flashabou attached to the weight mix in with the tube’s own plastic tails.
I favor having the strands of Flashabou about the same length as the tube’s tails. Just make sure the strands are sufficiently long before the tube is pushed into position. You can use your scissors to snip them off to the desired length once your hook pins the weight into position at the top end of the tube.
You’ll need to secure the Flashabou material to the weight before it’s slid into position. I tie my own flies. I find it a simple matter to just attach the Flashabou strands right below the metal eye of the weight with fly tying thread. Once it’s secure, I daub the thread with a dab of fly tying head cement. Just a drop or two of super glue also works equally well.
Once you’ve got that those strands of Flashabou attached, slide the weight into position at the head of the tube ass I’ve previously described. Now insert your hook to hold the weight in position. After you’ve brought the hook down through the metal loop at the top of the tube, bring it on through the worm and then reverse the hook just as you’d do in rigging a Senko Texas Style.
I mentioned visiting a fly fishing to shop find Flashabou material. If that’s a problem, there’s another even easier solution. It’s to use the Jann’s Netcraft Internet site at www.jannsnetcraft.com. Jann’s has one of the most complete lines of the stuff used to make lures, build rods, tie flies, etc., you’ll find almost anywhere.
You won’t have any difficulty finding the Flashabou material I’ve mentioned at this site as well as a variety of similar materials.
So what tubes work best for this set up? You’ll have to let the bass answer that. My favorites are the Yamamoto 3.5-inch tubes. One of my most effective colors has been a pumpkin pepper with red flakes. But don’t stop there. As I’ve said ten thousand times before, give the fish a chance to tell you what they want.
Rig up as many different colors as you choose. If one doesn’t work, let ‘em see something else. I’m for darn sure going to have a flash equipped Yamamoto green pumpkin with large black flakes as well as a half dozen others.
Before you show one of these altered baits to the fish, drop one of them into clear water shallow alongside your boat. Now jiggle your rod tip and keep an eye on the tube when you do. If the sun’s out, chances are great you’ll see some of that flash I’ve been talking about. So will the fish.
I’ve a few other thoughts to share where tube fishing is concerned. You’ll find them here in Part 3 of this column series.
