Rigging & Fishing The "Stupid Tube" | A Bass Magnet!
The History Of The Rig
The "stupid tube" rig is the brainchild of Federation Nation angler Terry McWilliams from the state of Indiana, when he made his way to the Bassmaster Classics on the fish he caught via his "stupid tube" rig. The bait gets it's name from the plethora of anglers who frequently asked Terry if he was still catching fish on that "stupid tube" - but the joke quickly was on them, as it has become one of the most productive bait & rig in fishing. So what is it?
Same Tube - Different Rig
The truth is, there is nothing special about this rig at all. You start with your favorite tube bait ( I prefer the Zman Toobz - as they are virtually indestructible, with a suple soft body), and simply rig it with a standard tube jig head (or simlar head). Using a standard jig head, but rigging it this way does quite a bit for the angler.
Number one, it provides a very erratic drop/fall, as the water is forced over the bait in a rather "odd" way. All anglers know, it's this erratic action that calls attention to your bait, and replicates and injured or dying baitfish.
Number two, it provides the angler with an exceptional weedless presentation. Now you can fish your tube in the heaviest of slop and cover, without getting hung-up. It's in this heavy weedgrowth and cover that the biggest fish live, as it provides the best "ambush" grounds from which to hunt their prey.
Number 3, despite the "hook" not being exposed (as in the case of traditional tube fishing), you are still able to get a superb hookset - just like any other texas rigged soft plastic bait. I will tell you however, that not all tubes are created. The softer more suptle tube baits obviously work better, as hooksets are that much easier.
Best Hooks For The Rig
The ideal hooks to use in this type of rig, would be a lead head that has some mechanism to prevent the bait from slipping or ripping, during the hookset. You can tell from the examples in the images thruout this blog, that the shakey head jig head, with a spiral-barb/baitkeeper does an excellent job of holding the bait.
Do yourself a favor and experiment with different jig heads, weights, hook & tube sizes to fit the various fishing conditions you're faced with. When no other bait seems to be working, thru a "stupid tube" and watch your live-well fill up - it may be the smartest thing you do all day. =)
