Tube tips- brands and colors??

[Slyster]

Any tips on type of tubes brands?

Seems there are SO many tubes to choose from!

I want to stock up for summer.. anyone use Mr. Twister Exude tubes?

Or how about the Strike King bleeding bait tubes?

I am leaning towards either Berkley Powerbait tubes or the Exude tubes.

Not sure if brand really makes muc difference?

Oh.. and any color suggestions for CLEAR water? DARK water?

[Mark Christianson]

Personally, I like the Berkley powerbait flip'n tube.

Watermelon and Green pumpkin are my mainstays for colors.

[delmuts]

it is hard to pick one brand. my suggettion is be sure the baits have some sort of flavoring/scent to them.years back, when the selection were limmitted, my catch rate went up ALOT when i changede to a flavor tube.( i still love my chompers!! but that's just me! )as for colors;you will want something in a translucent,a medium color like (rootbeer) , and something darker.( T. sunrise) the new colors( bleeding baits etc.) may be a great thing too, but i haven't tried them yet) i fish 4" mostly, but a couple in the 3", and even a 5" mite be a good thing to have also. deitz and some of the other guys should be able to give much more info, but hope this gives you a start!

[RossT]

The Berkley 4" Flippin tube is my favorite. The tube has thicker walls and a longer body, which means you can use a larger hook when texas rigging. I prefer a 4/0 EWG Gamakatsu or a Big Bite Mustad hook. Colors are up to you, but make sure you take a look at the Pumpkin Red/Green Flake color.

Also, Berkley has the new 4" minnow tube, and the Saltwater colors are amazing, Joe's carries the Saltwater power tubes. The "camo" color is out of this world. Now I just have to wait a couple of weeks before that river thaws out before I can educate some smallies...

Ross

[RossT]

I forgot to answer the last part of your question about dark and clear water.

For clear water I like green pumpkin or watermelon. For dark water, black/red flake is great, as is green pumpkin with the tenticles dyed in chartreuse spike-it.

I also use a brass bullet weight with a small glass red bead for pitching a texas rigged tube. Flip it into a tree, clump of weeds, rocks, etc. and shake it

Ross

[OnTheWater]

I love the strike king tubes, green pumkin and black w/ blue flake usually do the trick. There is also a tube made by Hart, it has an extra long tail with awesome action...definitely worth a shot.

[AQUAJOE]

I prefer dark blue, black and purple with flake. Yellow spots or stripes are an added plus.

Rain or shine, clear or murky will do the trick.

[Slyster]

Any experiences with Exude Tubes?

[Deitz Dittrich]

Sly- I havn't used the regular fat tubes much by exude... I use them for dropshotting at times, but dont use that style tube very often. I use the Salatube just about every time I am on the water. I use it as a flipping tube, carolina rig bait and for skipping docks. IT the salatube is my all around favorite soft plastic.

Dont get me wrong, the regular tubes are a great bait! I just dont seem to use them as much and I really have no excuse for it either?

[Mr. Pike1]

I agree with everything listed. Gander Mt actually makes some nice tubes as well and come in the craw colors and watermellon that I like. The choppers and some of the other garlic one have there place. I used some of the blood tubes on the Mississippi for smallies and had good success.

Concerning hooks. Owner makes a good weedless tube hook in the 1/16 and 1/8. I have some mixed feelings on these as they work on Vermillion and the river to fish rock and trees and other structure with out getting snagged but the gap on the hook may lead to reduced hook set percentage.

I see that Mitzo has a new weedless tube hook on a number four hook with the blood red hook. I am going to add some to see how they perform.

For the regular tube hooks I think the red hooks trigger more strikes they give the fish the gill effect or the look of bleeding.

[Lunker]

I haven't fished tubes as much as other plastics, but there are a few places and times I do. One is early in the season, and then I almost always use white. I Usually will fish them with the insert weights that go inside the tube. Rivers I use craw colors for smallies.