Gitzits or tubes

[acm95301]

Spring isn't far off and I haven't followed up on last springs resolutions. I'm hoping to learn about tube fishing. What tackle do you guys prefer, rigging method...the who , what where etc.

are there any exceptional guides, books or video's I should look into?

[Phil]

I have always used 4 1/2" Jumbo Gitzits since Garland, rigged with darthead inside the Gitzit, 1/8 3/16 or 1/4 oz, like shown.
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[Jeff Antenucci]

Gitzit's are #1.

A good video about tubes is Tactics for Tough Conditions by Mike Iaconelli. It's not completely about tubes, it has other finesse techniques as well, but does show a couple ways to rig tubes

[acm95301]

Thanks guys.

I've been trying tubes witha 6'6" medium spining rod and reel with 6lb FC and a 3/16th dart head.

I've tried two basic uses...casting against steep walls and allowing it to drop and then swimming it back, or casting out and draging/hopping it back like a jig. Mostly I've used the darthead method about 90 percent but I know about the T-rig version Too.
I've also used various methods of putting scent attractant in the tube with cotton or with pieces of used senkos. I know about, but have never used glass rattles.

But I've had disappointing results.

[Kevin Evans - Kap]

I fish the smaller gitzits and tubes alot most the time on spotted bass lakes and u have to fish super slow. Most of the time they eat it on the fall. Keep fishing it and your confidence will grow.

good luck,
Kap

[acm95301]

Just once, I wish somebody would say ..oh yeah fish it fast! lol

[godshippy]

The tube is KILLER on the Delta smallmouth. I bought a pack of YUM tubes in the Walmart bargain bin for like $0.99 and put it on top of a 1/4 oz. tube hook that I got a package of at Bass Pro. 8# Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon and a 7' Medium action spinning rod and you're good to go.

I found that the best way was to cast it out there and just drag the tube. You don't really hop it like a jig, you just cast it out there and let it settle and then slowly drag it back. Supposedly...a lot of old timers will tell you this...the tube is one of those cast out there and let it drop, and if nothing hits then you reel it back in for another cast.

[acm95301]

were you casting to rip rap or docks.....If you fished tules and weeds did you texas rig it?

[godshippy]

I was fishing the rip rap. There is an Owner tube hook that you can use to make the tube weedless. I think that's a great way to fish it too. It was just cheaper for me to use those BPS tube hooks because I really didn't think I would be using them.

[Oldschool]

http://canyonplastics.site.aplus.net for the original Gitzits.
Drop Shot, is a good Gitzit presentation. The tube jig is the basic technique. Cap & gown; Hopkins shorty spoon slipped inside a Gitzit is good for deep water jigging.
Tom

[acm95301]

Whats cap and gown?

Oh, and I've been using green pumpkin colored tubes....are there any other colors..white , purple, brown with purple flake ..that also work?

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

I tried tubes at Shasta the last couple of times fishing there..I rigged them inserting a tube jig..I tried casting them, working them slowly back, hopping them back and burning them back..The only thing I caught was a trout while burning them back, did that twice, and one spot..Tried them on Oroville yesterday and managed a couple of spots by dragging them back..

mac

[brambo0311]

Tube is my go to bait everywere. Many different ways to rig them. Dry creek makes a DS tube that is great when things get tough. The owner tube hook for weedless is the way to go, or dart head/tube insert. Like everyone says they eat them on the fall and they fall best with a weight inside. If you cant find the owner tube rig you can make your own my takeing a EWG hook with an inch of line tied on, then clip on a DS weight or split shot. Look at owners web sight to see how you rig them, it's easy if you see a picture.

Tube has been around so long, it has about as many ways to rig as a night crawler. Have an old timer show you how to rig it with alkaselzer (sp) if ya need a good laugh. Or put a trailer on it and fish it like a jig.

[ash]

Just once, I wish somebody would say ..oh yeah fish it fast! lol

stick a one ton on that tube and bounce it fast

[acm95301]

Thanks Ash...lol

[Oldschool]

Whats cap and gown?

Oh, and I've been using green pumpkin colored tubes....are there any other colors..white , purple, brown with purple flake ..that also work?

The gown is the Gitzit, the cap is the Hopkins spoon. You can use any narrow shape structure spoon. Use an old hook straighten for a needle to insert the end of your line and slide the Gitzit (translucent shad color) up the line, then tie on the structure spoon. Spray the inside of the Gitzit with attractant for lubrication and slip down over the spoon. You can fish this as fast as any other structure spoon.
Tom

[macinckirk]

Tom thats 1 I have never tryed but sounds like a winner thanks, love a tx riged tube in the spring

[B Becker]

I did an interview a few years ago with Garry Garland on the gitzit, it should be archived in the westernbass.com radio section. Also the video with him and his brother is priceless. I learned a lot from that man, he was a wealth of knowledge!! I truly miss him!! Check out the broadcast, it talks about how he feels it is over-fished (meaning, we work it too much). OOB is my favorite color, then #10

[Lugnut]

One of our local legends that passed away awhile back, Wayne Brawley was known for fishing jigs (and basically inventing them). But I can tell you that EVERY single time I ever fished against him, no matter what body of water we were on, he had a tube tied on. He called it "the killer" and trust me, it plain catches fish.

[FinesseKid]

One way I fish a tube in shallow water or up against a ledge is to texas rig it with a small tungsten bullet in front.

the bullet will slide up the line because it falls faster than the tube. The tube will flutter just like a dying shad or perch. Makes for a KILLER presentation and I found it will catch fish when fishing a tube with a weight inside will not.

Hope this helps!

I LOVE fishing tubes.

[SloppySeconds]

The tube is awesome. It was probably the reason I got into bass fishing, since it was the first lure I could consistently catch bass with.

I have gotten more into fishing with the long-shanked tube jig hooks, usually in 3/16oz, but I'll even go 1/4" for deeper presentations with larger tubes.

I used to fish a ton of gitzits, but recently have been fishing more YUM tubes and Chomper's garlic tubes - those are great.

For a nice weedless finesse presentation, check out the rattling tube weight: It is usually 1/8oz, plus has a rattle and allows you to rig the whole thing weedless with an EWG hook. Here's a picture of it:

http://image.basspro.com/images/images2/74000/74049.jpg

I usually throw the tube at some sort of rocky structure, let it fall, then hop it like fishing a texas-rigged worm. Otherwise, dragging is good too, but I think they like it as its falling, so some sort of hopping/dragging combo is good.

Also, you can try rigging with a bare football jig head that gives it a little different profile, with a fatter head that is also less prone to snagging in the rocks.