There are lots of great rigging methods for soft plastic tubes. The stupid tube is one that every angler needs to experiment with.
A stupid tube has a unique falling action that no other rigging process can replicate. It is weedless and very snag-proof. Bass anglers who love to fish heavy cover will enjoy using a stupid tube.
Many bass anglers utilize a traditional insert tube head with an exposed hook when fishing soft plastic tubes.
This rigging method works great and has a tantalizing fall that bass love, but there are times when that open hook point causes lots of issues.
When fished around wood or thicker vegetation anglers end up losing a lot of fishing time.
This is where the stupid tube shines.
How to Rig the Stupid Tube
The stupid tube works well with traditional soft plastic tubes in the 3 ½” to 4” range.
The most important part of the rigging process is the hook selection.
Anglers need to use a jig head that has an EWG, extra-wide gap, style hook. Many stupid tube hooks also have a 60° line tie instead of the common 90° version found on most tube hooks.
Stupid tube hooks are more apt to be a heavier wire hook as well since using around thick cover is the norm.
The next step is to insert the hook point into the cavity of the lure. Run it down the inside of the tube and bring it out about ¼” from the tip.
Work the hook point out and back to the rear of the tube while sliding the jig head through the cavity and towards the front.
Smaller weights, less than ¼ oz will turn and rotate easily. The larger sizes will take some manipulation of the plastic to help the jig head turn around. You will feel a very defined “moment” when the jig head drops into place.
At this point, push the line tie through the plastic.
Now scrunch the tube from the rear and slip the hook all the way through and rest the hook point on the back of the tube. Make sure that the plastic is straight. This will ensure that we see the right action from the lure on the fall.
It takes a little practice, but eventually rigging the stupid tube will be second nature.
(The below image will visualize the steps for you.)
Equipment Selection for Fishing a Stupid Tube
The stupid tube, due to its ability to be used around cover, is perfect for heavier equipment.
I like to use my standard pitching rod and baitcast reel with braided line. Depending on the water clarity, I may or may not tie on a fluorocarbon leader.
When setting the hook on a stupid tube it is the norm to give it that “power” hookset we associate with jig and Texas rig fishing.
When the bass are buried in the cover, we want to turn the head of the fish quickly and get them coming to us – not pulling line and burying up deeper into the brush or weeds.
The Enticing Fall of a Stupid Tube
This is a huge plus, in my opinion, of using a stupid tube.
Unlike the spiraling action of the traditional insert tube head, which is very effective, the stupid tube will glide.
It has a very distinct “glide path.”
The reason it does this is because the shank of the hook acts as a rudder guiding the lure. Depending on the tube, weight, and how perfectly it is rigged, the glide path may be only a few inches and more vertical in nature, or it can glide several feet horizontally. This is especially true when dropping in deeper water.
This gliding action is not something the bass in most waters have seen a lot since a stupid tube is not as wildly popular as some other techniques.
For heavily pressured waters, this is a perfect recipe for showing the bass something different.
The Lift-and-Glide Retrieve for a Stupid Tube
When there is cover available, flipping and pitching the stupid tube in the thick stuff is dynamite.
When anglers are presented with sparse cover, open shorelines, or “do-nothing” banks, the lift-and-glide retrieve is worth a try.
Let the stupid tube glide to the bottom on the initial entrance to the water. Once it rests, motionless for a few seconds, lift your rod tip to pull the lure and then dip your rod tip.
The stupid tube will glide towards you.
Reel up the slack and repeat.
This retrieval process lets anglers cover water while still presenting a subtle fall the bass find enticing.
(Here is an article listing another 5 ways to rig a soft plastic tube.)
Good luck out there and be sure to encourage someone today. You never know how you may change their life forever.
Isaiah 6:8