Texposing Tubes for Smallmouth Bass

Texposing a tube. Nearly snagless. Skips great. They catch fish. This particular jig is a 3/16th oz 3/0 Gamakastsu EWG with a 4" tube. Wicked sharp, stiff hook. I've moved mainly to 4/0 since taking these pics (wider gap). The EWG gives the plastic room to get out of the way on hook set. I like to wiggle the hole at the rear of the tube a little larger to help the bait slide down the gap when bit.

I like to kirb the hook out slightly to increase hook ups. Tubes can sometimes be problematic on hooksets so manipulating for easier hookups helps- This technique hangs the bait up more, bending the hook back and forth three or four times will allow heavier line users to pull it free from snags most of the time. The hook bends enough to free the jig.

I prefer a slightly longer bodied tube. Rig that sucker straight so it doesn't twirl on retrieve. Hop, hop, long pause can be deadly.























Another solution for bunching plastic is to hook through the side of the tube. Less plastic to penetrate. Causes tube to twirl at medium retrieve.