Tube Jigs for Lakers

[Bushwhack Jack]

Any recommendations on size, brands, and locations or websites to buy from?  I having been having a really difficult time finding some tube jigs (both the tubes and the jigs themselves) at any of the local stores.  I am going to try looking online, but I wanted to ask around first and see what works best for Alaska.  Thanks everybody.

[catchumall]

The last batch of the jig heads i got at sportsmans, I use good sized tube 4 or 5 inches, white or pearl white or white with a red head

[kasilofchrisn]

The jigs I make myself. The tubes I buy from Sportsmans in Soldotna.
Sportsmans also has the jigs I just make so many lead jigs I might as well make my own tube jigs.

[Drifter_016]

Giant Tora Gitzits in 6,8 and 10" sizes. 

http://www.canyon-plastics.com/

[Bushwhack Jack]

Giant Tora Gitzits in 6,8 and 10" sizes. 

http://www.canyon-plastics.com/

Thanks Drifter!

[ran7ger]

i like these guys http://www.radicalglow.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=22_55

[gorf37]

Giant Tora Gitzits in 6,8 and 10" sizes. 

Hey drifter, I bought a number of these in the 5" size, and a few of the huge ones, and I've been having a hell of a time getting the big ones to hang horizontal in the water.  The rubber doesn't seem to be neutral, so it needs the jig to be right near the middle of the body, leaving 3" of 'nose' which looks pretty darn weird.  How have you been rigging them?

[kwackkillncrew]

I use the 7" ones and keep the lead head towards the middle a little more.

[Akhardwater]

You gotta thread it on like a worm.

[gorf37]

Not savvy on the worms, unfortunately.  I've fished leeches a couple of times and we just impaled them in the middle.

I think you thread them on right through the head of the tube and then hang the tube over the ridge in the lead.  At first I had the head of the jig up the inside of the tube and it was even worse.  When there's still air in the tube it holds pretty good.

I'm referring to this jig head.  http://www.canyon-plastics.com/Giant-Tora-Tube-Heads-p/363.htm

[Bushwhack Jack]

Not savvy on the worms, unfortunately.  I've fished leeches a couple of times and we just impaled them in the middle.

I think you thread them on right through the head of the tube and then hang the tube over the ridge in the lead.  At first I had the head of the jig up the inside of the tube and it was even worse.  When there's still air in the tube it holds pretty good.

I'm referring to this jig head.  http://www.canyon-plastics.com/Giant-Tora-Tube-Heads-p/363.htm

Do you actually use the 2 Oz jig heads?  Aren't those a little too big?

[Drifter_016]

Hey drifter, I bought a number of these in the 5" size, and a few of the huge ones, and I've been having a hell of a time getting the big ones to hang horizontal in the water.  The rubber doesn't seem to be neutral, so it needs the jig to be right near the middle of the body, leaving 3" of 'nose' which looks pretty darn weird.  How have you been rigging them?

I don't worry about them hanging horizontal and just rig them like you normally would.
I do make stinger hook rigs for the 10" ones though.

I think my max size weight of head I'm using is 1 1/2 oz.
I have an 8" still rigged on one of my open water rods, I'll take a pic tonight.

[kwackkillncrew]

I don't worry about them hanging horizontal and just rig them like you normally would.
I do make stinger hook rigs for the 10" ones though.

I think my max size weight of head I'm using is 1 1/2 oz.
I have an 8" still rigged on one of my open water rods, I'll take a pic tonight.

the lakes we fish you can only have a single hook....having the stinger further back would help out alot on them short strikes. I have thought about trying to make a lead head that is like an articulated fly where you have a couple inches of leader come off the lead head shank and then attach to a hook which would sit closer to the back of the tube jig.

[gorf37]

Right on the money, KKC, I've never run such heavy jig heads before. 

My vision for these 10" tubes was to fish them in deep water to mimic whitefish and suckers, especially at lake laberge north of Whitehorse because it gets so much oxygen and mixing action from the Yukon river.  1oz would be fine to get to the bottom quickly, but the extra weight I figured would help me to pound the silt and stir it up for attraction.

Good to hear I'm not totally crazy.  I initially tied a trailer too (it's like 7" from the hook to the back of the tail!), but the weight just took it even further off-balance.  I'm wondering if in that deep water, extra buoyancy due to water pressure might actually make the tails float them up to level.

Best remedy is to get out there and try it, but I'm a burbs-only guy these days until my son gets old enough that his mom lets me keep him out through nap time!

[kasilofchrisn]

the lakes we fish you can only have a single hook....having the stinger further back would help out alot on them short strikes. I have thought about trying to make a lead head that is like an articulated fly where you have a couple inches of leader come off the lead head shank and then attach to a hook which would sit closer to the back of the tube jig.

That shouldn't be that hard to accomplish.
Send me a pm with the details and I'll see what I can come up with.

[jiggenfrogs]

Tube jigs....do they really work...

[Drifter_016]

the lakes we fish you can only have a single hook....having the stinger further back would help out alot on them short strikes. I have thought about trying to make a lead head that is like an articulated fly where you have a couple inches of leader come off the lead head shank and then attach to a hook which would sit closer to the back of the tube jig.

Yep, that would work too.

[Drifter_016]

8" white with 1oz saltwater jig head. 

[Bushwhack Jack]

the lakes we fish you can only have a single hook....having the stinger further back would help out alot on them short strikes. I have thought about trying to make a lead head that is like an articulated fly where you have a couple inches of leader come off the lead head shank and then attach to a hook which would sit closer to the back of the tube jig.

That would be awesome!  You should make it and patent it!  I'll be your #1 customer!

[kasilofchrisn]

That would be awesome!  You should make it and patent it!  I'll be your #1 customer!

I made a prototype last night.
I used a #0 ss eyelet for the line tie eyelet and some 175# ss 7x7 49strand cable coming out where the hook normally would. Now a hook can be crimped on wherever you want.
If we had tapatalk here is post a picture.
I'll have to upload it to photobucket and post it later.

BTW is there a preferred style of tube jig?
For this prototype I used the tapered tube jig  mold as its what I have.

[kwackkillncrew]

i have used a few different types. I have used the canyon plastic type lead heads and i have also used the lead heads that are more longer and cylindrical where the eye is more towards the middle of the lead head.  Both seem to work well.  I think its more important to have the right size lead head for the tube jig you're using and knowing how to "fly" the jig under the water.  What size lead head did you come up with Chris?  We are heading out for lakers in a couple weeks, i would like to test out some of them new jigs you came up with!

[Drifter_016]

Hey Chris.
Will be coming back to AK in September.
We'll have to try and get together as usual.
I will have a little something for you to try out.

[kasilofchrisn]

I only have them in sizes up to 3/8oz.
I just looked again and apparently the only way to go bigger is to have a CNC mold cut.
That adds over $100 to the mold cost.
If I had enough interest I might consider a tube jig mold to include larger sizes.
What are the common sizes everyone here is looking for?
And is there enough interest in an Alaskan made tube jig?
I mostly sell my saltwater stuff but would make and sell these jigs if there's enough interest.
With over 120 molds on the shelves what's one more gonna hurt?
And no I'm not going to make the tubes themselves.

[kwackkillncrew]

i use that 3/8" size for char and bows but the regular tube jig heads work fine for them because the tube jigs them selves are about 3-4" so short strikes dont seem to happen as much.  The issue is when you get in to the 6-10" tubes where the hook shank just isnt long enough to get far enough back in the tube.  We generally use 1 oz lead heads.  I think the best part about this proto type of lead head is that you could put what ever type of hook you want on the leader.  I dont think the jig heads you buy in the stores always have the sharpest/strongest hooks (after a few fish i generally have to get rid of the lead head because the hook is bent out of wack and dont want to deal with bending them back).

[Drifter_016]

I also use Kalin's Ultimate and Ultimate Bullet jigs.
The larger sizes come with stout 6/0 and 7/0 hooks.
Their Ultimate Swimbait jigs are also useful and the hook sizes go up to 8/0

[Bushwhack Jack]

I made a prototype last night.
I used a #0 ss eyelet for the line tie eyelet and some 175# ss 7x7 49strand cable coming out where the hook normally would. Now a hook can be crimped on wherever you want.
If we had tapatalk here is post a picture.
I'll have to upload it to photobucket and post it later.

BTW is there a preferred style of tube jig?
For this prototype I used the tapered tube jig  mold as its what I have.

I'd love to see it.  I told a good friend of mine today who is an avid fly tier and he said he is going to try to make a few for me. 

[Akhardwater]

You guys do realize tube jigs don't work anymore right.  All the fish in Louise are used to them and turn there nose up at them.  Been using some different stuff now for about two years.

[kasilofchrisn]

Well here is my prototype.
The black piece is just a crimp I placed on the leader and it isn't crimped yet.
The leader material is 7x7 49 strand ss cable. This is 175# test as that was handy but any size could be used.
It was left long to show that you could put your hook anyplace you wanted and that you could use any hook you desired.
The cable was slightly kinked and the end slightly frayed so it had good grip in the lead head.
Pick your length and trim then form your loop and feed the cable back through the crimp and crimp it tight. Loop can be any size you desire.
The line tie eye is a #0 ss eye such as is used in my slab jigs or fishing sinkers.
This was just a quick prototype so no extra care was taken to make things perfect. These could also be powder painted or get a UV blast topcoat etc.

[kasilofchrisn]

You guys do realize tube jigs don't work anymore right.  All the fish in Louise are used to them and turn there nose up at them.  Been using some different stuff now for about two years.

I've got laker jigs the fish in Louise have never seen before. I guarantee I have stuff that will catch those fish who shun their noses at tube jigs.
I'm not worried in the least if they don't like tubes.
BTW where is lake Louise anyway?

[Drifter_016]

BTW where is lake Louise anyway?