Tube Jigs for Lakers

[Bushwhack Jack]

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.

So far, so good.  When you are all done you should snap another picture and show us.  I bet if you were saavy enough to make it, patent it, and get it on the market, you would have no problem at all selling it in Alaska.

[kasilofchrisn]

So far, so good.  When you are all done you should snap another picture and show us.  I bet if you were saavy enough to make it, patent it, and get it on the market, you would have no problem at all selling it in Alaska.

No need for patents.
They're way too expensive and take over a year to get.
I'll have to come up with a price on these.
I'm going to get a price quote on a mold to make larger tube jigs.
I wonder though. Since I don't know what size tube a person is going to use do I crimp on the hook myself or let the end user do that?
I suppose they could give me a length and that is what I make them.
Another question. What's the preferred hook model and size? Also what # leader?

[Drifter_016]

I think that leader would be good.
Would certainly last longer as the area of strain will be where it exits the weight.
For hooks I think a straight eye octopus in 6/0, 7/0 and 8/0 depending on the intended tube it's to be used with.
I would also just leave them un-crimped and let the buyer crimp to their liking.
I know I use 6", 8" and 10" tubes and would be crimped differently and will have different sized hooks accordingly.

FYI, these look like they will work awesome!!! 

[kwackkillncrew]

yup thats exactly what i was thinking of!!! looks awesome.  i really like the idea of letting the user crimp it because i am sure people would like to place the hook where they want. Once you get that bigger mold you will have an order from me!

[fishermantim]

Here's a salt water variation I use for striped bass in MA.

Crimp a large "J" style hook onto the wire, feed the wire through a 1-2 oz. egg sinker (one with center hole) and feed through dead center of front of lure. In my case the lure is a 7-9" squid imitation used for daisy-chains when tuna fishing.
At the front end of wire attach a swivel and crimp that onto the wire.

Now as for the laker jig, your suggestions should definitely work, well at least until the trout get "used" to those lures.....

[kasilofchrisn]

Well I requested a price quote on a larger tube jig mold.
I requested an 8 cavity mold.
Sizes would be 1/2,5/8,3/4,7/8,1,1-1/8,1-1/4,and 1-1/2 ounce.
If it comes out at a reasonable price I'll order it.
No idea how long it will take for him to get back to me or cut this mold if I decide to order.
It all depends on if he's busy and if he wants to cut it for me.
If he already has these sizes in his CAD software it'll be fairly easy for him to do it otherwise it may take a bit longer to draw it in CAD so the CNC machine can cut it.

[Homewrecker]

Need to add a stinger hook to the nose, most of the lakers I have caught like to take it head first.

[Drifter_016]

Hey Chris
Here's an idea. What if you made them with a ring off the back instead of having the wire come out of the head?
This way you would loop the wire through the rear eye and crimp. You could then crimp a hook in this loop as well as one on the tail of the wire for those of us that can use multiple hooked lures. It would also alleviate the area of strain where the wire exits the jig head.
You could also replace the wire if it were to get kinked or start to show signs of wear.

FYI, you would want the rear eye 90 degrees to the tying eye so that the wire loop sits in the correct orientation for the front hook to sit correctly.

The jig it's self would really be a lead weight with two eyes on it and the user can customize to their needs.

[kasilofchrisn]

Need to add a stinger hook to the nose, most of the lakers I have caught like to take it head first.

Someone on another forum asked if I could make such a jig.
First off that would add considerably to the mold cost as that would require some more cad work.
Secondly how do you thread on the tube jig if there's a hook on the front and the back?
Can you scrunch up a laker sized tube small enough to slide over that front hook?
Just not able to picture how you get the tube on properly with a hook on both ends?

[kasilofchrisn]

Hey Chris
Here's an idea. What if you made them with a ring off the back instead of having the wire come out of the head?
This way you would loop the wire through the rear eye and crimp. You could then crimp a hook in this loop as well as one on the tail of the wire for those of us that can use multiple hooked lures. It would also alleviate the area of strain where the wire exits the jig head.
You could also replace the wire if it were to get kinked or start to show signs of wear.

FYI, you would want the rear eye 90 degrees to the tying eye so that the wire loop sits in the correct orientation for the front hook to sit correctly.

The jig it's self would really be a lead weight with two eyes on it and the user can customize to their needs.

Definetly an option to discuss with the guy cutting the mold.
One issue is the eyes being 90* from each other. That makes it quite difficult to cut the mold and to make the mold work properly.
Both eyes being the same orientation is much more easily done.
Now I could possibly have it cut so I could add a swivel or bead chain to that back eye. Then you could split ring a hook to that and have proper orientation.

[Drifter_016]

Definetly an option to discuss with the guy cutting the mold.
One issue is the eyes being 90* from each other. That makes it quite difficult to cut the mold and to make the mold work properly.
Both eyes being the same orientation is much more easily done.
Now I could possibly have it cut so I could add a swivel or bead chain to that back eye. Then you could split ring a hook to that and have proper orientation.

Having them both the same isn't a deal breaker we can just add a split ring and attach the wire to that.

[ITO]

We fish a 1oz ballhead in all our big tubes here. If you are working the bait correctly the big lakers almost always eat the head. Stinger hooks are a good way to increase mortality rate, or hook one in the eye. But I do like the concept of the single hook further back. When I look at a tube jig that has been bitten, 90% of the teeth marks are at the head.

[jiggenfrogs]

We fish a 1oz ballhead in all our big tubes here. If you are working the bait correctly the big lakers almost always eat the head. Stinger hooks are a good way to increase mortality rate, or hook one in the eye. But I do like the concept of the single hook further back. When I look at a tube jig that has been bitten, 90% of the teeth marks are at the head.

You got it, when say a 10lb plus laker takes a swipe at a  8'' tube the tube disappears...gone...if you have a hard time sinking a hook your 1.) to slow 2.) don't have a "stiff" enough rod or set it hard enough or 3.) fishing small fish and should down size on the tube.  I would hate messing around with another hook at -20....one is bad enough and most of the lakes we have are single hook law to help reduce hook mortality.  It is important to match the right size jig head with the tube or soft bait you are using.  I do love a stinger when fishing kings though.

[kwackkillncrew]

We fish a 1oz ballhead in all our big tubes here. If you are working the bait correctly the big lakers almost always eat the head. Stinger hooks are a good way to increase mortality rate, or hook one in the eye. But I do like the concept of the single hook further back. When I look at a tube jig that has been bitten, 90% of the teeth marks are at the head.

how do you work a tube jig correctly?

[Akhardwater]

It's a trade secret.😜

[kwackkillncrew]

i am going to get an underwater UAV and swim that thing over to your shack and spy on your tube jigging skills

[Akhardwater]

I don't use tubes anymore those are for people that can't catch whitefish. 

[J2theD]

 

I don't use tubes anymore those are for people that can't catch whitefish. 

This is why I always use tubes

I debated sharing this information, but I will....

The last couple of times we have gone Laker fishing, we haven't been catching them on tubes. Literally like 4 of the last 5 lakers we have caught were by leaving a piece of herring/bait on the bottom of the lake in a hole next to a jigging hole. The tube jigging grabs their attention, but they always seem to just take the piece of bait right off the bottom of the lake. We discovered this by using my camera and watching the Lakers. They would come right up to our jigs, but would end up eating our discarded bait that was on the bottom.

We take a hook and leader, no weight, hook up a 1" piece of herring, and drop it to the bottom. We give it a foot or two of slack and put a bell on it, and just jig with out other poles. Whenever we mark a fish on the flasher, we watch that pole sitting on the bottom, because it almost always gets hit.

[ITO]

It's a trade secret.😜

I like your style

i am going to get an underwater UAV and swim that thing over to your shack and spy on your tube jigging skills

LMAO

[ITO]

The biggest problem with bait fishing is mortality rate on big fish. Are you fishing a treble hook on the bottom bait?

[Drifter_016]

I don't use tubes anymore those are for people that can't catch whitefish.

Guess I shouldn't have told you how to catch em.
Seems to have gone to yer noodle!!!!    

[Akhardwater]

Guess I shouldn't have told you how to catch em.
Seems to have gone to yer noodle!!!!    

Oh no your method only works during a certain time of year, and when I say work I mean it destroys them.  Seems me and a couple of other guys figured out how to catch em all the time.  Oh and it's not a good idea to leave a laker bait slack.  When I rig my deadstickes I always keep them a foot off the bottom and I run a 4/0 octupus hook with a crimped bard.  I've watched a lot of lakers and when they pick up a bait off the bottom they immediately suck it in, when they hit a suspended bait they tend to grab it and swim a little before they rebite and inhale.  When guys are talking about short strikes what really happens is the fish just rushes in and grabs the bait from no particular angle and before the fish can rebite you end up setting the hook into a fish that is just holding your bait.  Burbot are notorious for this they like to hold it till they get in the hole then spit it in your face. 

[ITO]

AK knows. It's much better to have a tight line to keep fish from gutting the baits. A circle hook can also be used, to avoid gut hooking. I really only fish bait for pike in the late ice period, when doing so we use a quick strike/zero rig with dead suckers. It's amazing how many fish are hooked in the roof or corner of the mouth.

[J2theD]

The biggest problem with bait fishing is mortality rate on big fish. Are you fishing a treble hook on the bottom bait?

No, single hook only at this lake. So far everyone has been right through the lips...

[Drifter_016]

Oh no your method only works during a certain time of year, and when I say work I mean it destroys them.  Seems me and a couple of other guys figured out how to catch em all the time.  Oh and it's not a good idea to leave a laker bait slack.  When I rig my deadstickes I always keep them a foot off the bottom and I run a 4/0 octupus hook with a crimped bard.  I've watched a lot of lakers and when they pick up a bait off the bottom they immediately suck it in, when they hit a suspended bait they tend to grab it and swim a little before they rebite and inhale.  When guys are talking about short strikes what really happens is the fish just rushes in and grabs the bait from no particular angle and before the fish can rebite you end up setting the hook into a fish that is just holding your bait.  Burbot are notorious for this they like to hold it till they get in the hole then spit it in your face.

I have more than one method.   

Another one involves these.   



And yet another involves these.





And another involves one of these.

[ITO]

Giving up the goods! Interesting jighead with the tubes. You fish those for both lakers and whitefish?

[ITO]

No, single hook only at this lake. So far everyone has been right through the lips...

Good to hear. There are no hook regs on em here, so the sucker soakers use trebles, it can be ugly

[taskercj04]

Provider tackle jig heads from Tackle Warehouse.com have heavy duty owner hooks. And radical glow are my favorite tubes.

[wesak81]

I had a productive weekend using gold bronze large size single hook dock spoon tipped with white fish.