Anyone hoping to catch bass can get the most out of fishing tubes. Tubes typically imitate small baitfish or crawfish, and bass absolutely love them. One of the best parts of fishing tubes is that you can fish them almost anywhere. From rocky to sandy bottoms, tubes can bring in a bite in the most unexpected places.
As with all fishing, choosing the right rod can be critical to ensuring your tube fishing goes well. Along with personal preference, there are a few things to look for when finding a good tube fishing rod.
The best tube rod will combine length, power, and action. This will provide a rod that allows for precise casting and reactive jigging to place and replicate a bass’ favorite food. Extra fast and fast action rods with medium power tend to be what makes a good tube rod.
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What is a Tube Rod?
A tube fishing rod is going to be almost any rod that is used to tube fish. While some fishing rods will be better equipped for tube fishing, you can use nearly anything to fish tubes, making it one of the more accessible fishing styles. Many of the best spinning reels for bass fishing can be combined onto a good fishing pole and set for tube fishing.
The best tube rod can operate like a jig fishing rod. Tubes are small to large plastic tubes that mimic baitfish and crawfish to lure in bass. Every tube is hollow, which allows for rigging a jig that typically has a longer piece of lead with an eyelet that sticks straight out from it.
Tube fishing is technically jig fishing. So looking for a good jig fishing rod for bass can be incredibly helpful in the search for the best tube rod.
What to Look For in a Tube Fishing Rod
There are three main factors to consider for what makes a good tube rod. Length, power, and action will all have a major influence on your tube fishing and may determine how much success you find.
Length
It can be tricky to make a broad statement about what length is best for tube fishing. That’s because the desired length varies greatly with where you’re fishing and the size of fish you’re after. Not only that, but the casting technique also comes into play when choosing the right length.
The length of the best tube rod will come down to personal preference. The longer rods will help pull bass out of deeper water as you would do during winter bass fishing. However, bass tend to stay in shallower water in the summer and early fall, demanding a shorter rod.
If you were to choose a single rod to fish tubes with, it would be safer to err on the side of a rod around 7 feet long. You can go shorter or longer depending on personal preference, but 7 feet is a good place to start.
Power
Power will help with the fight once you’ve hooked a bass with the tube. Generally, the best tube fishing rod will have medium power to provide just enough flex to bring in larger bass without making it difficult to bring in smaller ones.
The medium power will also allow some control over jigging the tube around the bottom of the water. Medium power might be enough to flip and pitch jigs, depending on the jig’s weight. Tube jigs don’t tend to be as heavy duty as others, making a medium power rod a great fit to handle everything you’ll want it to.
Action
Finally, you’ll need to determine the rod’s action. The action of the rod refers to where the rod flexes along itself. The faster action rods will flex closer to the tip, which is perfect for jig and tube fishing. A good tube fishing rod will need that quick jigging action that you can only get from fast or extra-fast rods.
Sometimes fishing with an extra-fast rod can encourage you to fish faster, but tube fishing is an art that requires a lot of finesse and patience. If you feel that you don’t have the patience quite yet, settle for a fast action rod that might force you to be patient. However, an extra-fast rod will make for more control over the tube itself.
Spinning vs. Baitcasting with Tube Baits
Once you’ve chosen the rod, you must find the right reel. The biggest debate is always between a spinner and a baitcaster. When tube fishing, both a spinning reel and a baitcasting reel work, but it also depends on what you’re fishing for.
A spinning reel is better for working finesse with lighter tubes and jigs. Meanwhile, a baitcaster will work better for heavier jigs when trying to bring in larger bass. The best tube rod will be equipped appropriately for what you’re hoping to bring in and your fishing style.
3 of the Best Tube Rods
Shimano Teramar Southeast
For someone looking to get into tube fishing, the Shimano Teramar Inshore Southeast rod is a good choice. These come in various lengths, powers, and actions, making them customizable to each angler. There are both casting and spinning versions. It’s also reasonably priced for a high-quality rod that won’t force you to drop huge cash to go tube fishing.
St. Croix Mojo
The St. Croix Mojo is easily one of the best bass fishing rods out there. The 7-foot 1-inch long, medium power, fast action option for either spinning or baitcasting reels fits tube fishing perfectly. It works well for anyone that wants a middle-ground rod that will allow for a lot of flexibility in the tube fishing style they want. You can mix it up with a more powerful and faster action rod and can even add almost a foot of length.
Falcon Cara
For anyone with a lot of control who is hoping to bring in some larger bass, the best tube fishing rod is a Falcon Cara 7’3”, medium heavy power, extra fast action. You can fish a tube or a jig and bring the bass in all day, with well-balanced power and extra-fast action. It may cost a bit more, but you get the responsiveness and reliability you want in a good tube rod.
