Thread: Grub or Tube - which is better catching tool

From my experience .. they're about the same. However, I have gone to using more "grub/minnow" style plastics, within the last several years. I started out with hollow tubes, but got tired of fish pulling the skirt down ... so I went to solid body tubes. Stayed with them because they caught fish as good as hollow tubes, but stayed put on my jig ... without the need for glues or retainer wires. Tried some minnow shaped solid body plastics, and found them to "seemingly" produce even more strikes ... so both styles of tubes have been "on vacation" for most of the time since.

One other reason I switched to solid body plastics, from hollow tubes, was because they skipped better when shooting docks.

Your mileage may vary ...

... cp

solid minnow style plastics ie: storm minnows ??
have tried them in Florida - have found nothing that really works when long-lining.
stay mostly with the grubs on long-lining, have gone back to tubes in cases where
i want a deeper color and more movement style (example tubes have a lot of teniticles
whereas grubs movements are restricted to curley tails & paddle) Lately gotten into
using jigs with mylar applications. When mylar is shredded on hook and minnow tipped reflection from sunlight in water seems to attract solid hits. Mostly used when
spider rigging stained water to semi-clear.

Solid Jigs only. Southern Pro, AWD, or Kalin.

Lightwire:
Care to expound on why you like one better than the other !.

A loaded question,ones preference,but as for me a stinger type bait ,i cast,shoot docks,and jig ,but long linners would perfer curly tails or something that has a lot of wiggles

Zip jigs with mylar - certainly have the flash - add a mini curley tail and they move
from spider rigging to long-lining. With the curley approach have found that spec's
are much more orientated to color vs wiggle.
Speed also brings into play a lot of variables, wgt of jig and distance to depth move
moves attractant up/down water column.
Sometimes the lighter the jig head whether single or double is controlled depth wise
by amount of split shot added to main line as well as space between shot & jig.

Love the action of the curley tails and yes I longline all the time. Believe the Cresent Tournament (Amature) was won using these jigs. I like Bubblegum in Southern Pro and Acid Rain in AWD......seems the triple tails don't get hung in the sharp litewirehook very much. Kalins work good also........Main reason I like them is .......Catch Fish with them.

Originally Posted by fishin813

Lightwire:
Care to expound on why you like one better than the other !.

How a bait is applied changes the effectiveness of any bait. Baits that require water drag to produce movement are only good in a pulled motion of up, down, or forward. Baits that produce movement or give the appearance of movement have more applications available. A bait like a Taser Jig uses the mylar to give the appearance of movement even when stationary. The mylar tentacles reflect any light in a shimmering fashion which makes the bait appear to be moving even when dead still. Add a minnow or soft plastic straight tailed bait, and the realistic movement is multiplied. Tubes have had that same concept except their color made more of a difference since the plastic needs more of a vibration or water drag to actually move. Straight tailed plastics have evolved a lot in the past couple years. It is almost impossible to hold many straight tailed plastics completely still. Solid body plastics have their advantages for lasting longer or staying in place on a jig head longer. I have used just about every bait on the market and some prototypes that I have made. That is why I decided on the mylar jigs for the best of all the things successful crappie baits have, flash/movement/color/profile and not to mention they hold a minnow just fine on that sickle hook too.