How to Trim a MidSouth Tube CrappiePro Style

I get asked several times a year how to Trim a crappie tube, CrappiePro style, so I decided to post this to help you all fish like a Pro!!! Seriously this style has helped me and Greg on the trail and is a proven winner. So give it a try.
First thing Grab a Midsouth tube or any tube of your choice.
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Next Grab tube and gently tug and stretch, this will help straighten the tube and strands eliminating any bends in the body or strands and make the tube easier to work with while trimming.
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Spread tube strands apart, looking for any strands stuck together at the end or cut at a short thick angle.
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Gently separate any strands stuck together at the end and being careful to keep them at the same length, pull any badly angled cut strands towards the head of the tube creating a gap in the skirt for your jig hook to come through. Keep in mind in this post, I am working with a tube that has been badly cut from the factory, and not all tubes will have a bad cut, then you would just simply pull some stands on each side of the tube to create a double stinger effect.
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After you have completed this do the same thing on the other side, leaving 2-3-4 strands (The Same Length). You should always trim according to Jig Head size. Example... you would never want to have two strands on each side of a 1/8th oz jig head, but two strands on each side of a 1/32oz head is deadly. A 1/16 oz head is really great for a trimmed tube because you can use 2-3 or 4 strands without making the bait look unnatural. When fishing always periodically look at your tube and make sure no strands have been bitten off by a blue gill or yellow bass, Remember keep your strands even in (length and number ON EACH SIDE OF HOOK!!!) If you don't pay attention to this detail your bait will cost you strikes because it just will not look natural. Your finished product should look like this.
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Next add a jig head and tip with a nibble, inserting the hook through the nibble and snugging the nibble at the cup of the tube. This will help secure the nibble and keep it hidden and looking natural to the fish. Always keep the nibble tucked into the cup or between the fork of your tube. Here is a few more pics or a finished bait ready to fish on a 1/16th oz head.
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Next take to your favorite lake, tie to your favorite jig pole, and catch some of these, One of me and CrappieGreg's many trips the last couple of weeks caught on a Crappiepro trimmed style Tube.:biggrin Tight Lines...
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Awesome Russ, Thanks!

You the man Russ. Will sure give it a try. Thanks

You're a gentleman and a scholar ! Thanks for sharing !

Thanks Russ. Very helpful.

Thanks for sharing. Awesome tip and pics.

Nice read CP- if you don't mind I'll add a Great Big Minner to mine.

Very detailed Russ. Excellent post.

Thanks! I'll give it a try.

Deadly for sure! Now that the cat is out the bag, crappie don't stand a chance!

Thank you for sharing that!!! :ThumbsUp

Thanks for sharing CP. I'll give it a try!

This trick is pretty deadly on Conway! The profile is very similar to a Crappie Magnet, (another Conway killer) but a different tail action. I do the same with the Southern Pro Lil Hustlrs when they want a smaller presentation. If you see me smacking them at 89 Bridge in the Winter and everybody else is struggling, chances are that's what I am using!

Nice catch partner, I be ready for another trip when I get done chasing Bambi's daddy here in a few more weeks

Thanks CrappiePro.

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Originally Posted by blackfish

Nice read CP- if you don't mind I'll add a Great Big Minner to mine.

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Good Point BlackFish, I forgot too mention this is also Great to use while spider rigging or jigging while tipped with a minnow, don't always haft to use a nibble and a minnow can be just as good or better to tip with.

Got to try that, thanks.

:biggrin:cheers2

Thanks for the great tip, going to have to try that.

Awesome tip!!!!!!!!!!

U da man !!!

Great tip.....thanks for sharing

Hi Crappiepro, I never would of thought to do this and cant wait to try it. Great tip and thanks for sharing. I would like to know your opinion or experience using this modification in stained water? My guess is this might work best in clear to slightly stained water.

I have caught crappie up to 60 feet deep using 1/4 and 1/8th oz heads in stained water. I like to keep 3-5 strands 4 optimal on each side of the bigger heads and when fishing deeper than 15 feet. I dont think it really matters in muddy water, except that your tube is more fluid moving through the water. The color you use also may have allot to do with it. I mostly favor bright color tubes, Glow Cart, Wht/Chart, Chart over lays and purple/Chart, black/Chart on dark days. I love the split tail in timber filled stained waters, in the summer or winter on 1/16 or 1/32, allot of times just add a #3 or #5 split shot above to get bites in deeper water. I don't use the split tail as much per say in the spring as fish are looking for bigger, but i will still pull a few strands where the hook comes up through the skirt and make sure the other strands are seperated. Allot of times you will find a short bad thick angled cut in Midsouth tubes this is the one i will pull, and for some reason the strands directly across from that will be poorly cut i will pull it also any other time than spring. You are right best in Water less that 15 feet stained to clear. Hope this helps.

Great information cant wait to get out again and put this in action. I have caught many crappie on Midsouth tube jigs untrimmed but it looks like they will be even better with this..