With their lifelike appearance, tube jigs hold great appeal to smallmouths in the clear waters of the Northeast.
Tubes have other advantages, too.
When early water temperatures are still in the 40s, big female smallmouths are hungry but lethargic, perfect targets for a lure that, in effect, is just like room service. Once it's on the bottom, the tube retains its appeal. The soft texture, salty flavor and wiggly legs make it deadly on slow retrieves and drifts. Use the lightest jighead possible, given the prevailing wave action and the speed of the drift. The way in which largemouth bass and their prey relate to shade has important consequences for anglers.