<p>Tubes are surprisingly versatile among soft plastics. At first glance they do not look like much - but anglers who give these fringed lures a proper try are often left wondering why they waited so long.</p><h2>Tubes and Predators</h2><p>Tubes could pass as squid imitations at a stretch, yet they resemble nothing else that swims as prey in freshwater. Even so, in the right situations they are genuine fish-catchers that lend themselves to a wide range of presentations.</p><h3>Rigs</h3><p>On a drop shot rig, the fine fringing moves with the slightest animation, tempting lethargic winter predators into a bite. Presented on a Texas or Carolina rig they prove equally effective. What predators actually see in them is known only to the fish themselves - what matters is that tubes keep on catching.</p><p>Alongside their subtle action, tubes can also be fished aggressively. They work well as a soft jerk lure, darting erratically from side to side with light twitches of the rod tip. Aggressive jigging on a jig head produces bites too. Specialist tube jig heads - where the head is hidden inside the body of the tube with only the eye and hook protruding - are particularly effective. Rigged on a backslide rig, tubes actually swim backwards, allowing you to present them under jetties and boats - a method that regularly produces big perch.</p><p>A modern approach is to fish tubes on a free rig. Set up this way, they develop a distinctive action and an extended sink time - an outstandingly effective combination for winter fishing in cold water.</p><h3>Flavours</h3><p>Originally developed as a largemouth bass lure, most tubes are heavily flavoured and salted, which encourages predators to hold on longer after the bite - or even swim off with it. The extra time this gives you for the strike usually results in a secure hook-up.</p><p>Many tubes are hollow inside, which is where the name <em>tube</em> comes from. That hollow body causes them to sink relatively slowly and allows them to be compressed on the bite, further improving hook-up rates. The chamber can also be filled with additional attractant to increase drawing power.</p><h3>Target Species</h3><p>Perch of all sizes - particularly big ones - are the main target when fishing tubes. Zander are fans too, and plenty of pike have fallen for these sausage-shaped fringed lures. It is always worth carrying a few tubes in your lure box.</p><h3>Bonus Tip</h3><p>The hollow body makes tubes ideal for rigging <strong>weedless</strong> on an offset hook. Set up this way, they pick up almost no weed and can be fished virtually snag-free even in the densest cover. Their shape and relatively low volume also make them easy to skip - they bounce repeatedly across the surface tension before landing in tight spots under branches or jetties, right in front of a hungry predator.</p><p>The videos below offer useful tips on how to fish tubes and show just how many different ways they can be used.</p><p><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E5HSFXCeh3Q" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p><p><iframe frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kMvByWos1S8" width="560" height="315" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p>