I’ve messed around fishing with tube jigs and found the traditional methods of fishing them frustrating. They were always getting hung up with their exposed hooks. I’ve also tried using them with a bullet head in the traditional weedless texas style, but it just doesn’t look very natural. I started experimenting with different things, and stumbled across the stupid rig. This is by far the best way to get a tube weedless, and looking natural for crushing bass!

The Stupid Rig

 How the Stupid Rig works:

The stupid rig is a secret set up I wished I would’ve discovered years ago. The stupid rig keeps the tubes natural action and look without exposing the hook. This way you don’t get hung up. It’s really quite simple to do. You take a small ball style jig head, and first put the hook (instead of the jig head) in the hollow tube of the bait. Next, push the hook out through the tube a quarter of the way from the head. Lastly, pull the lead head through and twist it, so the eye of the jig head pops out through the front of the tube. Here is an illustration of how it is done.

Stupid Rig Essentials:

There are only two things you need to get started fishing the stupid rig. Here they are for you to get started.

1. Tube: You need a good softplastic tube. My favorite tubes for this technique are the Strike King Coffee Tubes in the 3.5 inch size. My favorite colors are smoke and green pumpkin. This tube has a bigger hollow body which makes setting up the stupid rig a little easier.

2. Jig Head: This is the most important part of the stupid rig. The right jig head makes it work so much better. Smaller sized jig heads work best because you are dealing with a small space inside the hollow tube of the bait. I prefer 1/8 oz sized jig head or smaller to keep things natural and not tearing up your tube bait. The jig head I like to use is a Bagley Shaky Head Jig Head. They have a good 3/0 hook for a 3.5 inch tube bait, and the shape of the jig head works well to keep the tube on your hook.

Fishing with a Stupid Rig:

The best way to fish the stupid rig is on a good spinning rod and reel set up. I typically use a 7 foot 2 inch medium heavy spinning rod, with a smooth casting spinning reel. Spool the reel up with 15 – 20 pound braided line, and then tie on about 10 feet of 6 or 8 pound flourocarbon leader. This is a finesse technique, so a good spinning gear set up can help you make longer casts with such a light bait. The braid and flouro leader is super sensitive to detect strikes, it can also help you make longer casts, and the fluorocarbon is nearly invisible in the water so fish don’t spook away. A little heavier spinning rod will help with hooking fish. You need a little more power when you feel the nibble to get the hook ripping through the plastic into a bass’s mouth.

There are two main retrieves I’ve found work best. Typically, I cast it out and let it fall to the bottom, hop it a couple times, and let it fall back down on the bottom again. I’ve also found just a nice slow drag along the bottom can bring strikes as well. Vary your retrieves, and let the bass tell you what they want. Make your tube imitate the forage the bass are feeding on in your lake. The tube is a great imitator of either bait fish or crayfish skirting along the bottom.

How to Video on the Stupid Rig – The Best Weedless Tube Set Up for Bass Fishing

Here’s a video of the stupid rig in action for smallmouth bass on deer creek reservoir. It works equally as well on largemouth too! Hopefully, this will give you some added insights on using the stupid rig. It’s by far the best weedless tube set up for bass fishing.

This rig eliminates a lot of frustration when fishing tubes. You will have stoke juice flowing throw your veins when you use this set up. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog for more great techniques to use for “Kraken” bass. Also, leave a comment about your experience with the stupid rig. This is by far my favorite way to fish a tube, and I’m sure you will have success with it.

As Always,

Stay Stoked!!