Soft Plastic Skirted Tubes

Skirted tubes are one of the most versatile soft plastics in fishing. From 1.75" finesse profiles for crappie and trout to 4–6" power tubes for largemouth and smallmouth, everything starts with fall rate. Control the drop, match the profile, then dial color.

Read the Blog
TAP TO OPEN GUIDE
Category page • quick answers + rig setups

Fall rate first. Then size and profile. Tubes win on the drop.

Fall rate is the first lever (speed control)+

Soft Plastic Skirted Tubes get most of their bites on the drop. The hollow body traps air and the skirt flares, causing a spiral or glide that mimics crawfish and baitfish falling naturally.

  • Lighter head = slower spiral, more hang time.
  • Heavier head = faster drop, more reaction strikes.
  • Internal tube heads create a compact spiral.
  • External heads create more visible flare.

For smallmouth on rock, that spiral is everything. For largemouth around wood or grass edges, controlling fall speed keeps the bait in the strike zone longer.

Size & profile (Length filter: 1.75"–6")+

1.75" — Compact finesse tube. Excellent for crappie, panfish, trout, and pressured bass.

4" — The classic bass tube size. Balanced profile for both largemouth and smallmouth.

5" — Larger forage match for goby, bluegill, and aggressive fish.

6" — Big profile option for feeding windows and current.

Change size before color. Profile drives commitment.

Color = visibility control (Color filter)+
  • Clear water: green pumpkin, smoke, goby tones.
  • Stained water: darker greens, black flake.
  • Wind or chop: subtle flash or flake.
  • Low light: darker silhouettes.

Color helps fish find the bait. Fall rate and profile make them eat it.

What is a skirted tube?+

A hollow soft plastic body with a cut skirt tail. It imitates crawfish, gobies, bluegill, and shad depending on size and retrieve. The hollow cavity allows internal jig heads for compact presentation.

When & where to use them+

Boat without electronics: Drag and hop rock transitions and flats.

River: Target current seams, eddies, and boulder breaks.

Bank: Parallel casts along riprap and drop-offs.

Docks: Skip 4" tubes into shade pockets for largemouth.

Category is NOT+
  • Not hollow frogs.
  • Not skirted jigs with weedguards.
  • Not creature baits with fixed appendages.
  • Not straight tail worms.