Draggin Tubes for Bronze

I'd like to think of myself as a versatile angler. But tube fishing was not part of my strength. I just plain out never used them or fished them incorrectly when I tried them. I told myself at the end of last summer that I'm going to figure out how to use these baits everyone calls a smallies kryptonite. So I bought me a great smallmouth tube rod. The Gloomis Bronzeback SMR882S-SP, which is 7'4 in length and a medium fast action. I paired it with a Shimano Stradic 2500CI4+. I got on the water and started to experiment. First thing I looked for was shoals or humps that I could position my boat and literally drag either right over it, or just simply parallel it. I soon realized that in the situation I was in with pretty strong wind and fast current I wasnt going to hit bottom with the 3/8oz tube head I was using. So I had a few 1/2oz & 5/8oz custom poured tube heads in my tackle bag. I put on the 1/2oz and still wasnt getting to bottom as much as I liked. At this point I had one bite and it was merely a 13 inch fish. I said one more drift over the back end of this hump with a 5/8oz head. I positioned the boat got inline with a perfect drift and booyah. I was hitting bottom non stop banking off gravel and boulders. I was in the water literally 4 minutes or so and I was setting the hook. It came shooting up faster then I could reel. I managed to land it and it was a 4lb fish. I continued to do this in this location over and over getting fish and bites every pass. So what I learned was simple. It was all about perfect boat positioning on the right location and making sure you have bottom contact. Some days are windy and you need heavier tube heads to stay down. Some days are calm and slick and you can fish lighter heads. When you figure those pieces of the puzzle out it wont be long until your setting the hook. I've wanted to learn that style of fishing for awhile but never took the time to do so. Now Ive got several tubes setups and have done real well doing so. A 6th place finish in the Renegade Classic to boot. Also a 2nd place finish with Paul Vrooman in the Shootout Series. The beautiful thing about this past time is you always learn more and more every time your out on the water. Whether its a simple technique or a challenging one I keep learning and absorbing more and more. The tube heads I was using was custom poured by my fellow friend Paul Vrooman. He makes incredible tubes heads with super sharp Mustad hooks. There's a picture in my post for you to see. The style of tube head is interesting too. I wont release the secret as to why they work so good in tubes on the st lawrence just yet!