Tube Spin -- One of Guido's more unusual tube tricks is the Tube Spin, which he says combines flash and finesse. He molds the spinnerbait body with an elongated head, though any narrow-head design works. His favorite spinners for this technique have a single #3 or #4 willowleaf blade matched to a 1/4- or 3/8-ounce head. Hibdon threads the tube onto the hook and up over the head, securing it with super glue. He sometimes shortens the skirt. It's great for schooling bass in offshore areas and when bass have cornered shad along a bank.

Strike Indicator -- While bed fishing with neutral-color tubes, it's hard to see when a bass mouths the bait. Tie a strand or two of chartreuse living rubber in front of the bait to indicate bites.

Fizzy Tube -- Inserting a Crackle capsule or an Alka-Seltzer tablet tempts inactive or spawning bass. Worm Fizzion offers a gel formula that also creates a popping sound when submerged.

WEIGHTY MATTERS
Depth control often is critical, so experts increase the weight of standard baits to keep them in the fish zone.

Weighting Crankbaits -- For years, David Fritts and other crankbait experts have added lead slugs set in small holes drilled between the front treble hook and the diving bill of wooden baits. Epoxy the work and paint.

Clamping lead solder around the shank of the front treble hook or adding a Luck “E” Strike Quik Clip weight to the split ring holding the front treble are old tricks. Lead wire used in fly-tying works, too. Storm's SuspenDots and SuspenStrips, adhesive lead strips that can be added and removed, make the task easy. The latest innovation is Sticky Weight, a tacky tungsten mixture that's 30 percent heavier than lead. It adheres to the belly of hardbaits, or even your line and can be shaped like clay, peeled off, and reused.

The Holey Rogue -- In the Ozark reservoirs of Missouri and Arkansas, weighting baits, particularly minnowbaits, is a way of life for bass anglers in early spring. Jeff Fletcher, a bass pro and guide in this region, uses weighted jerkbaits to catch suspended largemouths and spots along steep bluff banks. Fletcher uses a “Holey Rogue,” a bait with two holes drilled in front of the forward treble hook. Water enters the bait and causes it to sink at a rate Fletcher estimates at half a foot per second. It stays deep, but can be twitched slowly to tempt stubborn bass.

Fine-Tuning -- To fine-tune a weighting system, substitute heavier or lighter treble hooks. Use a gram scale since larger hooks sometimes weigh less than smaller hooks, due to differences in metal, wire gauge, and shank length.

Nailing a Wacky Worm -- The wacky worm (a straight-tail worm hooked through the middle) acquires a special action when a nail is inserted straight into its nose, causing it to stand straight up with its tail wavering -- a great early-season trick.

Tail-Weighting Slug-Gos -- From the start, Slug-Go inventor Herb Reed recommended inserting slender weights into the lure body for fishing deeper or during windy conditions. In-Fisherman magazine contributor Brett Richardson inserts one or more Lunker City nail weights from the belly side behind the last belly slit and clips them off at the lure's skin. With a Fluke or Fin-S-Fish, insert three short sections of nail weights from the back, behind the hook, and then clip.