Entry 44-5
George Cochran's Favorite Lures and When to Fish Them
The Pro-Model Tube
Editor's Note: George Cochran of Hot Springs, Arkansas, a longtime member of Strike King's Pro Fishing Team, has won the BASS Masters Classic twice and has qualified for this World Series of bass fishing numerous times. Cochran has proved over and over again that he's one of the best shallow-water anglers in the nation. Many fishermen consider him the master of finding overlooked places to find fish and using under-utilized tactics to catch bass. Today we'll talk with Cochran about a time when Strike King saved the day for him.
The Pro-Model Tube is one of the hottest baits in a tournament-fisherman's tackle box. This bait probably made me $40,000 to $50,000 a year for four or five years before it became so popular. The Pro-Model Tube won the Classic for Denny Brauer back in 1998, and it enabled me to qualify for 10 Classics before most fishermen even knew what this bait was.
There are several ways I like to fish the Pro-Model Tube. In the spring of the year when the water temperature is in the 50's or 60's, I use a 3/16-ounce sinker in front of the bait to allow it to fall slowly in the water. If I fish later in the summer, I'll use a 3/8-ounce or 5/8-ounce sinker ahead of the tube. During the summer months, the bass want the bait to fall faster than they want it to fall in the spring. Just remember that in cold water, you want the tube to fall slowly.
As the water heats up, you want it to fall faster. I'll pitch and flip the tube around visible cover. My favorite colors are black with red flakes early in the morning or on cloudy days. At other times, I prefer smoke or salt-and-pepper colors. Junebug is another one of my favorite colors.
When the Pro-Model Tube Saved the Day:
Selecting one instance when the Pro-Model Tube has made the difference in my fishing is difficult because this bait has saved the day for me many, many times. One tournament that stands out in my mind was on Toledo Bend. I was catching bass around the bushes. All I had to do was find a flat point with isolated bushes on it, pitch the tube up by the bush and let it fall really slowly. Nine out of 10 times the bass would come out of the bush and hit the tube before the bait even hit the bottom. If the bass didn't take the tube on the fall, I'd let the bait hit the bottom and then move it one time. If the bass still didn't hit the bait, I'd reel the tube in and pitch it to a different bush. I caught 21 keepers the first day of that tournament and 19 the second day using this technique.
Contents:
- Part 1: The 3X Ribbontail Worm
- Part 2: The 3X Finesse Worm
- Part 3: The Titanium Pro-Model Spinner Bait
- Part 4: The Midnight Special and Midnight Premier Spinner Baits
- Part 5: The Pro-Model Tube
