12" Pocket Tube Kit (4pc)

The Hogy 12" Pocket Tube is a counterintuitive yet highly pragmatic addition to the tube-and-worm fishing rig category, reimagining what anglers traditionally expect from tube lures. Unlike the large, heavier tubes commonly associated with trolling, the Pocket Tube is engineered for ultra-light tackle and shallow water fishing.

At just 12 inches, it is the smallest tube in the Hogy lineup (and smaller than any others we know of), optimized for ultra-light gear, including spinning rods you might use for casting to stripers. This compact design allows anglers to explore estuaries, flats, and boulder fields with ease, targeting species like striped bass and bluefish with precision and finesse. Its versatility and portability make it an ideal choice for small skiffs, kayaks, and minimalist anglers.

Internal Stainless Helix Core: The helix wire core serves double duty: it acts as internal weight to keep the tube tracking level — even on the drop — and it maintains the tube’s shape during storage. This is what makes the tube swim naturally at ultra-slow speeds. The helix also means tubes don’t roll up like typical soft plastics, preserving action trip after trip.

Built-In Ball-Bearing Swivel: Tubes rotate by nature — that constant rotation is what gives them their immensely seductive swimming action. But rotation causes line twist. The Perfect Tube has a ball-bearing swivel built into the tube itself. Paired with the dual ball-bearing swivels in the Hogy Trolling Weight, you get triple twist protection and virtually twist-free trolling, no matter how long the pass.

Braid-Optimized Depth System: I fish braid exclusively for tube trolling. Zero stretch and thinner diameter make tubes run 30–40% deeper unweighted compared to mono. With braid, every tactical adjustment — drop-backs, throttle kills, turn angles — is sharper and more responsive. No need for wire or lead core. The Hogy Trolling Weight handles depth; braid handles control.

Worm Integration: The worm is the final trigger that seals the deal. My go-to is a live sea worm when I can get them. Fishbites strips also work surprisingly well. I’ve even had success with fleece strips — cut from fabric store stock. They expand 4x in the water and pulse beautifully. The tube creates the profile and the swim; the worm adds scent and that last visual trigger.

• Set It and Forget It — The Baseline:

When: Covering long lanes over contours, fish spread out, guests aboard who need a simple approach.

- Deploy tube to desired distance and depth, rod in holder. Hold steady at 1.5–2.5 knots, keeping with or slightly across current. The tube’s natural undulating swim does the work. The worm provides scent and the visual trigger. This is the entry point — and honestly, most anglers catch just fine right here.

• Search and Drop — Interactive Trolling:

When: Fish marking on sonar, structure-oriented fish, deeper holds.

- Troll at 2–3 knots scanning sonar. When fish mark, slip the boat out of gear. The tube sinks in free spool — about 5–10 feet for every 10 seconds. Re-engage gear to lift the tube back into the zone. The pause makes the tube nose down and glide, then rise smoothly as speed resumes — imitating bait spooked by predators. Most strikes occur as the tube lifts back off bottom. Add a throttle surge after the rise to simulate fleeing bait.

• Rod Sweeps — The Surge:

When: Near surface structure, weedy lanes, fish following but not committing.

- Tube deployed, rod in hand. Sweep the rod forward 3–4 feet periodically, then return to neutral while maintaining speed. The sweep makes the tube surge forward, mimicking a baitfish darting from cover. Secondary benefit: clears weed or grass that dulls the tube’s swim.

• Random Pauses — The Stall Trigger:

When: 10–25 ft channels or structure lanes, fish that are following.

- Momentarily drop the boat out of gear for 2–5 seconds. The tube sinks slowly, the worm trailing behind in a natural fall. Re-engage gear and the tube resumes its steady undulation. Following stripers often eat right when the tube stalls or begins to lift again.

• Drop and Crank on Marks:

When: Bottom marks on sonar, fish hugging contour breaks or staged behind boulders.

- Kill speed briefly and let the tube sink on tight line. As it approaches bottom, crank hard to lift it vertically through the mark zone. Nose-down fall followed by a sudden rise — like a worm or eel flushed off bottom. Strikes come hard on the lift, especially from fish staged behind ledges.

• Turn-Driven Depth Changes:

When: Working structure edges, multi-rod setups, searching around contour lines.

- Execute wide or zigzag turns. Inside tube slows and rises, mimicking a worm fleeing toward the surface. Outside tube accelerates and digs deeper, pushing into deeper contour lines. One tube rising, the other digging — gives fish two presentations at once. Use turns intentionally around structure and edges.
Pro tip: For me, tube and worming is an extremely tactical style of fishing because I use all of these multipliers on a regular basis throughout every pass. Boat handling, spool control, line angle, and current direction are always in play. But it’s also worth noting that tubes can be a true “set it and forget it” lure. Many anglers troll them straight and steady with great success. The difference is that I like to squeeze every ounce of control out of the system.

• Environmental Factors (E):

- Bright days: Stripers hold tighter to bottom in clear, sunny conditions. The tube reaches them and stays horizontal in their comfort zone.

- Windy days: Casting is out, but contour-trolling with the tube maintains a consistent presentation even when drift control is tough.

- Strong current: Trolling with the tide gives a natural angle and pace, allowing the tube’s spiral to work in harmony with water flow.

- Slack tide: Fish scatter or suspend. The tube methodically canvasses structure and intercepts lazy feeders when topwater is dead.

• Observational Factors (O):

- Suspended stripers on sonar: Troll the tube just above bottom marks where fish are holding mid-column, especially when they’re ignoring vertical jigs.

- Resident fish on structure: Slow down, add tight turns, and hold your line through their lanes. The tube’s long, hypnotic profile does the rest.

- No surface activity: When birds are sitting and bait isn’t pushing up, tubing is the perfect fallback. Quietly cover ground and tease out buried fish.

- Worm hatches: Red and wine tubes during spring/summer worm hatches are devastating.

• Structure + Approach (S + A):

- Eelgrass flats: Work inside and outside edges where bass wait in ambush. A shallow-trolled tube is stealthy and lethal.

- Shoal drop-offs: Troll parallel to the breaks at variable depth. Let the tube dance just over the edge where bait spills off with the tide.

- Deep contours: A 4 oz trolling weight gets you into deeper lanes and subtle bowls — prime territory for fish that won’t budge for anything else.

- Shallow boulder fields: The 16” tube shines here. Work through the 15–20’ zone in tight loops to entice fish sitting just off the rocks.

- Natural channels: Follow the ebb and flow, pick up quickly at the end of a productive line, and re-deploy with a slightly different angle.

- Mussel beds: Slow troll just off the bottom. Mussel beds concentrate forage and draw stripers close. Best fished during outgoing tides.

• (1) 12" Pocket Tube Redwine
• (1) 12" Pocket Tube Bubblegum
• (1) 12" Pocket Tube Black
• (1) 17" Pocket Tube Mesh Pouch