Ok - so I’m catching all this buzz about Umbrella rigs - I think it was the bass-board had a thread on it.
But - my question is to Utahns - where we’re limited to “two hooks” on a line. Any one use umbrella rigs. I know folks go with tandem rigs, but that’s line on line - this is a wire. Part of what I wonder is if you could use an umbrella rigs with more than two wires, but just run “attractor” plastics, or de-clawed swimbaits or something. Make it look like a school of fish.
Kinda like running pop gear, but spread outwards instead of in a straight line.
TD- you ever pour a lead head (yes I said LEAD!) with a pair, or trio, or more of wires out behind?
I might just have to do some dabbling…
i got four umbrella rigs and it got 3 wire i tie my two swim baits then a willow leaf blade on the other wire
The popular name for now is the “Alabama Rig”. Been discussed a bunch. You can have two lures. Lures can have no more than 3 hooks. Unless you’re at Powell, where you can have 3 lures. Each with no more than 3 hooks. Ain’t nothin’ says it has to be in line. No reason it can’t be on a spreader. Just no more than 3 hooks.
nice. did you buy them or make them?
Do they catch you fish?
Trolling, cast-reel, vertical jigging?
tia
I would consider the swim bait a lure and the a-rig terminal tackle. You can have up to three hooks on each swim bait, but only two swim baits. That’s my interpretation of the law anyways.
So how can someone run 90 blades on pop gear? As I read it the whole rig is one lure. What about a spinner bait? Is each individual blade considered a lure? I have seen spinner baits with 3 blades and a trailer, Isnt that 4 attractors on 1 lure? If each trailer was an individual lure then wouldnt a tandem crappie setup with two jig heads and two plastics be 4 lures because the plastics are added trailers? I plan on using one this year and it will have 3 hooks on it per state guide line on number of hooks per lure. For purely argumentative sakes I will replace the quick snaps with split rings so the trailers and hooks are unmistakably part of one lure. [fishin]
“TD- you ever pour a lead head (yes I said LEAD!) with a pair, or trio, or more of wires out behind?”
**Nope. **
Can’t cast a rig like that on the light gear I prefer.
And trolling a heavy rig in my float tube gives me a hernia.
Sheesh. Next you’ll want me to pull you on water skis.
**My opinion of the Alabama rig? If you like it and it works for you…go head on 'til yer head hurts. There are enough success stories from different anglers on different waters that the effectiveness cannot be doubted. But…like all new miracles…it ain’t gonna be the ultimate solution for poor anglers who can’t catch fish with any other method. Just another way to “wash lures”. **
I’m sure it will become a valuable addition to many anglers’ fishing arsenals. But there are others who will not even attempt to rig it and use it…and who will continue to do just fine with other proven methods. There are times and places for everything…and nothing works 100% of the time for all species in all waters.
I’ll just stick to my Popiel Pocket Fisherman and my Banjo Minnows.
I purchased an umbrella rig for wipers. It had poor quality hooks behind all nine willow blades extended out various lengths. I removed all of the hooks and put two good quality hooks back on two of the longest extentions. It didn’t work very well. Yes I did catch several wipers on it but it just wasn’t worth the effort. It turned out easier just to troll a single lure the traditional way.
I sold the rig and was glad to get rid of it.
I do however think that if one were to practice at using an umbrella rig during wiper boil season, I think it could be pretty productive. It takes a pretty stout rod too (H or MH) because there is lots of weight and resistance. But for me, I’ll stick with two guys running four rods any day … a lot less hastle and a lot more fun.
I read somewhere one of those companies was going to come out with a small version for crappies. I used these for the first time a couple weeks ago. they were a pain, but in the right situation, i think they will be awesome. Some of the bass guys that were using (now banned from some touneys) were using a heavy rod and 80lb braided line to cast with them. I am with some of the others, i like my light tackle. if someone does do a smaller, lighter crappie version, i might try it
**Based on my experience I would question how effective these rigs would be for crappies. They might work a couple of times a year…when crappie are schooling and active. But there are a whole lotta times when crappies are slow and finicky. I like to fish with a tandem rig and there are times I have to drop back to fishing a single light jig…very slowly…in order to get any love. **
A tandem rig is different than a 'Bama setup. If properly rigged and fished it allows you to present two lures…same or different…at different depths. That can often put more crappies in the cooler. But when they are neutral or negative too much hardware in the water will make them keep their mouths shut. Even putting a small snap or swivel on a single jig can decrease your results. Light leader tied directly to a tiny jig is often the only way to fish them effectively. And when they go major finicky after spawning you might have to fish a single 1/64 oz. jig vertically at 30 feet when they suspend over deeper water.
Still, it could be worthwhile to have a couple of small versions made up for non-bass species…or even bass when they are not as active.
**I work a lot with wire and lead and I would be happy to help you fab something to try. The basic design is simple enough. Would just have to work up something that was Utah compliant and would fish jigs or lures of the right size and weight. **
I plan on experimenting with a modified “bama” rig and will report after doing so. Right now, when fishing multi baits for LMB,SMB SB, WB, etc, I use the double “fluke rig”. This is rigged by taking a large barrel swivel ( size 5) and threading on the line. A second swivel is tied to the end of the line. You now have a swivel that slides up and down your main line, stopped at the end by the second swivel. I then tie 18-24 inches of line on the sliding swivel and 24-30 inches on the mainline swivel. I then tie my flukes or senko type bait on to the leaders. It casts okay and it gives the impression of a small school of bait. At Powell, when the stripers are schooling, you will often catch two at a time. Should to the same for wipers. For white bass, I use a standard two jig rig like TD.
How is the whole rig one lure? Can you fish three crank baits (with one hook each of coarse) hooked to a bottom bouncer,and call it one lure? You can I guess, but it sounds like a loop hole to me. I didn’t say anything about attractors or blades. Just artificial lures with hooks.
You may very well be right. And I honestly don’t think anyone with any authority would care at all one way or the other.
**Oh man is it addicting. I’ve been throwing it about a month and should of started in Nov. Its been catching fish so far under tough conditions. No DD’s yet.
First, rig it legally ie check hook limits. On a five armed rig, we been using three jigheads and two cheaters(either spinner blades or cutting off the hooks). Any type of thumper tails or grubs will do.
Second, they are expensive and fragile. Use 50-80lb braid depending on the grass, trees, or other structure you’ll be pulling it thru. Fish can do a number of things to the arms that will need to be re-adjusted alot. Some components are better than others, extra swivels and snaps will be needed.
Third, rods! I have a 7 foot heavy and a stiff 6’6 med-hvy rig on 50lb PowerPro. The 6’6 is easier on my throwing arm so far(its a no name BPS rod). **
**Last, throw it every where. Fish can roam or suspend anywhere and anyplace. open water, tight to the bank, thru trees,… it doesn’t matter-just cover water.
I love throwing braid. I also use the same rods/reels for chucking plastic frogs. **