Umbrella Rig

[JWOA]

What do you guys think about this rig? Have you used it? Whats the gear you use? 

[Blues19]

A bunch of people on here use it. I just got one and put some Havoc sick fish on it.  Dont know when i will try it, but it will find its way on a rod sometime

[tbone1993]

It can be fun and it can be very boring. Wait until the fall to bust it out again. Get a rod that can handle at least 3oz and a reel that can handle heavy braid. I throw mine on 65 lb braid and a revo winch.

[Bluebasser86]

I've fished one a bit when I can. They aren't allowed in KS but I've used them quite a bit in Missouri and Arkansas. I fish mine on a 7' 10" BPS Extreme H/XF with a Curado 300E and 25lb Pline C21. I'm not a fan of using braid for them or big swimbaits. If you get a backlash that stops the bait suddenly you'll lose the whole thing. Plus it gives you a little give if a big fish dives at the boat. I like to put swimming flukes on mine. My best luck with them have been during the colder months and they usually seem to really be on it or they won't touch it. The strikes are some of the hardest strikes I've ever had though. 

[Lip 'em!]

Like BlueBasser said i have had better luck as well from fall through early spring. I wad reading an article the other day that was published when the rig was first released, and alot of the pros were talking about how they thought it would really shine during the summer months when fish are schooled up out deep on ledges, points, and channels. Have any of you guys had any luck with the rig during the summer? Just curious as i have stuck with the idea that it is a cold water lure.

[JWOA]

It can be fun and it can be very boring. Wait until the fall to bust it out again. Get a rod that can handle at least 3oz and a reel that can handle heavy braid. I throw mine on 65 lb braid and a revo winch.

 Im using a BPS Extreme Reel 7.1 with a 6' graphite swim bait rod...and Im using 50 lbs Braid. Hows this?

[WRB]

I have no idea why the A-rig would be restricted to cold water applications, it replicates a school of smaller bait and bait nearly always schools.

In California where I live and fish the A-rig isn't new, it's newly popular as a fresh water castible rig.

Last year when this rig became well known and several being offered by a wide variety of lure makers, everyone has to have this rig. Things have settled down somewhat, but still very popular and widely used.

Like every lure presentation it has it's following and productive periods. CA allows only 3 hooks can be fished at one time in fresh water, number of decoys or attractors isn't regulated. Most popular rigging is 3 small swimmers with a jig and 2 attractors without hooks.

The original Mann's style A-rig, 5 wire, isn't that popular out west, scaled down 5 wire rigs that can be cast effectively with a jig rod is the most popular and widely used in tournaments.

What I have learned with A-rigs is when to fish them. Our lakes the prey fish that schools are threadfin shad and threadfin are most active in bright sunny days in the mid morning to mid afternoon time period, so this time frame is a good time to start. Best locations have been wind blown shoreline and points, not any different than swimbaits. If you see or meter baitfish schools, the A-rig will work if bass are feeding on them

For the standard size A-rig I use 4" swimmers with one 6" swimmer and my swimbait rod with 25# mono. With the finesse smaller A-rig I use my 5 power jig rod with 14# FC, 3" or 4" thin body swimmers. Both rigs use 2 decoy swimmers attached with CPS, no hook. Swimmers are shad colors.

Tom

[WRB]

Im using a BPS Extreme Reel 7.1 with a 6' graphite swim bait rod...and Im using 50 lbs Braid. Hows this?

You rod is only 6 feet long....typo?

Tom

[JWOA]

You rod is only 6 feet long....typo?

Tom

No sir No typo I just only have a 6 foot the highest is 6'6" but I let my buddy borrow it plus it's soft very soft.

[thechief13]

Like BlueBasser said i have had better luck as well from fall through early spring. I wad reading an article the other day that was published when the rig was first released, and alot of the pros were talking about how they thought it would really shine during the summer months when fish are schooled up out deep on ledges, points, and channels. Have any of you guys had any luck with the rig during the summer? Just curious as i have stuck with the idea that it is a cold water lure.

I just got one at the beginning of the summer and I've been catching fish on it so it can be used in summer too

[JWOA]

I just got one at the beginning of the summer and I've been catching fish on it so it can be used in summer too

It can be used in summer...I also lost my yesterday the first time I fished it

[CPBassFishing]

No sir No typo I just only have a 6 foot the highest is 6'6" but I let my buddy borrow it plus it's soft very soft.

that is not going to cast an A-rig very well. You need at least a 7' 6" Heavy action IMHO.

[TrapperJ]

Been throwing the Flash Mob JR with a 7'6" MH rod with smaller 3" swimbaits with no problem. Really need to upgrade to a beefier rod though to throw the big boys.

 

I keep seeing poeple like Jimmy houston and some others like to use one that is a little different in the middle of the rig. Like 4 whites and then one with white and a red or something just a little different to stand out. 

[JWOA]

that is not going to cast an A-rig very well. You need at least a 7' 6" Heavy action IMHO.

Umm I was throwing fine 4 ounces wasn't to bad