What is/are the best umbrella rigs on the market in your opinion?

[Ohioguy25]

Hog Farmer, Picasso, 6th Sense? What exactly are the key differences and are the premium brands really worth $20-30? What are you getting with those that you won’t with a 6th Sense or Flash Mob?

[ww2farmer]

Idk if they are the best or not, but I've had far fewer issues with Picasso than other brands I've used, which includes Yum, Strike King, Mann's, and maybe one or two others I can't remember.  Quality hardware out of the package,  and durable wire are my main 2 criteria,  and the Picasso checks those boxes.

[Ohioguy25]

2 hours ago, ww2farmer said:

Idk if they are the best or not, but I've had far fewer issues with Picasso than other brands I've used, which includes Yum, Strike King, Mann's, and maybe one or two others I can't remember.  Quality hardware out of the package,  and durable wire are my main 2 criteria,  and the Picasso checks those boxes.

Is Hog Farmer considered the industry standard or top of the line?

[Big Swimbait]

Hog Farmer and Shane's Baits are my go to A-rigs.

[Ohioguy25]

49 minutes ago, Big Swimbait said:

Hog Farmer and Shane's Baits are my go to A-rigs.

Which Hog Farmer specifically? I’m overwhelmed lol there’s like 10 diff models on TW 😭

[Born 2 fish]

The above mentioned brands are great  But don’t over look the Yum flash mob  that bait just flat out works. 

[FishTank]

Hog Farmers. I use the mini flex and the BFL Flex Rig. We are only allowed 3 hooks in Indiana.  I can set these up with 3 hooked baits and two dummies. 

 

What I found is, you want a rig that is light enough to flex on a stop and go retrieve but not too light where the hooks get tangled.  How fast you retrieve it and what baits you use can also make a difference.  

[Ohioguy25]

On 11/13/2024 at 6:40 AM, FishTank said:

Hog Farmers. I use the mini flex and the BFL Flex Rig. We are only allowed 3 hooks in Indiana.  I can set these up with 3 hooked baits and two dummies. 

 

What I found is, you want a rig that is light enough to flex on a stop and go retrieve but not too light where the hooks get tangled.  How fast you retrieve it and what baits you use can also make a difference.  

How about this one? 
 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Hog_Farmer_Baits_BFL_Hitchhiker_Rig/descpage-HBFLH.html

[FishTank]

On 11/13/2024 at 6:58 AM, Ohioguy25 said:

How about this one? 
 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Hog_Farmer_Baits_BFL_Hitchhiker_Rig/descpage-HBFLH.html

 

I have not used that one. If I read the description correctly, it has a heavier wire than the one I have. 

[Ohioguy25]

12 minutes ago, FishTank said:

 

I have not used that one. If I read the description correctly, it has a heavier wire than the one I have. 

What are the advantages/disadvantages of heavy vs thin?

[rangerjockey]

I have tried most of them. I think the Yum/Scottsboro deal is really good. The only thing I change is to use a bigger bait on the center hook.

I would agree the Hog farmer is probably the best quality but they hurt a little more when they get hung up.

[FishTank]

2 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

What are the advantages/disadvantages of heavy vs thin?

Not a huge expert on this but..... heavier wire will flex less so you could use heavier baits and it will hold up better to big fish. Lighter wire will have more flex and allow for lighter baits. 

 

Another way to look at it is the retrieve.  With a heavier wire you can fish it faster because it has less flex. If you burn a light rig with heavy baits, the hooks, wires, blades or baits can get tangled.

[Ohioguy25]

On 11/12/2024 at 12:01 PM, ww2farmer said:

Idk if they are the best or not, but I've had far fewer issues with Picasso than other brands I've used, which includes Yum, Strike King, Mann's, and maybe one or two others I can't remember.  Quality hardware out of the package,  and durable wire are my main 2 criteria,  and the Picasso checks those boxes.

 

On 11/12/2024 at 8:31 PM, Big Swimbait said:

Hog Farmer and Shane's Baits are my go to A-rigs.

 

On 11/12/2024 at 9:59 PM, Born 2 fish said:

The above mentioned brands are great  But don’t over look the Yum flash mob  that bait just flat out works. 

 

On 11/13/2024 at 9:40 AM, FishTank said:

Hog Farmers. I use the mini flex and the BFL Flex Rig. We are only allowed 3 hooks in Indiana.  I can set these up with 3 hooked baits and two dummies. 

 

What I found is, you want a rig that is light enough to flex on a stop and go retrieve but not too light where the hooks get tangled.  How fast you retrieve it and what baits you use can also make a difference.  

 

On 11/13/2024 at 10:56 AM, FishTank said:

 

I have not used that one. If I read the description correctly, it has a heavier wire than the one I have. 

 

On 11/13/2024 at 12:17 PM, rangerjockey said:

I have tried most of them. I think the Yum/Scottsboro deal is really good. The only thing I change is to use a bigger bait on the center hook.

I would agree the Hog farmer is probably the best quality but they hurt a little more when they get hung up.

So I got the Hog Farmer out of the package, I noticed something unusual and different from the other rigs I have tried - the top two wires for the dummy rigs (hookless) are further in than the other three. I assume this is to keep the fish from attacking these which is smart but it looks completely different in the water, less like a bait ball to the naked eye, the uneven nature gives it a less uniform/homogeneous look which I’m not sure if it’s more lifelike or not, but I noticed immediately it is less visible/eye catching and flashy which is what I understood this presentation to be all about. What are your thoughts on this, do all of Hog Farmer’s rigs do this or just the particular one I got? (Hog Farmer BFL Rig.)

[rangerjockey]

Don't worry about it. They bite the center wire most every time.

[Ohioguy25]

1 hour ago, rangerjockey said:

Don't worry about it. They bite the center wire most every time.

Lol I’m not sure that answers my question at all. I am not worried about them missing the hooks, I’m worried about the visual presentation of Hog Farmer’s staggered uneven design.

[Peacedivision]

14 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Lol I’m not sure that answers my question at all. I am not worried about them missing the hooks, I’m worried about the visual presentation of Hog Farmer’s staggered uneven design.

The fish don't care

[Ohioguy25]

19 minutes ago, Peacedivision said:

The fish don't care

Figured as much. Which one do you have again, flex?

[FryDog62]

The Minnesota guys might be familiar with the "Crystal Rig." It's a new, custom finesse umbrella rig for Medium spinning/baitcasting set ups... and is catching 6-7 smallmouth on Mille Lacs.  All fluorocarbon instead of wire and the dummies on the perimeter spin like planets around the sun (center minnow).  I plan to find out if it works in South Carolina this weekend.

[Peacedivision]

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Figured as much. Which one do you have again, flex?

That's the Tactical Bassin full size flex rig, but I also fish the TB micro and standard hogfarmer 5 wire 4 blade mini. The mini has equal length top and bottom wires and the micro is maybe 1/2" difference.

[Ohioguy25]

7 minutes ago, Peacedivision said:

That's the Tactical Bassin full size flex rig, but I also fish the TB micro and standard hogfarmer 5 wire 4 blade mini. The mini has equal length top and bottom wires and the micro is maybe 1/2" difference.

What about the full size?

[Peacedivision]

18 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

What about the full size?

The regular hogfarmer 5 wire flex has all equal wires. The TB rigs all have short dummy arms and are 6 wires except for the micro.

[Ohioguy25]

23 minutes ago, Peacedivision said:

The regular hogfarmer 5 wire flex has all equal wires. The TB rigs all have short dummy arms and are 6 wires except for the micro.

So to be clear they do not offer a 5 wire other than the flex with equal length wires?

[Peacedivision]

19 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

So to be clear they do not offer a 5 wire other than the flex with equal length wires?

I'm not familiar with their entire lineup but the TB micro flex is as near to even as makes no difference and perfect for smaller baits. That's where I would start.

[rangerjockey]

4 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Lol I’m not sure that answers my question at all. I am not worried about them missing the hooks, I’m worried about the visual presentation of Hog Farmer’s staggered uneven design.

Well. The idea is to get them to bite it. Ever see bass chasing bait ? trust me, they don't think about 2 of them being a inch behind or in front the others. Once you bend the wires the center one will be longer than the teasers. At least on the ones I use.

[madbass20]

Anyone have any experience with this one? 

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Stealth_Lures_Stealth_Rig/descpage-STSR.html