umbrella rig - for walleyes?

[Splitshot]

So as I stared at the new 2015 BPS Spring wish catalog the last week, I thought long and hard about how I might want to try to incorporate the umbrella rig they show in the catalog into some type of trolling rig set-up for walleye fishing this next open water season. Then.... the other day, I received a weekly email from a fishing group where they too wrote of someone probably trying the same thing in this upcoming tournament season. I'm sure others had thought of this as well, and maybe there are others who have already tried it. Nevertheless, I'm thinking of experimenting with this in this upcoming season. Anyone give it a try for walleyes yet? Results/thoughts?

[dakotahunter12]

works GREAT! I have a bunch of gently used rigs ill sell you, they have seen water but have no bite marks

[AllenW]

Are they legal in MN?

I thought I read somewhere they could only have one lure with hooks??

Al

[KPKyllo]

Only one arm can have a hook on it in MN, but the other arms can have some type of attractors on them such as spinners or tails of some kind.

[Splitshot]

Hard to admit, but in a previous life, I was a Bass guy. Switched to a life more fulfilling - with plenty more challenge.
I'm still doing the regular meetings - trying to overcome the Bass craving, but I still find myself admiring my favorite old Shimano pitching rod with its Abu STX Revo reel - while conjuring up ways to use the same stuff to catch large numbers of eyes with similar Bass style tactics. Bad habit - I guess. Flipp'in, Jigg'in and Pitch'in all work great so why not try troll'in the umbrella's too?

Yes, in MN you can only use 1 hook on the rig, but what about dragging a small crank centered right behind it? Seems enticing to me. Think about it,.... dragging a board out the port or starboard side, a weighted umbrella rig 50-feet back with a handful of fluttering willow-leafs followed-up by a Berkley Minnow-Rap a foot or two behind the rig on Flouro. Doesn't that seem like a strike-triggering combination? Maybe winter is getting to me though. How many months until open water?
Splitshot

[JJ Scully]

Originally Posted by Splitshot

So as I stared at the new 2015 BPS Spring wish catalog the last week, I thought long and hard about how I might want to try to incorporate the umbrella rig they show in the catalog into some type of trolling rig set-up for walleye fishing this next open water season. Then.... the other day, I received a weekly email from a fishing group where they too wrote of someone probably trying the same thing in this upcoming tournament season. I'm sure others had thought of this as well, and maybe there are others who have already tried it. Nevertheless, I'm thinking of experimenting with this in this upcoming season. Anyone give it a try for walleyes yet? Results/thoughts?

I constructed a mold to make my own and have put a number of hours in trolling them. That said I have yet to find a time when they caught more or larger fish than the same presentation without the U-rig. I have pulled them in places across the Midwest in both lakes and rivers, and have caught fish up to 8 or 9 pounds.

[Splitshot]

That's good information to know. I still think the options for this type of set-up, in certain conditions, would be fun to experiment with. Personally, I'd like to see if it would work on a 3-way rig in moving water - with a couple of cranks (minnow style baits) pulled in-line behind. Maybe pulling this thing over the tops of early emerging weed-beds (or trees) off a board would work. ...Or maybe trolling it outside the face of milfoil beds on a deep break line. The type, size and style of bait used could always be the game changer as well.

Quite frankly I don't think that it is any better than trolling a crank bait. Just wait until you get a couple snagged. I have trolled many for stripers, but have not caught a walleye on one. Not sure why anyone would go for all of the headaches of an umbrella rig without the reward.

[Splitshot]

Originally Posted by Romo

Quite frankly I don't think that it is any better than trolling a crank bait. Just wait until you get a couple snagged. I have trolled many for stripers, but have not caught a walleye on one. Not sure why anyone would go for all of the headaches of an umbrella rig without the reward.

When pondering the idea, it seems like it may work, but I agree exactly with what you quoted above - and that's why when I thought about it (for 1.5 minutes) last winter, I never pursued it. ....I assumed someone had already tried it though.

[rjitterbs@gmail.com]

Hey everyone,
I am new to the forum and am now retired in East Tennessee. We have a really vibrant walleye and sauger population on my home lake, Douglas, and I am always working on new ideas for catching these PIAs. So far most of them have come on crankbaits shallow around shale ledges. Ambush hunters all the way that have adapted to their environment. We are allowed 3 hooks per rod here and I am always looking for ways to trim my trolling array and I think I have an idea that will work. Sometime next week I am going to twist up what for the time being I will call a bottom bouncer umbrella. It will simply be a large 6” to 8” equilateral triangle (final shape will be determined by FoB) with the top corner attached to the bottom bouncer and Lindys, wake baits, i.e. a Livingston ProWake, stick bait, etc attached to the other corners. I am also going to build one or two with a spinner blade centered on what would be the bottom leg of the triangle between the baits. Time will tell, but if I can get more hooks in the water with fewer rods that leads to fewer issues on turn around in tighter areas of our impound lakes.