The Dark Side of Fishing-Umbrella Rigs

Let me start by saying fishermen love to catch fish, and they will always look for the hot fly or lure to bring a fish to hand. For years, most lures have been made with two to three sets of treble hooks. The hooks will be near the head of the lure, in the middle, and near the end, or tail. Depending on where the fish strikes, there’s a good chance it will get hooked. These lures have been used for years, and will continue to be used by amateur and professional fishermen.

Several years ago, along came the Umbrella Rig, (Click here to see an example of an umbrella rig).” which was an attempt to make the next best lure. The rig is comprised of five thin wire rods connected to a single point. Picture a small umbrella with the spokes attached to the tip. Each wire rod can hold a lure with a single hook. Cast it using a heavy line and rod, and catch a lot of fish. If you believe the manufacturers websites, the rig catches so many fish that professional fishing tournament organizations have banned it from tournament use. But, is that the real reason?

One pleasure I enjoy since retiring is watching fishing shows, either online or on television. I’m always looking to increase my knowledge of techniques and tactics to improve my fishing. There have been several shows where the umbrella rig was used, and in all honesty, I didn’t believe what I was seeing. For every fish that was caught on a single hook there were several that were foul hooked. In one instance, the fish caught did not have a hook in the mouth. Four of the hooks were embedded in various parts of the fish’s body, one very close to the eye. In essence, it was snagged.  To me, when a fisherman reverts to snagging it's an attempt to boost their self-esteem and ego. What fun is that?

This brings me back to banning the rig from professional competitions, and hopefully, the real reason. It is my hope that the rig was banned to protect the resource, the fish. After all, without the fish, there would not be professional fishing organizations. But, as amateur fishermen, who fish for enjoyment, we should go further. Snagging is not fishing. If not using the rig protects a resource, stop using it. Without the rivers, lakes, and fish, there is no fishing.

Go out and fool a fish!