Fishin’ an Umbrella Rig
by jody only
Story & Photos
W
ith a little over a year since the his- torical 102-lb, 8-oz, Paul elias vic- tory on lake Guntersville, there isn’t a bass angler in a boat that hasn’t heard of the umbrella rig. However, there are many that haven’t taken the plunge and tried a rig them- selves and still others that have dove in, made the purchase; but aren’t yet confident in the lure. to get the lowdown on some umbrella riggin’ tips and ad- vice on puttin’ it into action, WesternBass checked in with bass pro and bait designer- Bub tosh of Paycheck Baits. although he is best known for punchin’ giant bass, Bub put the multi-arm rig to the test and in the process developed one of tackle Warehouse’s best selling umbrella rigs. Here, he shares his experience with WesternBass readers.
THE DOnkEY THRASHER cOmES TO LIFE
“i saw how stiff the umbrella rigs available were and i wanted something more flexible, something
Issue 6
December 2012
that allowed more movement in the wire and a more natural mobility in the action of the swimbait,” recalled tosh. “ Most umbrella rigs on the market are made with 0.40, 0.41, 0.42 or 0.43 wire. i thought the rig needed something more flexible and that would come from a smaller wire diameter. i made mine from 0.29, coffee-colored wire. it is used in saltwater fishing as a leader for baracudas.” He recalled when he put his first one together and ran out to the canal for its first on the water test. “i had an 8-oz darthead and four Beavers tied on,” said tosh. “i was rippin’ the rod tip like it was a jerkbait. i said i’m gonna thrash ‘em on this thing and i did. That was how the donkey Thrasher was born and named.” although he stated he worked on many details of his rig, tosh revealed the wire was one of the most important aspects that sets his rig apart. “The brown color gives it that little bit of camophlage and aside from the natural, pulsating swimming movement, the smaller diameter allows you to cut or rebend your wire as you want to customize to conditions or stage your baits - you can bend this with needle nose pliers.”
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