Umbrella Rig: Question for Experts such as Dave Stewart

Ok Guys I need help. The last few years I hear tons about the A-Rig. I have bought a handful of 3 and 5 wire rigs but have yet to have any success. I have done a lot of research and basically found that they are good for suspending bass but that they are pretty simple to fish. Yet I have not been able to catch a single fish on them. i have thrown them right next to other boats that are fishing them and they catch fish and I dont. Needless to say I have very little confidence. I have some basic questions:

Does it seem like more baits are better?

What size of swim bait do you typically use for this time of year?

What size of jig head?

If I was fishing Kentucky lake this time of year should I be swimming it along the bottom or in the middle of the water column? etc

A little about my setup. I have been fishing them with braid on a 7.5 ft heavy action rod. I have been using the storm wildeye 3" swim shad baits in pearl on a Yum flash umbrella rig.

What am I missing? Thanks for your help in making me a more versatile angler.

Use a larger different colored swim bait in the middle. Assuming your using a 5 bait rig. This gives them something to focus on. Most times them will swipe at it going for the middle one but get the outside baits.

[QUOTE=Basshunter82;554228]Use a larger different colored swim bait in the middle. Assuming your using a 5 bait rig. This gives them something to focus on. Most times them will swipe at it going for the middle one but get the outside baits.[/QUOTE]

What size of jig heads do you use?

1/4 once on the outside and 1/2 once in the middle

[QUOTE=Basshunter82;554244]1/4 once on the outside and 1/2 once in the middle[/QUOTE]

Might be a touch too heavy. One thing I have noticed is that the slower I retrieve the rig the more bites I get....Sometimes I get more bites when I'm making a little contact with the bottom. Sometimes I will even let the rig go to the bottom and slow....SLOW. roll it back bumping the bottom every now and then.

[QUOTE=Basshunter82;554244]1/4 once on the outside and 1/2 once in the middle[/QUOTE]

That could possibly be some of the problem. That seems a bit heavy for me. If I'm fishing deep water (20'+), I like two 1/4 oz heads on the bottom and then 1/8 on the other 3 heads. If I'm fishing shallower than that, I play around with either all 1/8 or a combo of 1/8 and no weights.

Fishing with lighter weights lets me slow the rig down and that's how I like to fish it. Some people may have other ideas that work for them, though.

As far as swimbait sizes, I like 3-4" on the outsides and a 5" in the middle that is a slightly different color than the other 4. They fish really seem to key in on that middle bait. For this reason, I use belly weighted swimbait hooks on the outside baits and an open hook jig head on the middle one. That keeps it a little more snag resistance around brush and timber.

[QUOTE=dabassking;554247]That could possibly be some of the problem. That seems a bit heavy for me. If I'm fishing deep water (20'+), I like two 1/4 oz heads on the bottom and then 1/8 on the other 3 heads. If I'm fishing shallower than that, I play around with either all 1/8 or a combo of 1/8 and no weights.

Fishing with lighter weights lets me slow the rig down and that's how I like to fish it. Some people may have other ideas that work for them, though.

As far as swimbait sizes, I like 3-4" on the outsides and a 5" in the middle that is a slightly different color than the other 4. They fish really seem to key in on that middle bait. For this reason, I use belly weighted swimbait hooks on the outside baits and an open hook jig head on the middle one. That keeps it a little more snag resistance around brush and timber.[/QUOTE]

Awesome! Thanks this was the type of information that I was looking for.

I prefer 1/8 ounce heads but also will put 1/4 ounce on bottom leads if going deep. I prefer a slow roll near cover. 4" baits work for me....will many times dye tail of center baits chartreuse to make it a little different. Works for me.

Dave

[QUOTE=Dave Stewart;554266]I prefer 1/8 ounce heads but also will put 1/4 ounce on bottom leads if going deep. I prefer a slow roll near cover. 4" baits work for me....will many times dye tail of center baits chartreuse to make it a little different. Works for me.

Dave[/QUOTE]

the Man has spoken!