How to Fish an Umbrella Rig for Bass

The castable umbrella rig (CUR), also called the chandelier rig or Alabama rig, was invented by Andy Poss in 2011. It consists of metal head weighing from 1/2 to 5/8 ounce (14.17 to 17.72g) and a set of flexible wire arms to which other lures can be attached to simulate a small school of baitfish.^{[1]XResearch source} Not all jurisdictions allow its use, but if yours does, you'll need to use the right tackle and presentation to make full use of it.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Choosing the Right Tackle

1
Choose the right rod. Because the umbrella rig is so heavy, you need a medium heavy to heavy action rod to handle its weight. Many anglers prefer rods between 7 and 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4m) in length with graphite blanks.^{[2]XResearch source}
- You need the additional length and stout action to heave the weight of the chandelier rig and attached lures, which can be as much as 4 ounces (1/4 pound, 113.4g), in repeated casts. Too short a rod or too spongy an action, and you'll tire yourself out quickly.
2
Choose the right reel. Many anglers prefer to use baitcasting reels when fishing the Alabama rig, as those reels are designed to fish with the heavy lines the rig makes necessary. If you prefer a baitcasting reel, get one with a retrieve ratio of at least 5.5 to 1, or better yet, 6.5 to 1, with ball-bearing and designed to be taken apart easily when you need to clean it and a braking system to minimize backlashes. ^{[3]XResearch source}^{[4]XResearch source}
- If you prefer a spinning reel, choose one designed to handle heavy line. You almost want a reel designed for saltwater fishing, but not quite.
Advertisement
3
Think heavy line – repeat, HEAVY line. The umbrella rig is not meant for ultralight fishing, by any means, and the line you spool your reel with needs to be heavier than what you'd use when fishing with one lure at a time.
- For a baitcasting reel, choose a braided line of 65 to 80-pound test (30 to 36kg class). Inventor Andy Poss recommends using 100-pound test (45kg class)!^{[5]XResearch source}
- For a spinning reel, use a monofilament line of the same test or class.
4
Spread out the arms. While you need to keep the arms close together when storing an Alabama rig in your tackle box, when fishing it, the arms should be spread out. Allow enough distance to keep the lures attached to the arms from getting caught on one another but not so far apart as to be easily caught on rocks or stumps.
- A tight configuration also more naturally simulates the way a group of baitfish swim.^{[6]XResearch source}
5
Put a jig head on each arm. If you plan to fish the Alabama rig in relatively open water, you can use round jig heads. If you plan to fish the Alabama jig in weeds or brush, use either jig heads with weed guards or heads designed to be fished self-weedless (inserted into the body of the plastic worm or grub they're baited with).
- You don't have to use all heads of the same weight. You can put the lightest heads, such as 1/8 ounce (3.55g). at the top, the next heaviest, such as 1/4 ounce (7.09g), at the bottom, and the heaviest, such as 1/2 ounce (14.17g), in the middle. This will give the illusion of a small school of baitfish of different sizes. Often, fish will strike at the jig in the center of the rig.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Attach the jigheads to the arms with either the snaps attached to the ends or with split rings. Don't use leaders, as the added length will cause the jigs to foul around one another during the cast or retrieve.
6
Tip each jig head with a twist-tail grub or worm. Grubs or worms from 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) in length with a ribbon or sickle tail will flutter when retrieved, creating the illusion of swimming baitfish. The tail should be placed so that it curves downward.
- Where possible, choose colors that match the food fish where you fish. If that's not possible, you can fall back on the “bright day, bright color; dark day, dark color” rule.
- If the water is particularly dark, you may want to substitute a spinnerbait for the center jig/grub combination.
Advertisement

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Fishing the Umbrella Rig

With the help of an electronic depth sounder, you can find underwater ledges and drop-offs, preferably with cover such as stumps, weeds, or gravel. Once you've established the general lay of the submerged land, you can mark your targets with small buoys.
2
Heave the chandelier. A flick of the wrist just won't do when casting an umbrella rig. You need to put your shoulder, your forearm, and your upper body into the cast to get the rig and its attached lures out there.
- If you're using a rod with a long handle, you can use your trailing hand (your left hand if you normally cast right-handed or your right hand if you cast left-handed) to whip the handle back as you use your leading hand to whip the rest of the rod forward.
Generally, lures will fall 1 foot (30cm) per second. You can count seconds by saying “1001, 1002,” etc. until the lure reaches the right depth.
4
Retrieve the umbrella rig with an interrupted steady retrieve. Reel the rig in slowly for 10 to 15 seconds, then pause for a second before resuming the retrieve. Fish will often strike one or more of the lures when they briefly change direction.
- You may also get strikes when the rig starts to rise at the moment you're finishing your retrieve.
- If the speed of your retrieve doesn't work, try increasing or decreasing it.
Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question
Do you need to use a bait caster for this rig?
Kajal Golam
Community Answer
Bait casters are used for a wide variety of applications, ranging from casting lures, to surf casting and big game fishing.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0
Question
What are some good tips to fish in a murky water harbor in NY? I know that there are some 15 pound + striped bass and blues in the harbor.
Luke
Community Answer
Use brightly colored lures that the fish can easily see. Also try using an attractant scent.
Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn
Yes No
Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

The name “Alabama rig” is a generalization of the trade name “Alabama Rig” used by Mann Tackle for their version of the umbrella rig. Other tackle companies manufacture versions called Bait Chaser, the Deadly 5, or the Swarm.^{[8]XResearch source}
Thanks
Helpful0 Not Helpful0
Expect to snag one or more of the lures attached to a chandelier rig at any given time. You can often dislodge a snagged rig by passing over and behind the snagged place and pulling the rig loose from the opposite direction. If this doesn't work, you can try to free the lure by wrapping the line around a dowel or hammer handle and pulling it free or by using a weighted “stump knocker” with a number of shower curtain rings attached to it.^{[9]XResearch source}
Thanks
Helpful0 Not Helpful0
When fish hit the lures attached to an umbrella rig, they often strike more aggressively than when you fish only a single lure. At first, this may take some getting used to.
Thanks
Helpful0 Not Helpful0

Show More Tips

Warnings

Check the laws of your jurisdiction to determine whether fishing with an umbrella rig is legal. Most jurisdictions restrict the number of hooks that can be attached to a single line. Some define a lure as one hook, regardless of the actual number of hooks it may have attached to it; a crankbait with 2 treble hooks would be treated as one hook. However, because an umbrella rig allows multiple lures to be fished at once, your jurisdiction may regard each lure attached to an umbrella rig as a separate hook, even if the lure itself may have multiple hooks.
Thanks
Helpful0 Not Helpful0
If you fish in fishing tournaments, check the rules of your organization as to whether an umbrella rig is allowed. The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) does not allow using the umbrella rig in practice or competition during the Bassmaster Classic or in its Bassmaster Elite Series. Other organizations may allow its use prior to the tournament but not during it; in such cases, anglers will blunt all but one hook and just count strikes once they learn what size fish are striking the lures.
Thanks
Helpful0 Not Helpful0

Things You'll Need

Heavy action rod, 7 to 8 feet (2.1 to 2.4 m)
Baitcasting or spinning reel
65 to 80-pound test (30 to 36 kg class) line (braided for a baitcasting reel, monofilament for a spinning reel
Jig heads (1/8 to 1/2 ounce/3.55 to 14.17g) tipped with twist-tail grubs or worms
Spinnerbait (optional)
Umbrella/Alabama rig