Crappie Umbrella Rig
The umbrella rig is one of the recent innovation that has helped crappie fishers have a better fishing experience in recent times. It is quite easy to use, and with more experience, you can learn more innovative ways to set up your rig to land more crappies.
The crappie umbrella rigs have become a favorite for many anglers because they can be used to catch bigger crappies. They are also suitable to be used with different kinds of lures so you will not experience a limitation if you have a particular preference.
In this article, we will be discussing simple ways to build your crappie umbrella rig. Fishing for crappies with the umbrella rig is fun and a good experience for everyone, but you may have to spend a lot of money if you have to buy a crappie umbrella rig from the stores. Why not learn how to make yours at a much lower price?
Requirements for making a crappie umbrella rig
You will need the following tools and items for your umbrella rig
- A cutter
- Umbrella jigs
- Wires (1mm thick)
- Swivels
- rivet
- baits
- torch flame
- hand gloves
The Procedures
Step 1
Wear your hand gloves and light up your torch, you will need the heat from the flame to soften your wires so you can bend them easily. I usually suggest that you bend your wires before cutting them to an equal size. Hold the middle part of the wire over the flame and wait till it gets red hot then bend to an angle. Repeat for another wire strip.
Step 2
When your bent wire has cooled down, match the two pieces together and cut to the length you want. The best crappie umbrella rigs usually measure from 7 to 9 inches.
Step 3
Pass the two equal pieces of wire through the rivet and fasten the top end to hold them together. The position of your wires should look like the spike tips on an umbrella.
Step 4
Slide in the swivels on each of the four points of the wire. Heat up the ends of the wire after attaching the swivel, when it gets hot; bend the wire end to prevent the swivel from sliding off. Do this for the other three wire ends after sliding in the swivel. You will also need to secure the swivel from the top by heating up wires and looping them tightly to hold the swivel in place. This process secures your swivel at the end of your crappie umbrella rig. The swivels help to prevent tangling during retrieval.
Step 5
Your crappie umbrella rig is ready. You can either attach the umbrella rig to a fishing rod or a fishing rope if you wish to cast it into the water.
A standard crappie umbrella rig contains about four to six rigs. Some anglers attach a mixture of baits and blades to their rigs to attract more crappies. It is also important that you find out the regulations guiding the use of crappie umbrella rigs in your state. Some laws allow the use of only three rigs while other states prohibit the use of crappie umbrella rigs. And ensure that your crappie umbrella rig is not too heavy, it should be balanced to prevent tangling and spinning during retrieval.
A standard crappie umbrella rig contains about four to six rigs. Some anglers attach a mixture of baits and blades to their rigs to attract more crappies. It is also important that you find out the regulations guiding the use of crappie umbrella rigs in your state. Some laws allow the use of only three rigs while other states prohibit the use of crappie umbrella rigs. And ensure that your crappie umbrella rig is not too heavy, it should be balanced to prevent tangling and spinning during retrieval.
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