Umbrella Rig Use in the State of Ohio

Bass tournament anglers in Alabama, Kentucky, and other states have recently won tournaments using an umbrella-style fishing rig. Originally used as a saltwater trolling bait for striped bass and bluefish on the east coast, the rig employs an umbrella-shaped frame with a central head or attachment point from which five or more wires originate. A single-hook swimbait or similar lure is normally attached to the end of each wire with the resulting lure resembling a school of baitfish.

The tournament success has generated many questions from anglers about the legality of the umbrella rig’s use in Ohio. Regulations applicable to the umbrella rig are found in the definition of angling in Ohio Administrative Code 1501:31-1-02:

(C) “Angling” means fishing with not more than two hand lines, not more than two units of rod and line, or a combination of not more than one hand line and one rod and line, either in hand or under control at any time while fishing. The hand line or rod and line shall have attached to it not more than three baited hooks, or not more than three artificial fly rod lures, or one artificial bait casting lure equipped with not more than three sets of three hooks each.

This regulatory definition limits the number of hooks on an umbrella rig to three.  These hooks could be single or treble hooks. 

Umbrella rig options that would be considered legal in Ohio include:

• Rig with only three wires that have attached to the end of each wire a single bait with a hook, for a total of three that contain hooks.
• Rig with five or more wires of which not more than three wires contain a single bait with a hook, for a total of three baits that have hooks; and the remaining wires containing decoy / dummy baits without hooks, spinner blades or other decoy material.
  

Anglers with further questions about the use of the umbrella rig should contact their local District Office Fish Management personnel.

Umbrella rig options that would be considered legal in Ohio include:


Rig with only three wires that have attached to the end of each wire a single bait with a hook, for a total of three that contain hooks.



Rig with five or more wires of which not more than three wires contain a single bait with a hook, for a total of three baits that have hooks; and the remaining wires containing decoy / dummy baits without hooks.



Rig with five or more wires of which not more than three wires contain a single bait with a hook, for a total of three baits that have hooks; and the remaining wires containing spinner blades or other decoy material.