Man, this weather has just gotten me down. Either the wind's blowing or it's pouring down raining or both like today. I've been reading about all these Daisy Chains everyone is using so I decided to go buy one. MY STRIPED BASS!!! $28.00 for 5 bucktails tied in a row??? Must be the dropper loops. I bought a few "components", came home, and spent the afternoon making "Fishist Chains". I now have a full stock of the suckers (bucktails, rubber tails, white, chartruse, even made some with Storms). I figure at the going price, I am getting close to Bill Gates numbers. If the weather doesn't clear up, though, I'm gonna use 'em to decorate my Christmas Tree. Daisy Chain garland. Anybody wanna buy some?

They would make great garland for any Christmas Tree or over a fireplace!!

that was me last year. I made daisey chain out of storms. or should i say a sea anchor. i used 6 of the 6 inch. let me tell you. even with a 6/0 penn rod and a TLD 30 I thought i was gonna have to back down on it to get it in with a 12 inch rock fish on it.


They are great



I was thing of doing my own Umbrella rigs i have cases of shad bodies. i quess that will be me on Tues in this snow storm that will shut down Richmond and surrounding areas

All this weather has a good side its making the Striper mass together.The next nice day is going to be epic Im sure.

I did make one last year of small bucktails and red/white shad bodies. First time out, I donated it to a whelk pot. I've been meaning to make another...may be I'll get one done before this weekend.

MT Pockets,
I've made a few umbrellas out of storm lures and they are deadly. I use 6 inch on the bars and then a 9" as the center trailer on about a foot-foot and a half of mono.

Besides using daisy chains for garland, you can always recycle umbrella rigs by hanging them over a kid's crib and calling them mobiles! My wife always thought the hook thing was a bad idea though.

So is the lead.

I do the same....deadly for sure!

I have made the storm umbrella rigs the same as skinny. The times that I have fished with them they have worked great!!
Hook them up to the downrigger and drop them to almost to the bottom.
I would fish one rig with the umbrella, a stretch on another line, and a mojo on another. The only action was on the umbrella.

It didn't take me long to rig up a few more.

Todd,
Thats what we do...umbrella on right side, mojo on left and then stretches and inlines back. It's funny for us though, one week the umbrella is the only thing they hit and the next we catch them on everything but. The umbrella has saved many a day.

--Don

I am going to head to Bass Pro today and get some stuff so that I can rig some up to until the weax gets better, but dosent the drag of an unbrella rig pop it out of a down rigger clip to easy. I have even tried a rubber band to increase the holding power of the down rigger.

Question for Don M:

You metioned you only used 1.5 feet of leader on the main Storm on your umbrellas. I made up a several last year, but used about 3 feet to the main. Do you recommend I shorten it up. Haven't had much luck with them this year....seems it's been all Stretches, Storms on the bottom, or TOmics.

Robert Holt
Salty Dog
Bennett Creek

I found that's what works best for me. I want that center storm to be set back from the "pack" of other storms...to make it look like a stragler, but I keep like it shorter so it doesn't get tangled in with other stuff while turning tight when the "Fleet" is fishing in one area...just my preference. I would try it on one and then see if there is a difference in hits on the long leader or the short. Let me know how it works for you.
We've had days out when they wouldn't touch the umbrella, but the success out weighs those days...so don't give up on it.

--Don

William,
We run it right off of the rod tip. Trolling at about 2-2.5 knots and storm lure umbrella should get down to the fish. If not, or if we're on a boat that can't troll that slow, we put a big trolling sinker in front of it and it works fine.

Good luck!

--Don

I have a Dredge that has a 48 inch inline in front it has 4 -12 inch Shad bodies it usually works well in the ocean but is kind of a pain. My lighter umbrella rigs are less cumbersome and dont require a 50 to be reeled in.

Hey I dont get to go out as much as you guys but when I do go I usually take along an umbrella or two. I have used them straight off the rod with an inline sinker and even off a mojo. I have never caught a thing with one yet. What is the secret. I know when they are bitting they will bite just about anything. But anyone know the secret? Also what size Tomics do you guys use Thanks
JC

Jon,

I don't know if there is any secret to the umbrella. I use an umbrella made out of all menhaden or bunker colored Storm lures. I've never pulled one made out of the single colored shade bodies that you hook yourself, so I don't kow if that's it. Those storm lures look life-like. A lot of the fish we catch are caught on one of the lures on the bar instead of the trailing lure.

Keep trying it. May be try running back further from the boat, deeper in the water column, just try different things and see what works.

Good luck!!

I have 2 marlin teasers(1 blue and 1 green) chris crossed over the sofa in the living room. The wife complains every opportunity she gets. But they've been there 2 years now, and I think it looks great.

My wife told me that my Tarpon, Cobia and Drum mounts make our house look Redneckey.I told her to hush or I would start Bowling.

LOL Keith- are yall usig those bucktail chains with a mojo on the bottom???

It only looks rednecky if you have the little doll legs sticking out of their mouths!!

Yes,Craig we use a moJo with the Daisychain.I also will use one on a 3 way with a Large Spoon and a MoJo.

OOps!

Run a spoon on center of your unbrella about 1 to 2 feet behind what you have on the arms use high quility swivels so it doesnt twist.

Add red and white pork rind with tail split to spoon.

OOps!

Sorry Mega had to copy I liked that.

Thanks Skinnys Kid
Ill surley keep trying it and Ill swap one out with some storms. Hopefully see yall out there sun. I got hunny do on sat.
JC

As far as the Umbrella go I have had the best luck with White not the pearl white and the chartruse(i know that is spelled wrong). The stroms work great but How do you store them?

On the shad bodies i only use a hook on the center drop back shad. so it is easy to put in a tube.

Storing Umbrella rigs:

I have 4 pieces of 3" PVC drain pipe cut 16" in length.
5 pieces of 2" various lenghts.
Stick them in a 5 gallon Bucket with some holes in the bottom so you can rinse you baits with fresh water.

The umbrella rigs fit in the 3" PVC pieces. What I do is put the 9" storm in last.
You can hang you streches, Mojos, Tomics, and spoons on the other 2" pieces.

I have found that this works well for keeping all of the baits in one place.
My old system was scroung around in the cuddy until I found what I needed.

OK, all this talk has my blood heated up and I'm going to tie up some rigs. Anyone know of a good website that shows how to tie up a daisy chain and umbrella rig?

I don't know of a website, but maybe this will help...

Umbrella rig...I put snap swivels on all 8 points on the bar. This is assuming the bar has 2 arms. The bars I have, have a snap closure on each end and a circle loop in the middle of the bar between the end and the lead center. I put the swivels on these 8 points, then tie about a foot and a half of mono in the center with a snap swivel on the end to attach the trailing bait. I then attach storm lures to all 8 snap swivels and a big storm on the trailing bait.
If you use hooked shad bodies, just put the eye of the hook on the snap swivel. If hookless shad bodies, use snap swivels like the one on the right and thread the swivel wire threw the shad head and then close. You'll have to use a big enough swivel to fit the shad body. I usually use the other style of swivel for the umbrella rig with storm lures.


Daisy Chain...I just tied one last night from what I've heard how Mega Bite ties his. I took about 18' of 100# mono and put a snap swivel on the bottom, big enough to handle a mojo. Then I cut 5 pieces of 100# mono about 12" long. I crimped them on the main line about 18" apart. I crimped them so that the 12" piece was coming out of the top of the crimp towards the top of the rig. The bottom crimp I put about 3 feet from the bottom of the rig. Then I crimped small snap swivels to the ends of the 12" pieces and attach lures or bucktails, etc. At the top of the rig I attach a swivel that will be attached to the line from the rod.

Hope this helps and I hope I didn't confuse you. Good luck!!

--Don

Hey Don

I like to put the teaser's (hookless shads) right on the bar. But the four on the outside I like to tie about 8" to 10" of 80lb mono to the lure with a barrel swivel on the other end. The center lure I will make 10" or more longer than the outside lures. They are more of a pain to use but it gives a bigger profile for the fish to see. I also like useing a chrome spoon in the center for the extra flash it adds. I will sometimes add a drail with a double snap swivel to the front to get it deeper without letting as much line out.


Ray

Ray,
I saw your post about running a spoon on the umbrella. I'd never thought of that, but sounds like a great idea...hopefully I'll be able to give it a try tomorrow. You don't use hooks on the bar shads, just the trailing center??

I think MoJo is an old Blues term,Howlin Wolf talks about getting back his MOJO hand as do several others.Its like a magic hand or spirit that makes him play great.Then Austin powers turned Mojo into a Machismo thing ,whatever! I NEED MY MOJO BACK WITH MY REELING HAND!

MOJO ...for anybody who's ever been to Subic Bay Phillipines....is probably one of the strongest drinks I have ever had. Mojo is some bad stuff baby....Bob

I have heard that crimping the 12 in line to the main line will cause chaffing? Have you had any problems? The way I was told was to just tie dropper loops to the 100lb mono and just loop the hook with a shad, or storm right to the loop. I have made two of these but havent had a chance to us them yet. I was out the past 2 saturdays and the only fish I caught was a 23''er ao a $33 dasy chain from Bass Pro.
Blue skies and calm seas
JC

Don Im with Ray on this. I use eight 6" hookless shad bodies and a 9" trailer back 18 inches. It is easier to work with store and they swim better i think.


I was in Green Tops sporting goods in Richmond and saw an Umbrella with all spoons. like 6 inch Krockadile with a 9 inch trailer. that thing weighed a ton. And that lure caught the fisherman. Hopefully it will catch fish this weekend.


MT

Thanks Don. Very informative post, now if this wind will just die down..... Right now I running my umbrella with shad bodies and it hasn't been to productive. I think I may try switching them out with Storms and I may try making one of those Daisy Chains.

Its not that complicated with Striper If they are in a feeding mode they will hit just about anything you throw at them.Save yourself time and money use your shad bodies when they wear out get some storms to replace them with.The chafing isnt a problem with double barreld crimps,we had a daisy chain last for half the season last year.The lures are what wear out first,The Bucktails hair falls out,the Storms and shad bodies get chewed up. The dropper loops arent good because if one breaks your whole rig has been compromised.

A Mojo is a term that comes from the voodoo practictioners down New Orleans way. It's a kind of charm or amulet that they make for special purposes like a love charm or a good luck charm or a good fish catch. Good guitar playin too!

Don

When I read your post it sounded like you hook all you lures right to a snap on the arms. I put four hookless shads right to the bar but trail four shads with hooks 8" to 10" from the bar on the outside arms. The center lure is about 20" from the bar.

Good luck
I hope to get out Sunday.

Ray

Babcock,Thanks for the info about moJo I got mine from just playing that kind of music all the time the word Mo Jo is in alot of their songs.Most of them are from that area so what you say makes sense.

Yeh, I use all hooked Storm lures on the umbrella. I could use hookless on the insides, but I'm running all storms. Just a lazy thing for me instead of hooking shad bodies, that's all . We fished a couple of weekends ago and got all of our fish on the umbrella, but none of them were caught on the trailing bait...all were on the outside bars...go figure. I like your idea of putting the outside ones on mono to give a bigger profile.

Thanks! Catch 'em Up!

--Don

Jon,

I've never run a daisy for stripers yet, but I have made teasers for offshore trolling the same way...no problem yet with chaffing, so hope it doesn't start with a big cow tugging on it. I think if you crimp as close to the middle of the crimp sleeve, the ends won't close around the line, which will cause chaffing. We'll see how it works this weekend...tomorrow looks like a no go.

Good luck and thanks for the info!!

--Don

I run all hooks in mine. I dont believe in teasers on a striper rig. Anything i put in the water has a hook on it.

I've used umbrellas with all cheap-o spoons to tease up chopper blues. Just like with the shad, no more than two baits with hooks, and they are dropped back 14-16" I don't think there is any need to put a hook on each one, I'm betting he'll hit the big one that looks to be falling behind. All those hooks would make an umbrella harder to handle and more expensive to lose. Then to store the umbrellas, just snap off the baits and put 'em in tubs, keeping your colors seperated of course.

[quote=skinnys-kid,Dec 8 2005, 08:06 PM][quote=jon colbus,Dec 8 2005, 12:26 PM]I have heard that crimping the 12 in line to the main line will cause chaffing? Have you had any problems? The way I was told  was to just tie dropper loops to the 100lb mono and just loop the hook with a shad, or storm right to the loop.  [/quote]

Jon,

I've never run a daisy for stripers yet, but I have made teasers for offshore trolling the same way...no problem yet with chaffing, so hope it doesn't start with a big cow tugging on it. I think if you crimp as close to the middle of the crimp sleeve, the ends won't close around the line, which will cause chaffing. We'll see how it works this weekend...tomorrow looks like a no go.

Good luck and thanks for the info!!

--Don

[/quote]


Thank you Don. You are right about tomorrow. I was out today, for work, not fishing, It was suppose to be nasty but it wasn't bad at all. I run high speed boats out of Little Creek and when we have to go we go. I was sure I would see tons of boats out since it wasnt bad. I saw 2 boats at CBBT and only about 3 around CH. Like to know how they did, Being the only ones out. Anyway hope the weather clears up for Sun. If you all are going Sun Let me know where they are bitting, and if you go Sat let me know how you do.
Good luck
JC

They have a new umbrella system that has a trailing umbrella behind the front larger one it gives a bait ball look swiming through the water. It was at long Bay Pointe bait and tackle.

Mega

Your giving me ideas I have a 4" 8" and 12" but I'm not sure I have a big enough pole to pull all 3 at once. Could be 25 hooks. A 12 person limit on one rod. LOL

Lots of good music from those folks. My name is George..

I don't know exactly what Mojo is but I know from experience Gigolot's boat has got it. I've caught more fish on that floating fish slayer than any other boat. I plan on makin some umbrella rigs in the near future. Doesn't look like this weekend will be much count for getting out due to the seas and the tournament goin on. Maybe the big girls will stay hidden till I get a chance to get out there but I doubt it. Good luck to all going out this weekend