I'm with you CJ.

Do you think all of these guys preaching "old school" ethics are fishing with a homemade rod in a dug out canoe? Do you think they throw slabs and rattletraps with a single barbless hook?

On a serious note. I don't use an umbrella rig because its a mindless "no brainer" method of fishing, but because it can be very effective in certain situations. I dont typically throw the rig into surfacing fish just to catch three or four at a time. But when the fish get into a suspended pattern and get tuff to catch an umbrella rig can give you the edge you need.

Not wanting to get into a debate about mortality versus water temperature, but I fish a lot during the summer and release every fish that I catch. I have yet to go back on the following day and find floating fish, I use a single hook and fish a sassy shad nearly all of the time, usually hook a fish in the lip or the top of the mouth, very seldom do I hook a fish in the gills.
I frequently see fish that have been caught on light line with a small slab that do not recover. Get the fish to the boat quick, take your photo and release it. There is nothing wrong with keeping your limit if that was your intention when you set out to fish, once a hybrid goes in the live well it is dead.

yep, all "striped" fish seem to do poorly once put in a livewell for any amount of time it seems.

Guys I really get tired of KillM all in Aug. because they die 80% of the time?

BS! Don't takeM out of the water, don't holdM up for pics for 45 seconds when it's hot, get off your _SS and hold the fish in water and don't let go till she swims off,pinch your barbs down,use circle hooks if you are using live bait, use heavier line and don't over play fish when it's hot, and don't use a net!

If you do all of that, your 80% BS number will be more like 10%!

More fish = more anglers = more guides booked = more hotels booked = more $$ spent at restaurants = more lures purchased = more $$$ for local economy!

Simple! More Fish = More $$$

I agree 100%, upscale your tackle if needed, get the fish to the boat
quickly, " pick it green " don't " play " them to death.

MO

could you run 6 hellbenders on an a-rig? maybe even with pet spoons behind them as well?

6 Hellbenders pulling 6 umbrella rigs with 30 pet spoons.

No troll here...just someone who likes a good debate. I read and appreciate all Matt's tips on here. And yes...I do still like to fish with a cane pole and line...lol, for perch with my daughter and to catch bait for juglines! And yes...you can compare the juglines I use to an umbrella rig. Each one has 5 hooks on them and yes, we keep, clean, and eat most of them that are big enough to mess with. I am not judging anyone for doing something within the realms of following the law. Never said I was holier than anyone else...just merely stated my preference. That is what is wrong with a lot of society today...people state an opinion, and if others don't agree, they label them a certain way. Just because I prefer to do things one way does not make another mans way wrong...just proves we are all set in our ways and as long as no laws get broken, then to each their own. I will probably next to Matt at some point and time over spring break...and doing the best I can to fill the freezer with my parents, daughter, and girlfriend! At gas nearing $4 a gallon, the freezer will no doubt gain a lot of meat that will not go to waste I assure you. Just making observations and stating opinions... :-). Now if any of you have an old canoe you want to get rid of...lol

And yes...have been guilty of pulling 3 Hell-Pets at once in one boat on Cedar Creek...catching sand bass 3 at a time...one rod in 3 different peoples arms! :-)

Sorry guys, only 5 hellbenders with umbrellas and petspoons... ARigs only have 5 wires

It looks like this thread really hit a nerve. I was curious what the answer would be as I tried to use the hell bender as a downrigger with an umbrella. I noticed it didn't stay down like it did with the pet spoon and I assume the rig behind it is heavy enough it tips the bill toward the surface. I don't recall how heavy the jig heads are but I am using around a 5" shad plastic on it. I tried adding a pretty big sinker to the A rig but again, I think it would need to be added to the hellbender. I also have some type of planer rig I bought several years ago and got the same result using it. Top water drag. Anyway, any input on the original topic would be an interesting read.

Scott

Firewalker a A-rig will have too much drag for most divers. What will work is a trolling weight and length of line out. Pic up a few trolling weights. Maybe a 2, a 3, a 4, and a 5 ounce. Mesure how much line your reel let's out in one pass of the levelwind. Start in a known depth and let out line until you bump bottom. Change weights and bottom depths until you know how to fish all the depths you want.

I want to try a A-rig with 5 a-rigs behind it with 25 hellbenders behind those.. LMAO riDICKulous..

I tend to agree with the old timers on this one.. The a-rig seems like a novelty to me.. be like jigging for fish with 25 flies tied down your line.. At some point I think it would take the fun out of it for me because I too like to catch my limit over the course of the day.. At least give the fish a sporting chance and not risk creating injured floaters or having to explain to a game warden why I kept a undersized injured fish.. Pisses me of when I see a dead fish float by my boat.. I just shake my head and sigh..

FiveGun.... Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the input. I am a little hesitant to even troll it at all because of the amount you have tied up in it if you hit a pretty good snag. As far as trolling goes the Hell Pets work well enough and it's a pretty low key day (especially when my sons were younger) Boat ride and catch fish at the same time. That also kept my $6 lures from getting lost left and right. Thanks again for the reply.

On another note: I can't wait until the next clever math whiz comes along with a "well, I want to tie on a whale rope with 1000 HellBenders dragging 5000 swim baits" Of course if we are talking about 5 wire A rigs. I don't want to steal the thunder if I took your line. I am sure you can think of a higher multiple that will make the crowd burst into laughter without contributing to the OPs question. Perhaps another story about grandpa telling me..... "insert fishing ethics grandpa story here"

I made a few rigs because they seem to be the rage. I have yet to catch a fish at all on it. Yeah not even belly hooked one. I have casted it and I think it's too heavy to do all day. I would just as soon cast a jig or a worm. Trolling them seems like the way to go and finding the solution to them not sinking right is the focus of this thread. It has nothing to do with PETA, or game wardens, or people whos nipples are tender that they haven't been banned out of existence. Thanks to the OP for the question as I was wondering myself. Thank you to the others who offered some answers.

Now...... I have to go find a whale rope and 5000 jig heads.....

Scott