The A Rig

[tbone1993]

So in an upcoming tournament the A rig is going to play a key factor.  I honestly have not thrown one yet but I understand how to.  I have a dobyns 735c which is a 7ft3 mh that can support up to 1.5oz. How much will a fully rigged A rig weigh?Should I invest in a cheap 7ft H for this tournament?  Could I get away with using a fenwick hmg flipping stick? I would prefer to stick with Abu or fenwick. 

[KevO]

It depends on how deep you want to fish it.  If your fishing shallow you can use 1/8oz heads plus the weight of the baits and rig so yeah the 735 will be fine.  i was throwing a big 5 arm 1/4oz heads on a flippin stick rated in 1.25 oz and it was fine.  I invested in a powell a rig rod now though.

[Bluebasser86]

You should be fine for just tossing it for one tournament as long as you aren't using too heavy of heads. If you aren't fishing too deep you can get one of the non lead heads that don't add much weight to the rig.

[tbone1993]

I am probably going to be fishing it in 20ft of water off of ledges. Using an 8 second count down so I am not sure if i should buy a swimbait rod or just get a musky rod.

[Koofy Smacker]

im kind of curious as to how you KNOW it will play a key factor in a tournament. Water in illinois right now should be pretty dang cold. Chesapeake down here is upper 30's. I wouldnt go into it set on throwing something youve never tossed before. I can guarantee that wont end successfully. If youve found fish prefishing, stick to your game plan and fish how you fish. Adapting because youve heard of an a rig bite wont do anything but probably frustrate you. If your fishing down that deep why dont you throw some deep divers that youve probably thrown before and have some confidence in

[tbone1993]

im kind of curious as to how you KNOW it will play a key factor in a tournament. Water in illinois right now should be pretty dang cold. Chesapeake down here is upper 30's. I wouldnt go into it set on throwing something youve never tossed before. I can guarantee that wont end successfully. If youve found fish prefishing, stick to your game plan and fish how you fish. Adapting because youve heard of an a rig bite wont do anything but probably frustrate you. If your fishing down that deep why dont you throw some deep divers that youve probably thrown before and have some confidence in

The tournament is not in Illinois and it also is in March.  The seasonal pattern for that lake is throwing a rigs and jerk baits. Also I have multiple contacts telling me that the A rig is going to be a factor. It is not a traditional tournament as well, it is a big bass tournament so I am not going for 5 keepers but big fish. 

[Jaiden]

I have no experience with the umbrella rig, but I hope I can help. I wouldn't reccomend anything under a Heavy power. When choosing, you have to take in these factors: the weight of the head on the A Rig, the weight of the swimbait jigheads, the weight of the swimbaits, the vibration of the swimbait tails, and the force of maybe two big fish swimming in opposite directions. I hope this helped. I'd also check with the locals of the area you are fishing for what they use with the rig.

Jaiden

[G3Steve]

Your 735C could work.  It really depends on the kind of a-rig you throw and how you rig it.

 

In California, we can only have 3 hooks.  I've only fished the rig in relatively shallow water, so I use 1/8oz jig heads on a smaller size rig.  Weighs about 1.5 oz with baits, maybe a little less.

 

One of my homemade rigs weighed 2ozs with 3 1/4oz weights and baits.

 

You might be able to throw up to 2 ozs on the 735C, but I would feel more comfortable with something that could handle more weight.  I personally use a 795ML SB, and sometimes an 805Flip for the a-rig.

[Lip 'em!]

I started out throwing the a-rig with a 7'3 mh and it was uncomfortable to say the least. Even rigged with 1/8 oz heads i didnt have alot of confidence in it because the thought of my rod snapping under the weight was always in the back of my head. When i did catch a fish i had to work with it and couldnt just horse it in. Bought a 7'9 heavy swimbait rod last fall and it made a world of difference! I can feel confident throwing it now knowing that i have the equipment to handle it which has led to better success with it.

[Crowcommander]

Be sure and use braided line in 50 to 65# test. I use 3 1/8 oz heads and 1-1/4 oz head and usually catch the fish with the 1/4 oz head which is on the bottom hook. Fish around brush piles and hang on. Also a homemade retreiver( a large homemande triple hook with 100# trotline for getting at least part of your A rig back when you get hung up) When you get hung up,go directly over it and past it and many times it will come free. Also use a little Mega strike on the bottom bait seems to help also.Jst my .02. 

[tbone1993]

I have everything down besides the rod. I just know that putting more than the suggested weight on a rod can be a problem.  It is one of those things where I know what I have to do but I am debating dedicating a single rod to one technique that I might only use a few times a year ( besides a rigs it would be a swim bait rod), 

[slonezp]

You fishing the Big Bass Splash on Gville? Everyone will be setting up around the bridges doing the same thing you are.

[tbone1993]

You fishing the Big Bass Splash on Gville? Everyone will be setting up around the bridges doing the same thing you are.

Not on Gville but that is basically how the tournament is going to be won. 

[jhoffman]

I personally dont think the A rig is a 10lb bass lure, its more of a put a bunch of fish in the boat numbers game and if everyone else is doing it you can bet I wont. Ive seen it too many times on too many species of fish were guys are pounding the same baits day after day. You come up to a hole and no one is catching nothing, all throwing that "dock talk" bait and you bail something in there that hasnt been seen in six months and WHAMO.

 

If I knew everyone was gonna throw the A rig I would throw a four bladed spinnerbait or a big matt lures swim bait, heck I might even throw a hair jig. If the winning "lunker" was caught on the A rig its going to be simply because more people are throwing it than not and the odds swung in its favor.

[Koofy Smacker]

Im curious not as to what state this tournament is in as you said it is not in Illinois. Depending on region, March should be a prespawn bite but with the weather the entire country has been seeing you can never tell anymore.

 

Im not trying to stir up a hornets nest on this and I know Im new on this forum but if its a big bass tournament and youve never thrown an A-rig before, it can get frustrating and tire you out in a hurry. Over a month out dock talk means nothing. Also how can the A-rig be a seasonal pattern on that lake in the spring if the bait has really only been a player not for less than a year.

 

Prefish prefish prefish. The small males may have moved up by that time and that tells you the big girls are in the close deep water waiting for water temps to warm up, or nothing could have moved up, or they all could be shallow. You never know. Ive had temps range from 9 degrees one morning to 70 degrees the next morning here in PA so save the frustration.

 

Not trying to put anyone down on here, just trying to help. Sticking to a game plan before even touching the lake will only do one thing, waste your time on tournament day and frustrate the heck out of you.

[Fishes in trees]

Go ahead and get yourself a dedicated A-rig rod.  Remember what you were told in high school shop class and use the right tool for the job.   

[J Francho]

I throw 1/8 oz. jig heads on a five arm umbrella rig with a 5 power Dobyns just fine.   However, I would not be married to any one thing a month before tournament day, no matter the lake or historical patterns. The rig might be the ticket, but then again, it might not.