Alabama Rig

[fishinphilly]

i know that many tournaments have banned it but do you believe the a-rig should be banned from all tournaments? i personally don't fish it that much and think it should be banned from tournaments for the same reason they did

 

whats do you think?

[fisherrw]

i just got some i am exited to try them out. i dont think they should be banned. there just another bait!!

[fishinphilly]

i just got some i am exited to try them out. i dont think they should be banned. there just another bait!!

you don't think its like an advantage at all?

[gulfcaptain]

It's just another tool in my aresenal.  I fish them.  They excel under certain conditions. And the tournaments didn't ban them, the anglers fishing the tournaments voted to ban it.  They are the top of the field pro's and felt the tournaments should be one traditional bait.  They still allow them in the lower level tours but must follow state regulations and have a max number of baits, hooks, and blades that can be fished.  Is it an advantage? I don't think so, it's a lure and rather large one that must be learned just like any other presentation.  It isn't a magic bait and have fished many days where you don't get bit. Then there are days they really want it.  So no, I don't think it should be banned.

[HoosierHawgs]

It's just another tool in my aresenal. I fish them. They excel under certain conditions. And the tournaments didn't ban them, the anglers fishing the tournaments voted to ban it. They are the top of the field pro's and felt the tournaments should be one traditional bait. They still allow them in the lower level tours but must follow state regulations and have a max number of baits, hooks, and blades that can be fished. Is it an advantage? I don't think so, it's a lure and rather large one that must be learned just like any other presentation. It isn't a magic bait and have fished many days where you don't get bit. Then there are days they really want it. So no, I don't think it should be banned.

This exactly. People think you can just throw the rig and you win tournaments... But that is not how it works. The bass have to be acting in a specific way... It's like a crankbait. Some days the bass kill it... Should we ban those.... Nope.

[Matthew2000]

Crank baits don't look like a whole school of natural baitfish. A rig requires no skill you cast reel repeat. Specific way of acting, no if a bass sees a school of baitfish and its a easy meal it's going to eat those. how many other baits can you catch 3 fish on at once ? That wins a tourny some days, not fair at all.

[livetofish28]

Crank baits don't look like a whole school of natural baitfish. A rig requires no skill you cast reel repeat. Specific way of acting, no if a bass sees a school of baitfish and its a easy meal it's going to eat those. how many other baits can you catch 3 fish on at once ? That wins a tourny some days, not fair at all.

I've seen doubles on a crankbait and a triple on a jerkbait I've caught two bass one time fishing a Dropshot with a jig as the weight it is just another bait. it takes time to learn just like any other bait

Tight lines

Andrew

[HoosierHawgs]

Crank baits don't look like a whole school of natural baitfish. A rig requires no skill you cast reel repeat. Specific way of acting, no if a bass sees a school of baitfish and its a easy meal it's going to eat those. how many other baits can you catch 3 fish on at once ? That wins a tourny some days, not fair at all.

This is untrue... Like I said... It has a specific time and place. Not always will bass hit it. Eventually if you cast a crankbait your gonna get bit. Eventually, if you cast an a rig for long enough you'll get bit. But throwing it isn't like throwing a seine net like people think. They're have been days that I've fished it, and Wiley it, and not caught fish...

[fisherrw]

you don't think its like an advantage at all?

I don't think so.. I guess if there a TON of fish in the area and your catching 2 or 3 at the same time... Lol

[fisherrw]

It may be unfair then!!

[Bluebasser86]

I've fished an A rig quite a bit, caught a bunch of fish on it, never caught a double. I've had bunches of doubles on about every kind of hardbait though, is that unfair? You still have to find the fish and make them bite, it isn't like it turns them into mindless zombies that must eat because it got within their strike zone. I've had days where I threw it and threw for hours with no luck, but the guys that found the fish smashed them with it. When it's on, it's crazy good, but that can be said for a lot of presentations. It also has very specific windows when it works. I don't really care either way about tournaments banning them, but I don't see how it could be unfair if everyone was allowed to use one?

[roadwarrior]

Crank baits don't look like a whole school of natural baitfish. A rig requires no skill you cast reel repeat. Specific way of acting, no if a bass sees a school of baitfish and its a easy meal it's going to eat those. how many other baits can you catch 3 fish on at once ? That wins a tourny some days, not fair at all.

 

It sounds to me like you have never actually fished The Rig. All the fish I have caught were on the middle arm, never on the outside and

I have never caught multiple fish. The only tournaments I fish are for charities so I really don't care if they are banned or not. However,

if you are a recreational fisherman you are cheating yourself by not using the Alabama Rig. 

 

 

 

[Logan S]

It's not magic and it's not unfair if the whole field has equal ability to use it. As for tournaments banning it...Their organizations, their rules.  I have no issue with it.

 

I have been using it more and more on the waters in the area that support it.  It's very fun when you can get on a good A-Rig bite...I have caught multiples and have also caught fish on the outside arms, even a double with both on the outside arms (shameless bragging ).  

 

More to the original point...I don't see why anyone would be up in arms about a tournament trail banning it unless they actually fished that particular trail.  Further, If you are against the A-Rig for a specific reason then simply don't fish it...But if you are against it because you think it's too easy or takes no skill, I'd suggest you try it for yourself first.  You would quickly find that it takes just as much skill/experience to be successful with as any other technique.   

 

In short, it's another another tool in the toolbox.

[slimshad]

They hit it like a truck too!  Catching fish is what I try to do and if this bait works in certain situations, then I will toss it in...  Vote me in for the A rig!

[Catch and Grease]

Crank baits don't look like a whole school of natural baitfish. A rig requires no skill you cast reel repeat. Specific way of acting, no if a bass sees a school of baitfish and its a easy meal it's going to eat those. how many other baits can you catch 3 fish on at once ? That wins a tourny some days, not fair at all.

Lol you obviously don't fish the A-Rig, doubles aren't common on the rig, many people have been fishing the A-rig for a long time and have never doubled up. The main argument for why the A-rig should be banned is mostly the fact that on TV dragging up fish with 3 hooks stuck in their side can look bad. (I personally don't care if its banned or not, doesn't effect my fishing lol.)

And I don't wanna be "that guy" but there are already a lot of good threads on this worth reading if your interested in the topic.

I'll add one more thing, FLW did a survey and the majority of professionals did not like the Alabama rig being used in tournaments, so them banning it pleases the majority of pros.

[scaleface]

It sounds to me like you have never actually fished The Rig. All the fish I have caught were on the middle arm, never on the outside and

I have never caught multiple fish. The only tournaments I fish are for charities so I really don't care if they are banned or not. However,

if you are a recreational fisherman you are cheating yourself by not using the Alabama Rig. 

 

 

 

Thats interesting. Did you say on another post to use a Johnson Silver minnow on the middle one ? Is that what you catch them on ?

[roadwarrior]

That is my main rig, but I carry several. If my partner gets on a different pattern,

I switch. Last year my buddy in Sheffield hit paydirt and I spent most of the morning

as net boy!  I will switch to a soft swimbait on the middle arm when that's what they

want.  

 

A big advantage of the Johnson Silver Minnow is its flash. Where I fish on the Tennessee

River this presentation is also VERY effective for stripers.

[scaleface]

 

 

A big advantage of the Johnson Silver Minnow is its flash. Where I fish on the Tennessee

River this presentation is also VERY effective for stripers.

 Do you clip the weed guard off the silver Minnow ?

[roadwarrior]

Nope, but you could - it serves no purpose on The Rig.

[bassinbrady03]

If everyone can have one its fair but it is not a magical fish catcher. I threw one on Wylie all day with the bait fish matched on the swim baits. My buddy was throwing a 3xd and smashing them but i couldn't catch a thing

[Alpha Male]

Maybe I'm biased because I'm from Minnesota where it's a strict one line in the water at a time and only one lure on that line. There is even a strict distance for trailer hooks. And no more than 3 hooks per bait.

I don't care for the a-rig and even were I to fish in a state that allowed it I wouldn't use it. That's my preference though. As far as tournaments banning it as you can guess I'm ok with that. Its not a fairness thing because if everyone can use it then it again comes down to the anglers skill. But I would sooner see them allow live bait over the a-rig.

Again it's not unfair just meh as a spectator watching someone throw 5-10 baits at once.

[t4bama]

Crank baits don't look like a whole school of natural baitfish. A rig requires no skill you cast reel repeat. Specific way of acting, no if a bass sees a school of baitfish and its a easy meal it's going to eat those. how many other baits can you catch 3 fish on at once ? That wins a tourny some days, not fair at all.

Ah if it was called the South Carolina rig you'd love it....j/k

[Matthew2000]

I have fished the A rig many times in the past with differnt brands and had succes just I don't think its a very fair element of true fishing. After 4 days of prefishing at a tourny I'm pretty sure you going to atleast have a general idea of where the fish are at so no there is no magic it's kind of common sense why they banned it. Because there is no cadence you have to use with other baits you start stop etc. And for those who said that they double up on jerk baits and crank baits how many times have you done that in one day? Not very common if you get in a school with an A rig you can fill out your bag in 4-5 casts that just doesn't seem fair in a tournament situation especially when 100,000 dollars is at stake. There has to be skill to win that 100,000 dollars not just cast reel repeat.

[bassinbrady03]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[everythingthatswims]

I have fished the A rig many times in the past with differnt brands and had succes just I don't think its a very fair element of true fishing. After 4 days of prefishing at a tourny I'm pretty sure you going to atleast have a general idea of where the fish are at so no there is no magic it's kind of common sense why they banned it. Because there is no cadence you have to use with other baits you start stop etc. And for those who said that they double up on jerk baits and crank baits how many times have you done that in one day? Not very common if you get in a school with an A rig you can fill out your bag in 4-5 casts that just doesn't seem fair in a tournament situation especially when 100,000 dollars is at stake. There has to be skill to win that 100,000 dollars not just cast reel repeat.