Alabama Rig / A-Rigs in Summer

[ryanerb]

For a long time, the Alabama rig seemed like the holy grail, almost so much it was banned in some tournaments. 

 

If it's so deadly, does it work all summer? The shad spawn in the spring, so don't bass just eat the offspring all summer too? And the bass's metabolism is higher in the warmer water, so they have to eat more, so they like A-rigs because they are a nice small bait ball to eat?

 

Logically, it seems like it would work great. What is your experience? Do A-Rigs only work certain times of the year? Or all year long including the summer? 

 

Just looking for input and EXPERIENCES....

[A-Jay]

Yes -

An A-Rig is a summer / warm weather deal for me while hunting stout brown bass.

Took me a couple of years to figure out how, where & when but

I will start fishing it seriously in a week or so.

And I can usually count on this deal to be a viable player

until the bigger brown bass move back out of the shallower water. 

https://youtu.be/6Ds4Z22ywnY?t=625

Fish Hard

A-Jay

[TnRiver46]

I rarely hear about them being used/successful after April but I bet they would still work year round, especially because everyone else quits using them.

 

no Doubt they absolutely smash fish in winter

[ryanerb]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

no Doubt they absolutely smash fish in winter

Thoughts on why specifically they smash fish in the winter? I figured fish ate shad almost all year... just trying to think out loud...

[Jig Man]

I have one tied on all of the time, however, from May to fall I have not been able to get anything to bite them.  I have wondered if my baits were too large but haven’t tried smaller ones.

[rangerjockey]

It's pre spawn suspended fish deal for me. I'm sure if you wanted to throw it long enough you'd get a few to bite but I think around here there are better options once they start to move up.

[roadwarrior]

No-go in the summer around here.  Primetime is late winter and early spring.

[Ski]

Last week I was on the back seat of a partners boat fishing Rodman Res in Fl. The air temp was 95, no breeze and no current. We were picking one up here and there with a jerk bait, square bill crank bait, and Texas rig worm. I was besting him 5 to 3 when he took out a smallish A-Rig with guppies on it and proceeded tear my butt up. Ended up 12-7

[TnRiver46]

6 hours ago, ryanerb said:

Thoughts on why specifically they smash fish in the winter? I figured fish ate shad almost all year... just trying to think out loud...

I don’t know why honestly, I don’t throw them 

[Bankc]

8 hours ago, rangerjockey said:

It's pre spawn suspended fish deal for me. I'm sure if you wanted to throw it long enough you'd get a few to bite but I think around here there are better options once they start to move up.

That's where I'm at with it.  It's not that it won't work.  But it's easier to target suspended fish in open water with a lure that big.  In the warmer months, I'm usually fishing topwater, bumping along the bottom, or deep in the weeds and trees.  

[ryanerb]

16 minutes ago, Bankc said:

That's where I'm at with it.  It's not that it won't work.  But it's easier to target suspended fish in open water with a lure that big.  In the warmer months, I'm usually fishing topwater, bumping along the bottom, or deep in the weeds and trees.  

This is all sounding good!! Appreciate all the input guys!!

[GreenPig]

Not the best lure for my hot water bass. Too many miles of casting/retrieving per fish.

[Jig Man]

17 minutes ago, GreenPig said:

Not the best lure for my hot water bass. Too many miles of casting/retrieving per fish.

Not to mention too much tired at the end of the day.

[txchaser]

This summer it's worked for me in two situations:

1) fish were already obviously keyed on shad (busting them on top, etc) - and I knew what depth they were at and it wasn't face-down on the bottom. 

2) on the drop around cover or near deep/shallow intersections. I can't really explain this one, maybe a spinnerbait would have done the same thing, maybe it was enough presence to get them to come out and get it. I was letting it drop to get to the right depth and got a bite. Happened again in another spot. They wouldn't eat it on the retrieve though. /shrug

 

Better results on the smaller a-rigs than on a big full-size one so far.

 

[Sphynx]

I don't like an A-rig anywhere shallow in the summer simply because of the fact that it picks up vegetation worse than literally any other option in my box, as far as would it work if I could find a spot that was open enough? Probably, but I think I would be inclined to downsize the trailers a bit, and shoot for a young fish type imitation. If I feel like an A-rig would maybe work in an area this time of year, I usually will toss a spinnerbait and try my luck, it's basically a finesse A-rig with some skirts (which it just occurred to me there's no reason you couldn't add those to your A-Rig too if so inclined) and is probably a good option under similar conditions. 

[Luke Barnes]

I bought an A Rig this winter and about 5 different swimbaits to use on it and never caught a fish with it. So I'm no help cold or warm!!

[papajoe222]

On 7/29/2021 at 11:01 PM, ryanerb said:

Thoughts on why specifically they smash fish in the winter? I figured fish ate shad almost all year... just trying to think out loud...

Winter bass are opportunist feeders, much more so than in warm water. They also rarely chase down a meal. That A-rig presents them with an opportunity for a big, easy meal that they will expend a little energy to get.  Come summer, the warmer water and more active fish, other baits become more beneficial as bass will chase. Fishing the rig is like deep cranking, it can take a lot out of you.  Will it work in the summer, heck yea. I've actually caught a few doubles with it in early July and at times, fish will move quite a distance to smash it. (smallies are notorious for doing so) If your in great physical condition, like a smallie angler we all know, you could likely fish it for hours with success.  Me, I'll fish a double willow spinnerbait.

[ryanerb]

On 7/31/2021 at 7:45 PM, papajoe222 said:

Winter bass are opportunist feeders, much more so than in warm water. They also rarely chase down a meal. That A-rig presents them with an opportunity for a big, easy meal that they will expend a little energy to get.  Come summer, the warmer water and more active fish, other baits become more beneficial as bass will chase. Fishing the rig is like deep cranking, it can take a lot out of you.  Will it work in the summer, heck yea. I've actually caught a few doubles with it in early July and at times, fish will move quite a distance to smash it. (smallies are notorious for doing so) If your in great physical condition, like a smallie angler we all know, you could likely fish it for hours with success.  Me, I'll fish a double willow spinnerbait.

Good points!!

[king fisher]

I use one whenever I start catching fish on swimbaits.  My theory being, if one swimbait works, why wont 5?  I have only been using one for about 7 months now, and have had success with one in all of those months.  It's always summer here in Mexico, so I guess they work in summer.