The Effectiveness Of The Alabama Rig

[roadwarrior]

Special lures have sparked a surge in the ability to catch

both numbers and size. The first plastic worm by Creme Lure Company

comes to mind. Rat-L-Trap, Jitterbug, Devil's Horse, spinnerbait,

Floating Rapala, Senko and most recently the paddle tail swimbait.

Today we are living in another epic era with the introduction of the

Alabama Rig. Some will argue that the A-Rig is just a modification of an

old, very well know saltwater tool, the Umbrella Rig. I think that is,

for the most part, true. However, the application is new to most freshwater

anglers.

What is "special" is best illustrated by what is happening on the reservoirs

of the Tennessee River. The first big breakout was at a professional

tournament on Guntersville. But what is more remarkable is what has

been happing since then.

Over the past several months more double digit bass have been reported

on Pickwick than we have heard about since I moved to the region in

1997. For at least two prior decades Pickwick was know to locals as

"The Dead Sea". Water quality is a huge factor, but what I am noting in

this thread is how a new presentation has effected the bass population,

specifically the sleeping giants.

Giant fish don't just happen. For the most part, they survive to great size

simply because they cannot be caught. Dotti is a well documented example.

She was caught three times, but ONLY during the Spawn. Big fish like Dotti

are simply uncatchable most of the year and for most of their life!

The phenomenon that is occuring on the Tennessee River and throughout the South

will be duplicated in the North this spring and summer. The A-Rig eliminates

big fish inhibitions, they think they are attacking a school

of bait!

The Alabama Rig is a big deal, perhaps THE BIGGEST in our lifetimes.

[Smiths.R]

I think you just convinced me to pick one up and give it a try...

[hookset on 3]

RW, exceptional post, I agree 100%. These big and wise old giants have never seen anything resembling it! Like you said, they have no previous conditioning to this baitfish pod swimming by and just crash through it with their mouths agape.

[tomustang]

I don't have doubts in the schooling baits, but still see it as dynamite or a casting net. I just think if you need more than one lure to catch fish then you're missing the point of fishing, just my opinion

[A-Jay]

Thanks for the post RW -

I tried it a bit late last season with out taking a fish.

Your results post here are certainly a confidence booster.

I'll be throwing it.

A-Jay

[JIGFISHERMAN.]

Personally I can't wait to use it. Regardless of how I feel about it, I think it would be nuts to NOT cash in on this setup while it's hot and BEFORE every fish in the lake has seen it.

And it's just a rig. Modifiy it. Make it your own. I see people all the time wanting to know exact snap/swivel sizes (which I contend you don't need ANY snap/swivels) exact line size, etc,etc.

[roadwarrior]

Wrong...swivels are required. Strong components are needed to keep the rig from spinning and

to recover the rig when it gets hung up. I lost one yesterday due to a weak o-ring. Glenn

posted a tip from the Pros: The most important addition to the rig is a connecting swivel.

[JIGFISHERMAN.]

Right. The individual baits aren't going to cause much in the way of line twist.

When I set them up I'll be using split ringed heads, with a quality swivel at the line tie to the rig itself. The RIG will twist your line. Not the individual baits.

BUT I could be missing something.

My thought process-those swimbaits don't really twist your line. They still shouldn't if you have several of them connected. Those baits are keel weighted, and I can't see them causing the entire rig to twist your line during the retrieve.

However I can see the entire rig twisting your line, especially on the cast.

[Wayne P.]

Here is an example of a huge bass getting lunch. That is what the A-Rig duplicates.

[roadwarrior]

Right. The individual baits aren't going to cause much in the way of line twist.

When I set them up I'll be using split ringed heads, with a quality swivel at the line tie to the rig itself. The RIG will twist your line. Not the individual baits.

BUT I could be missing something.

My thought process-those swimbaits don't really twist your line. They still shouldn't if you have several of them connected. Those baits are keel weighted, and I can't see them causing the entire rig to twist your line during the retrieve.

However I can see the entire rig twisting your line, especially on the cast.

Correct, but you don't need keel weights or a jig head on the swimbaits. Most guys are using a bigger soft plastic swimbait

in the middle, but Andy Poss, the inventor of the rig, told me to use some blade for flash in the middle. I have been experimenting

and will post future results after testing a few different presentations. I'm striving for the lightest possible combination and am

open to suggestions.

[Dwight Hottle]

Correct, but you don't need keel weights or a jig head on the swimbaits. Most guys are using a bigger soft plastic swimbait

in the middle, but Andy Poss, the inventor of the rig, told me to use some blade for flash in the middle. I have been experimenting

and will post future results after testing a few different presentations. I'm striving for the lightest possible combination and am

open to suggestions.

How about a flutter spoon?

[roadwarrior]

Man, I just rigged up a light 6" silver flutter spoon with a BIG red treble hook.

It's beautiful!

[Wayne P.]

Put a small swimbait on a Swarming Hornet head for the umbrella rig center wire. That will give you the blade with a hook.

[James Yalem]

I'm not a tournament fisherman. OTOH, the reason that I love bass fishing is the challenge. Thus, I don't have some equipment because I consider it cheating. An example is the large, depthfinder that enables you to see the fish. I have the smallest depthfinder which I use to find the depth. The Alabama Rig is another tool that I won't use because it eliminates the challenge. Maybe this is why B.A.S.S. banned it in their tournaments.

[BobP]

Before declaring the A-rig the greatest thing since sliced bread, maybe we should evaluate results in other seasons when bass behavior and distribution patterns are different than in the fall. Am I gonna try it? Yes. And I hope it will work great - but I'm tired of jumping on the Latest-Greatest New Lure Bandwagon every year.

[roadwarrior]

Saturday, February 18, 2012 was two days ago, not last fall. More importantly,

lots of guys are enjoying the best fishing in their whole lives RIGHT NOW!

http://www.timesdaily.com/stories/Hauling-in-anglers,187168?content_source=&category_id=&search_filter=big+bass&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=stories&town_id=

[jig]

I'm not a tournament fisherman. OTOH, the reason that I love bass fishing is the challenge. Thus, I don't have some equipment because I consider it cheating. An example is the large, depthfinder that enables you to see the fish. I have the smallest depthfinder which I use to find the depth. The Alabama Rig is another tool that I won't use because it eliminates the challenge. Maybe this is why B.A.S.S. banned it in their tournaments.

It certainly takes the skill out of fishing.Can see why they banned it in tourneys,kind of a no brainer !

[Dwight Hottle]

Man, I just rigged up a light 6" silver flutter spoon with a BIG red treble hook.

It's beautiful!

Great minds think alike.

[McAlpine]

I have thought long and hard about how I felt about this rig. My first gut reaction was one of disgust. My next was one of fear. Fear that nobody will ever be able to win a tournament without throwing one of these all day. I initially felt it was cheating the fish and the sport and that they should be illegal in all states.

After I had time to calm down and think about it, really what is the difference between the A-Rig and say an A-Arm Spinnerbait? More baits right? My final personal belief is that this is 5 baits on one haness, period. Now, what is a bait and what is an additional "enticer"? Spinnerbait, one bait, with "enticer" blades right? Well, I've changed my opinion on the A-Rig too, if one were to keep the number of "baits" on the harness with hooks limited to the number of "baits" per line allowed in any given state, then more power to the user. Someone throwing this with 5 or more baits with hooks. Well, that bothers me. Why not just go troll 100 baits and call it an A-Rig? Why not use a gill net? If it's just about pulling meat out of the water for you there are plenty of methods.

Overall, the thing has already proven to be dangerous. Fish caught = fish mortality or educated fish in one form or another.

To paraphrase Dr. Hal Schram. Its bad for fish and it's bad for fishing.

[ccummins]

I bought an A-Rig on Friday at the Dania Beach BAss Pro and tried it Sunday morning. After using it for half an hour it is my opinion that anyone who can use it all day definitely has to be checked for PED's... Just simply amazing the difference in casting a single 3/8 ounce swimbait and 5 3/8 ounce swimbaits at the same time...

[bigbassctchr101]

I'm not a tournament fisherman. OTOH, the reason that I love bass fishing is the challenge. Thus, I don't have some equipment because I consider it cheating. An example is the large, depthfinder that enables you to see the fish. I have the smallest depthfinder which I use to find the depth. The Alabama Rig is another tool that I won't use because it eliminates the challenge. Maybe this is why B.A.S.S. banned it in their tournaments.

So, where do you draw the line? A large depthfinder is cheating but a small one isn't? Why? Couldn't you just use a line system with depth markers on it if you needed to know depth? Where and how does one advancement in fishing become a disgrace instead of an improvement?

The rig is something that fish don't see and has nothing to do with the numbers of hooks on it. MOST fish are caught on the middle bait. I fish this rig a lot with only one hook on the middle lure. What is amazing is the number of big fish caught on it, not the number of fish being caught at one time. People won't be able to change the laws themselves, but if you have a problem with the idea of the rig itself, I really can't fathom why you wouldn't give it a try just to see results so you can truly speak for yourselves. Tie one on without and hooks and watch the size and the amount of fish that will it to the boat! Don't be narroanother sitended (for lack of a better term, because I mean absolutely no dis respect by any of my posts) about a lure or a method without having adequate facts and data from your own accord.

[roadwarrior]

I have thought long and hard about how I felt about this rig. My first gut reaction was one of disgust. My next was one of fear. Fear that nobody will ever be able to win a tournament without throwing one of these all day. I initially felt it was cheating the fish and the sport and that they should be illegal in all states.

After I had time to calm down and think about it, really what is the difference between the A-Rig and say an A-Arm Spinnerbait? More baits right? My final personal belief is that this is 5 baits on one haness, period. Now, what is a bait and what is an additional "enticer"? Spinnerbait, one bait, with "enticer" blades right? Well, I've changed my opinion on the A-Rig too, if one were to keep the number of "baits" on the harness with hooks limited to the number of "baits" per line allowed in any given state, then more power to the user. Someone throwing this with 5 or more baits with hooks. Well, that bothers me. Why not just go troll 100 baits and call it an A-Rig? Why not use a gill net? If it's just about pulling meat out of the water for you there are plenty of methods.

Overall, the thing has already proven to be dangerous. Fish caught = fish mortality or educated fish in one form or another.

To paraphrase Dr. Hal Schram. Its bad for fish and it's bad for fishing.

I have seen no evidence of increased mortality.

Meat hunters? Not. The rig is somewhat technical, requires a boat and is too expensive for most "catch & keep" guys.

The vast majority of C&K fishermen around here target catfish, crappie, white bass, sauger and bream. They will keep

a bass, but don't catch many by accident.

Comparing the A-rig to a gill net is simply ridiculous.

[McAlpine]

I have seen no evidence of increased mortality.

Meat hunters? Not. The rig is somewhat technical, requires a boat and is too expensive for most "catch & keep" guys.

The vast majority of C&K fishermen around here target catfish, crappie, white bass, sauger and bream. They will keep

a bass, but don't catch many by accident.

Comparing the A-rig to a gill net is simply ridiculous.

Fair enough sir, but I can't catch 5 bass at once on a spinner bait, but I can with a net.

To say there will not be increased mortality is incorrect. More fish are being caught, otherwise these would not be such a big thing. More fish caught = more dead fish even if returned to the water. Last thing I want to do is side with the peta nuts but that is reality. Big fish that would normally be tough to fool are suckered by a horde of baits being drug past them.

My opinion is out there, I'll stop trolling-up your thread. I just feel strongly about this as many do.

[Jason Penn]

i almost bought 1 the other day, but i just couldn't bring myself to do it. i would need to carry another rig with me to fish this thing, and right now i just don't want to.

what are some of the lighter versions? if i can fisnd a version that doesn't really require a flippin stick or swimbait rod i might try it out.

[roadwarrior]

I fish my version on a jig rod.

Regarding multiple fish, we didn't have any on Saturday.