Alabama rig

jwall046 · Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:26 pm Post subject: Alabama rig

Has anyone heard about the A-rig?
Paul Elias used this to win at Guntersville this fall.
I heard about it when it happened and thought nothing of it. But then i watched it on FLW. Seemed cool. It looks kinda like an umbrella rig for salt water. maybe some from Alabama just put their own spin on it.
I think i might give one a try next season.
Goto make my bullet proof swimbait (in process) 1st.

thorn168 · Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 4:12 pm Post subject:

I don't believe that this rig is legal to (Fresh water) fish in Massachusetts.

The law states you can have two hooks, either single or treble, but no more than that per rod and line.

Furthermore, the rig itself is about $25 without any lures attached. Add to that the cost of lures about $10 worth and you have something that if you hung it up on structure or actually caught a handful of fish but broke 'em off...that would suck.

thorn168 · Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 4:19 pm Post subject:

http://www.thealabamarig.com/howto.htm

For anyone who is curious about how to fish this rig.

jwall046 · Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 4:45 pm Post subject:

Statement from another thread: Mass. Fish & Game said its illegal what is there to discuss?

My friend is making some up. I'll have to ask him if it's legal and where he plans to fish it.

Quote: Furthermore, the rig itself is about $25 without any lures attached. Add to that the cost of lures about $10 worth and you have something that if you hung it up on structure or actually caught a handful of fish but broke 'em off...that would suck.

Ehh 35.00 bux. Cost of some swimbaits. No worries.
Worth a try ( if legal) just for fun!

I'm thinking about adding 1/8 or 1/4 oz spinnerbaits

blackstonecarp · Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:13 pm Post subject:

Yes it is illegal but outside of that...the first bass you catch that has 1 hook in its mouth and 5 others in various parts of its body make it a useless and completely ignorant rig for catch and release in my opinion.

kman · Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2011 6:12 pm Post subject:

9er umbrella rigs for stripers, is the same thing. I agree for catch and release those are not a good choice.

volume4130 · Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 8:30 am Post subject:

Looks like cheating to me...I can't see how these can be legal in tournaments or anything like that. Definitely looks like a mess...imagine catching a pickerel on there and having flop around for 5 minutes like they usually do?

stevelibs · Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:10 pm Post subject:

I can't help but notice how ultra small $.50 whisks might be converted quite simply into one of these $50-$100 rigs. But when you bring up a beautiful catch with one hook in the mouth and 4 bleeding hooks deeply embedded throughout its body, it's time to throw the rig away - it sucks, and is the worse freshwater idea I've ever seen. Don't know what these areseholes were thinking!

blackstonecarp · Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 9:48 pm Post subject:

I would think a better way would be to rig a single hook in the middle with 2 false baits ( no hooks ), 1 on either side. you'd get the same effect of a school of bait fish, but only 1 hook. Would seem to work nicely in theory if the real hook was a bit behind the two smaller fake baits.

[ ]--------------------FAKE
\

MAIN LINE--- []---HOOKED BAIT---

/
[ ]----------------------FAKE

I would think that using this sort of method might be a more practical, fish safe rig, staying withing the mass rules of aimed at catching 1 fish. Just a thought...

weldinghank · Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:47 am Post subject:

blackstonecarp · Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 12:38 pm Post subject:

jwall046 · Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 5:31 pm Post subject:

Duno i didn't see any messes in the tournement and if they caused damage the pros wouldn't use em that would be stupid and cost them money.
But anyway i'm gona try it if it's legal. prob not something i could see my self throwin on a regular basis but interesting non the less.
Something to mess with like i say if it's deemed legal. I'm not gona loose sleep over it waiting anyway. If my buddy makes one i know he will follow the rules then i will throw it.

blackstonecarp · Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 5:53 pm Post subject:

Again it is illegal..it is aimed at catching more then 1 fish and that is against the current abstracts, see my quote above from the 2012 abstracts. That is why I offered the suggestion above of using 2 decoy baits with no hooks, as it would then be in ma state guidelines and still give you the same basic attraction of the original rig.

Also check out this photo, clearly the big bass in the back has at least another hook in its tail, maybe more as the middle section is hard to see....

http://www.thealabamarig.com/images/photos/dustinray.jpg

That said we are all adults here and you can do what you wish, of course. I personally do not agree with the rig, but thats me. Even the suggestion of using 100 pound test line for any rig is absurd. Your taking all of the sport out of the sport. If your gonna eat everything you catch then so be it, however I'm guessing you will catch smaller bass as well and have to release them, which maybe a bad thing if they are destroyed by the rig. That said the supposed benefits of the rig do not, in my mind, out weigh the risks, either to the fish or my wallet if/when I'd be caught using it.

jwall046 · Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 8:37 pm Post subject:

blackstonecarp · Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2011 9:15 pm Post subject:

Your welcome, but the legal part isn't my opinion, lets not get that confused. My opinion is I think the rig is silly and bad for catch and release. The "is it legal" part is stated clearly in Massachusetts freshwater law, there are no special lakes or rivers that are exceptions and that is fact. If your going to another state with your friend, I dunno..but you mention/add quite a few "if its legal" statements. So I figured it would be good to have the laws about it included in the thread, glad this helps us all get to the same page heh.

Wink