Alabama Rig

Please excuse my ignorance, but i would like to know some info about the Alabama Rig. Why are there so many mixed emaotions about it? I dont have an opinion on it yet because i havent used it. I would just like to know why soem people love it and some hate it.. Thanks

I dislike it because it takes some of the sport out of fishing. I will only throw it now because I will have to in order to have a chance in some tournaments. You spend a couple of days prefishing before a tournament then some random person comes out and shows up at the ramp without prefishing at all and whops 20 pounds on it throwing it around some bridges. I guess I prefer to get beat by skill and not by luck, and believe me it doesn't take much skill.....

There is my very quick opinion, and I'm expecting others to bash me for it so I guess bring it on. Most that do are probably the guys that think an umbrella rig makes them a "Better" fisherman......

That kind of response was what i was hoping for. I appreciate your honesty. Again, i am not trying to fire up and heated conversations, only wanting to know why there are so many mixed emotions. Thank you

I don't Like them because of how many fish that is going to die from them. I am not talking about the fish getting hooked multiple times (which that will cause some mortality) I am talking about the one that will die because of poor fish care. It is taking 25+ lbs here on Grand right now to win a 20 boat jackpot and there will 8 to 10 stringers weighed over 20 lbs. In years past you might have 1 boat catch 20 lbs in the winter jackpot here. Now lets take a 250 boat tourney in April or May when the water temps have risen to the mid to high 60's and the fish are biting good. Instead of having maybe 5 to 8 bags of fish over 20 lbs, we are going to have maybe 20 to 30 bags over 20 lbs and I would think we will see a few over 30 lbs. I think it is going to over whelming for the tournament directors. Most of the fish mortality willed be delayed, most will die hours after the release boat turns them loose. Long story short I think just the fact that thereis going to be twice as many fish caught in tourneys there is going to be huge fish kills.

Now with that being said, as a tournament angler my partner and I will be throwing them because we are more than likely going to beat by one whether we are throwing one or not. You will have to throw one to compete in most tourneys now.

Isn't there a rule that says the anglers can only have one rod in at a time? What's the damn difference than that vs throwing this A-rig that has 4 or 5 lures hanging off of it??

I am going to rig mine up with 5 banjo minnows ! This ought to be double against the law . No fish can resist the banjo minnow , said so on the infomercial . Five at a time will be magic ! A couple helicopter lures tied on the other poles .. Man o man .

I figure that it has its place and time, I havent used one yet and not sure if I will. Seems like it takes alot to use one and everytime you break one off, you might as well be chunking a Lucky Craft about the same price. I am sure as time goes by you will see more and more about this rig or rigs like it being banned for Tournament fishing, just my thought.

As for the Meat anglers, they will be able to put more in the boat and this I can see as a problem and that the States may weigh in on and start banning them from use.

Now lets look at the Umbrella Rigs, the guys that Stripper fish have been using these for years. Seldom do they catch more than one at a time on it. If they bann the Alabama Rig, will the have to also bann the Umbrella rig ?

This is only my oppinion.

just from reading around from different sources it seems the alabama rig is all the buzz lately.i have been away from any fishing since last summer so did i miss something? is this really that lethal of a lure? this is the first im hearing much about it

It is not a magic bait that drags fish to the boat...

It has been dominating tourneys that allow it. On the FLW show when Paul whacked them with this lure the top 10 were using it or you did not have a chance. That is good enough for me.

I don't harbor any hate. However, IMO it would be better for the majority of sport and pro fisherpersons if the A rig was banned from public waters. Around here, the fish population has already been reduced sufficiently.

Well, in my opinion, it would be like having an engine that is four or five times as powerful in a nascar race.

From what I have seen here on Grand Lake (winter jackpot results) is anyone can now catch 20 lbs. If you get around a school of fish they will bite it. You are triggering their natural instinct, to eat a school of baitfish. You put it in hands of the guys that can catch 20 lb + bags on convential tackle now they will catch 30 lb + bags.

I want to preface my comment with the fact I have not used an Alabama rig, or any such bait. I disagree with most. I think it is great! Anything that will get people out on the water, having a good time is a good thing IMO. Some people are just upset because it changes the game for them. If you are so opposed to the A-Rig, you aren't forced to fish it, become a better angler, or develop some new strategy, new techniques, or even new baits that you feel comfortable with. Yes, some less-experienced anglers will win some tournaments, but overall, skill will prevail. It was the same thing years ago when soft plastics were introduced. Everyone said it was too easy. Not anymore though. The truly good fisherman will adapt. The rest will watch and follow.

I wish it would just go away. I'm sick of hearing about it and I don't want to spend 8 hours throwing it(although it looks like I will have to in order to compete in any tournaments in oklahoma). If tournament fishing becomes dominated by the A-rig to the point were 200 boats are all throwing an a-rig all day, it may be the end of my tournament fishing. Here are Scott Martin's feelings on the a-rig and I agree with him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k67nl0o0NfI

The poster from Grand makes a good point I hadn't thought about. Tournament directors will need more resources and funds to better care for the increased numbers of fish coming in. More fish weighed in = more delayed mortality. That is not chicken little, it is a natural correlation. Interesting.

if we want to talk about what's fair how bout them gadgets we all got that show us exactly where a school is on a ledge or in a channel bend. the guys on the highest level are so good that it just depends on who finds the winning fish with very few exceptions those guys are catching five every day. it seems that it is more about being around the right fish. so that part will still be there. does'nt anybody think that the fish will get used to seeing this lure or lures just like every thing else that has been new and on fire, this is just to a greater degree. I say give it some time it will eventually calm down. congrats to the folks who are on the money end of this idea. by the way not a tournament fisherman, never thrown one of these just an avid weekend angler who does enjoy the challenge when it gets tough. just armchair Qb on this one

I don't know what it is but if a guy with a 2K depth finder, a hyrowave, two power poles, and a aqua veiw camera beats me with a crankbait I'm ok with it. Someone beats me with an A-rig I feel cheated.

Ban the A-Rig, along with trot lines completley in Texas "public" waters would be fine with me.

Couldn't agree more!!

I don't have a problem with them and I am a tournament fisherman. I have five of them. I have thrown one once so far this year and was tired after 10 casts. As far as it being not fair, how many times do you actually catch more than one at a time on it? I'll be willing to bet not many at all. Remember when the ac plug came out an everyone was wacking big bass on fork, they didn't ban it and it ran its course. If you get beat by a a-rig then even the field, get you one. If I'm throwing spinnerbaits and someone smokes my butt on jigs I'm not gonna want them to ban jigs!! Just my opinion fellas.

A person can not compare a jig, spinnerbait, crankbait or any other bait to the A-rig. It is like comparing apples and oranges. Fish will not evolve past biting an A-rig(in my opinion). I have a good buddy that is a retired fireman and he fishes almost everyday. He told me that it is the most amazing thing he has ever seen, he can now catch the fish that he tried for 30 years to figure out how to catch. You guys know the ones that are suspended out over deep water, relating to nothing. He says when he finds them on his locatator he backs off and catchs them with the a-rig. An a-rig triggers the predator instint in the fish. A bass can turn away from single shad, or a single crawdad, but a school of shad is a different story all together, they will smash a school just out of instinct even if they are not feeding. If they evolve past hitting the a-rig we will see 1 of 2 things happen: 1- bass will be right next to impossible to catch (because they will no longer be a predator) 2- they will starve to death, what the a-rig reproduces is what they do by instinct.

So now I have to make a choice between 3 options: 1- keep throwing a jig and get beat into submission, 2- give up tourney fishing (which i love to do), 3- get on the band wagon and throw the a-rig. My partner and I will be throwing them because we will have to, to compete, but that does not mean that I like to throw them (I am still a die hard jig fisherman).

I just hope that everyone will do everything in their power to keep up with the extra fish that is going to be caught. Delayed mortality is real and it will hurt lakes more quickly than one thinks. If the a-rig is banned I hope it banned for the health of the species not because someone thinks somebody and unfair advantage over them.

You still have a 5 fish limit!!!! It doesn't matter whether you catch them on an A-rig or a jig or a crankbait. If you are getting beat by one you can do one of two things.

Im sure more fish will be caught on "senko" type baits and be gut hooked than caught on an A-Rig, might as well call the state and ban live bait and bobbers too!!....Give me a break!

I'm not a fan of the A-rig, but this is the stupidest reason to get rid of it that I've heard yet.

Highly doubt that but, this IMHO... To heck with it...Balloons and 10" Shiners! Anyone?

The Alabama rig is causing more controversy than whether abortion is the right thing or not.

Maybe you don't understand, what I am saying is you are going to see a greater "delayed mortality" due to the extra weight that everyone is going to catch. If you don't think it make that big of difference come to Grand Lake (one of the best jigs lakes in the US) and put your money up and don't throw an A-rig, you will get you a** handed to you. In 20 boat jackpots over half of the feild is catching 20+ lbs. That is where the problem lies, when the water warms there are going to be alot of fish die just because no one is used to the amount of fish that is going to be weighed. I am in no way talking about foul hooked fish, just the ones that are going to die from the stress of being held in over stocked holding tanks.

When the water warms people aren't going to be throwing A-rigs.

By that logic, we should probably just stop putting fish in the livewell all together.

When the water warms you are going to see even more fish caught on them. When they get on the long points chasing shad it will be unreal what is caught. They are smoking them right now when the fish are not even feeding that much,(suspended at 20' over 60'). When you get a bass relating to cover, wether it is brush, rocks, ledges or what ever they are holding on, they are there to feed. They will tear the a-rig up. Maybe the bass in Texas are different, but what I seen at Falcon they are not much different than Grand Lake bass.

I personally will probably never use it. I can see where it has its problems. However, to each his own, I dont have a problem at all with the rig itself or whomever wants to use it...............Its just not for me.

so in your opinion, only rich people who have thousands invested in their equipment and spend countless hours of pre-practice time should do good in tournaments. Not the guy who is stuck in a 70 hour job raising 3 kids by himself and has no time. You guys need help. Just like this sport. It's about time we had something new to boost NEW people. Use your head.

i was unaware the holding tanks for tournaments had been enlarged due to a-rigs???? What are you people so afraid of??? Our sport needs to grow. This WILL bring people back to the tournaments that have died off over the past 10 years....

it sure didnt win the lewisville open. Jusy sayin..

Andy Poss?????? *JOKE* OUTLAWRIG: Welcome to TFF!

if it catches fish, its here to stay.. like it or not

Im not sure anyone mentioned it but some clubs, tourneys, states, counties, lakes, etc ... only allow you to have 1-2 hook assemblys on your bait. So I have seen guys using four hookles minnows and one trailer carrying a single or treble hool. That seems to look like the weak one in the bunch and works pretty darn good.
Just sayin.

Oh and for the record.. baits don't injure fish. Careless fisherman do.

I've never seen so many people worked up over a bait. I have played around with one at a couple local ponds just to watch it swim. Yep, it looks good in the water but so do alot of other things. It catches fish for those who know where/how to use it. It has cashed some checks for those who usually show up just to donate. I'm sure some of the negativity originates from those less accustomed to losing too. At the end of the day the "new" will wear off and it will be just one more bait. More people than you think will grow tired of hassling with a 2-5 ounce tangled mess. Especially after it fails to produce the miracle results so many talk about. Pay attention to last weekend's events at Lewisville and Okeechobee. It was a non-factor at both. Throw it if you want, don't if you don't want to.

but it did get 2nd and 4th or 5th.. Also Butcher

trot lines?....i disagree with that

IMO i concure sir

I think the A rig should be banned. That being said I got 5 today and am going to try them out to stay competitive.

Look out 65 lb braid/ power tackle rod and 5 hooks!

HAHAHHAHAHA

I guess you guys have not seen a big tourney that has a live release boat. The tank that is on the boat only has a certian carring capacity (number or volume of fish). I have seen tourneys in years past that 2 to 3 days after one of the big tournaments, that alot of fish would die, that is called "delayed mortality". That is why alot of bigger tourneys will not receive a permit in July or August. What I am saying that with the increase in catches that will be caught this year the precentage of fish lost do to this will sky rocket. I know the people around Falcon know all about it, just go in hte local tackle store down there and ask them when BASS is coming back (they will explain it to you).
As far as getting people to start fishing again is great, although we have not had a drop in numbers like you guys must of had. We still have 8 to 10 tournaments a year here on Grand that will be over 200 boats, one usually has around 600 boats.

I guess I missed the part where BASS doesn't go back to Falcon because the A-rig killed all of the fish...

How the fish end up in the live well is far less important than how they are cared for during and after the tournament. If more fish are caught then TD's need to up their game, not blame dead fish on some successful technique. It's still a 5 in the bag game.

If I can throw it in a tournament, I will have it tied on. I guarantee most anglers will be throwing it in every tournament where it is legal.

Hopefully T-directors will step up and ban this thing even in small tournaments

Isn't tournament fishing all about catching the most fish you can, being able to cull and keep your 5 best fish, on a 5 fish limit lake?

You say the A rig takes the sport out of it? Well then, just bend down the hooks on the swim baits and see if the bass will hold on to the bait long enough for you to boat it. That should be a little more sporting.

What other baits should be "banned" because they catch fish?? That is just plain silly. The whole reason we spend the time and money to fish is to catch fish...is it not?? Am I missing something there> Complaining because you are catching too many fish. Wow, what will be next.

If you don't like the A rig, then don't fish with it and quit your complaining. Become a better fisherman with the baits of your choice and beat all those throwing the A rig, then you have something to talk about.

The Hydrowave is ok but not the A rig? I just don't understand that way of thinking.

I guess bass don't eat schools of shad in warmer conditions. Must be a cold water, tough bite rig

just an FYI here. A typical umbrella rig for striper trolling normally only has one hook on it, placed in the trailing lure. The other lures placed farther forward are just teasers without a hook. With all the fuss over the alabama rig recently, I suspect that more striper fishermen will change their downrigger from an umbrella rig to an alabama rig ...

My only opinion as far as bass fishing ... well, aren't there any tournament rules that limit the number of hooks on one line?

Ok, I am gonna type this real slow for you, so matbe you will understand. I never said the A-rig will kill fish, I said the the precentage of fish that will die from "delayed mortality" will go way up. Because of all the extra fish that is going to be caught and hauled aroung in a hot livewell all day and then put in an over crowded release tank. If you don't care about your fisheries that is up to you. I also never said that the a-rig killed the fish at Falcon, I said that BASS was not ready for the amount of fish that was going to be caught, so they died because of it. If BASS doesn't have the capabilty to care for the extra fish do you think that most other tournaments can?

Yea... we fixed that. It's called an oxygenation system and keep-a-live. You should get one, you can put 40 lbs of fish in your livewell and they'll stay alive all day. Its amazing.

Yeah it is amazing!!!!! Then theres a better than average chance that they will die two to three days later.

Is this an A-rig debait or a falcon tournament debait?


Has winter set in? Well yes, yes it has.

I don't know why I'm even arguing with a guy that most likely has never even weighed in a 30 lb sack in a tournament before.

Listen guy, if you are that worried about killing fish, you should probably quit bass fishing and go join PETA.

40 pounds in a livewell all day is goign to cause plenty of delayed mortality. I dont care if you have ice, sure life, oxygen system etc. That is simly too much mass of fish in too small of an area. Thats just IMO and I do not claim to be a biologist but I do see the results of delayed mortality.

How many tournaments have you fished where you've had to keep over 30 lbs of fish alive all day in a livewell Barrett?

Ouch getting called out. I have had a 29 and 28 pound sack
but never a 30. I dont tournament fish on lakes where that is remotely possible.

Why so personal man? Maybe you are too professional for this forum.

[quote=Bullet20XrDI don't know why I'm even arguing with a guy that most likely has never even weighed in a 30 lb sack in a tournament before.

Listen guy, if you are that worried about killing fish, you should probably quit bass fishing and go join PETA. [/quote]

You are right I have never weighed a 30# sack, but I have weighed a 28# sack, and that is friggen huge for Oklahoma. It is comments like you just made that gives alot of bass fisherman a bad name. If you don't care about your sport who will?

All I will say is, it's better than a frying pan!

The ones I see using it have hooks on every single bait they have in the spread!

It's nothing personal. I'm just trying to figure out how much your opinion is worth on the subject. So if you've never actually done something, your opinion really doesn't count for much, does it?

I don't skydive, so I don't get on a skydive forum and argue with guys that have actually jumped out of a plane.

I learned my lesson the hard way. When I was younger, and back before all these giant sacks were being caught at Falcon, my partner and I caught just under 35 lbs of bass during the first hour of a summertime tournament. The water temp was in the mid-70's. We did everything we knew to do to keep those fish alive. We managed to keep them alive until weigh-in, but couldn't get them to swim off after we weighed them in. I felt horrible because all five of those fish died. I killed five 7 lb fish in one day and there wasn't anything I could do about it, because I didn't know what I was doing at the time and I wasn't prepared. Since then, I've caught several of those 30+ lb bags and I haven't had any fish die, because I knew what I was doing and I was more prepared.

All it takes to keep fish alive is preparation. Most tournament organizations will allow you to weigh-in early, which helps. So really, this argument is a moot point.

If I fished falcon tournaments I can assure you I would bring plenty of 30 pound sacks if not more to the scales, nothing special bro... thats just an average day down there!

I have seen the dead fish floating in the cove by the county ramp 3-4 days after falcon tournaments. Lots and lots of fish. I know the tournament director didnt let them go dead because that would be illegal, right? (but my opionion is doesnt matter)

Just because they swim off doesnt mean they dont die later.

Good luck with your tourmant season! Hope ya whack em again.

You are right I have never weighed a 30# sack, but I have weighed a 28# sack, and that is friggen huge for Oklahoma. It is comments like you just made that gives alot of bass fisherman a bad name. If you don't care about your sport who will? [/quote]

Fish are always going to die in tournaments. You run the risk of killing a fish anytime you put a hook in the water.

I'm sure you would. Mine didn't come out of Falcon, though. I agree with you that some fish will die after they are weighed in alive. I know that happens, but with proper fish care, it is easily prevented.

I'll type real slow too...do try and keep up...You catch fewer fish with an A-rig but the odds are they will be better fish. I catch more fish with a shaky head than an A-Rig so under your opinion shakey heads should be outlawed due to more fish dying from delayed mortality. Either way only five are in the livewell at a time.

I'm going to say soft plastics kill more bass every year than what will be killed by delayed mortality with a A-rig. A-rig is not a magic bait. There will be times when you will catch them better on other things. Ingesting discarded plastics or just by hooking a fish too deep kills way more fish IMO.

Sometimes its good to kill some bass.

I bet there are more deep fish killed because fisherman do not know how to pop/fizz a bass correctly than the A-rig will kill.

Most tournaments declare that you can only use one rod at a time (and therefore the expectation of using one lure at a time). The alabama rig allows one to have as many as 5 lures in the water at a time. Of course guys have been abusing the one bait in the water expectation by having drops shots where a jig was used as the weight on the bottom, etc. I personally think the idea of winging a bait out there that imitates a whole school of fish just ain't sportsmanlike. That said, as long as it is not illegal to use, during those situations where it could be productive and win me some money, I would use it.

Yup. It's called population management. Since nobody (relatively) eats bass anymore, tournament mortality takes care of that.

Do everything you can to keep them alive. If you get some post-release mortality, don't worry about it. Fewer mouths to feed so what's left will grow quicker. Don't beat yourself, or others, up over it.

King, this isn't directed just at you because I've heard many guys say something similar. Please don't think I'm bashing you in any way.

I've read and talked with many guys about the Arig. Some are for it, some against it and some just care less about it. I've heard them say it's not sportsmanlike to throw, it's bad for the fish, it's bad for tournament fishing, it's turning the sport in the wrong direction, etc, etc, etc. But then these same guys who think it's so bad, are supporting it by purchasing and throwing the A-rig in tournaments. Kind of goes against what you're preaching. If you really think it's so bad, stand up and not support the A-rig in any way.

Enjoy this picture of a wrench.



Now back to your regularly scheduled winter TFF "mine is bigger than yours" debate.

Say....that is a nice wrench

Which is better a craftsman, kobalt or snap-on?

Pfffttt...is there any question. Snap-on.

That is the problem with this bait, if you don't throw it you are going to get beat. Now I don't believe that will be the case all year but certain times of the year it crushes everything else.

I don't hate it cause it hurts fish, I hate it cause it is too good. But that is my opinion. I'd be happy if it were banned from every tournament I fished.

With that said I'm already throwing the gAy-rig. Learn it or lose. Hate player not the game. At least in this case.

i don't have a problem with the a rig for fun fishing. i don't think it should be allowed in tournaments.my thinking is one line one bait in tournament fishing.

My fishing partner just informed me he is going to buy an A Rig and start learning it.... I refuse, and will continue to refuse to fish that monstrosity. Well at least unless said partner starts whoopin my butt with it then I'll revisit my thoughts on the A-Rig.

The double fluke rig didn't cause this much trouble and that is more than one bait per rod. What gives?