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.

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.

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

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

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

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.




FISHING PROHIBITIONS

Explosives
Jug, toggle or trot line fishing.
Lead Sinkers, Lead Weights, and Lead Jigs Weighing Less Than an Ounce. Any sinker or weight made from lead that weighs less than 1 ounce, and any lead jig (meaning any lead-weighted hook) that weighs less than 1 ounce, is prohibited for use in all inland waters of the Commonwealth. The term lead sinker shall not include any other sinkers, weights, fishing lures or fishing tackle including, but not limited to, artificial lures, hooks, weighted flies, and lead-core or other weighted fishing lines.
More than two hooks for fishing or more than five hooks when ice fishing. A hook is defined as an angling device attached to a fishing line which is designed to take one fish at a time but is not limited to devices commonly called spinners, spoons, bait harnesses, lead head jigs, or plugs.
Possession of: Sturgeon (all species), American Brook Lamprey, Atlantic (sea-run) Salmon, Bridle Shiner, Burbot, Eastern Silvery Minnow, Lake Chub, Longnose Sucker, and Northern Redbelly Dace is illegal! If caught, release immediately. This means remove hook or cut line and return fish to water immediately—do not pose for photographs, place on a stringer, hold in a net, or delay in any way the immediate return and release of the fish to the water.
Poisons
Releasing fish or spawn into inland waters, except by permit.
Rubbish in inland waters.
Sale of freshwater fish without a permit.
Snagging
Transporting live fish (except bait for personal use) without a permit.

From the 2012 abstracts though these have been mostly unchanged for quite some time.

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

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?

ffffffff

Last edited by stevelibs on Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:29 pm; edited 1 time in total

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...

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!

alabama = rednecks = yahoos that think of s*** like this.

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!

alabama = rednecks = yahoos that think of s*** like this.

It isn't just Alabama, every state has its share of idiots , which is the reason our abstracts state no explosives...

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.

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.

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.

Thanks
Wasn't asking if it's illegal but thanks for your opinion. That's what this site is for,opinions and everybodys got alot of em.
No worries
I'm not sure if my buddys making them yet? But if he does and if i fish it where it is legal. I make my own judgement then.

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.