Any Thoughts on the Alabama Rig?

[buckhunter14]

Anyone used it, thoughts on it, or plan on using it?









http://www.thealabamarig.com/

[mrl0004]

You know, I saw that report a while back. It may work, but it reminds me of throwing one of these, horizontally......

[Gangly]

It's basically an updated version of the old Umbrella Rig.

From another site, and I agree with the article: "As for those who believe the umbrella rig is somehow unsportsmanlike, you should know that the same argument has been made for side-imaging, GPS, sonar and even the plastic worm. When these tools were introduced, a segment of the public clamored that they be outlawed because they were so effective, so destructive and so easy to use and catch fish that the bass couldn't possibly withstand their widespread use. The bottom line is that the Alabama rig is a tool and a small piece in a very large puzzle. It won't catch even one bass unless an angler puts it in front of one with the right bait attached and retrieved at the proper speed. Eventually, the hype and hoopla surrounding the Alabama rig will die down, just as it did for the Heddon River Runt, the Creme Wiggle Worm, the Rapala floating minnow, the Big-O, the Lunker Lure buzzbait, the Carolina rig, the Zoom Fluke, the Yamamoto Senko and legions of other baits and rigs that may have lost some of their luster but retain a place in the sport and our tackleboxes."

I feel as though its just another tool to use. And like all tools, unless they are in the right hands they are useless. Your still going to have to present your lures in the right manner and it will just make it that much more difficult to do so with a 4-5 oz rig being dragged through the water. As far as the legality is concerned, if it's legal in your waters, go for it. If the law is with you, then don't worry about anybody who wants to stir their morals in your koolaid. Keep on keepin' on.

[m.t.hands]

not only used it (4 different lakes) i have been busy in the basement making a KO version( i can build 10-15 in a couple of hours each night), my best friend owns a tackle shop and he is selling all he can get...i fished 6 hours monday and all day tues...and didn't pick it up the whole time, we caught most of our fish on frogs fishing matted grass, during mid-day we worked them over with a spinnerbait....my feelings on the bait kind of reflect what you mentioned in another post about being lazy, if all you wanna do is catch fish (mostly suspended schoolers) the bait is unreal and looks like a small school of shad swimming through...3 of the top ten guys that fished the flw on guntersville where fishing spots we fish, we have/had been catching 17-18#'s every day we fished them, we watched Russ lane catch 30-40 fish in less than two hours...

as far as the bait being a "fad" i'll go against the grain there, these baits will continue to produce year after year @ the right time of the year...

the bottom line for me is i don't like it, don't like it use in tournaments...my biggest concern, when you catch a single fish he will have hooks stuck all over the fish...i prefer to fish one rod one (single) bait and test myself against the fish...i weird like that, i also enjoy looking for and finding new places, or finding the "sweet spot" in a certian spot, versus just going and catching fish, i guess a reward for a little work

Gangly, my KO version weighs in at 1/4oz w/o baits, the times i have used it we used five 1/8oz swimbait weighted hooks and 3.5" hand-poured swimbaits, and it'll were you out if you think your gonna throw it all day long...myself i rather take a beating and get it over

i'll post picks of my version this w/e, got a bunch now i'm waiting for the molded plastic heads to "set-up" then paint tomorrow...

if any of you would like an original or a KO, call Greg @ GTO (guntersville tackle and outdoors) he is a dealer for the original a-rig and has several other KO versions at a little better price

[buckhunter14]

Very interesting guys. I was not concerned about the legality of it, although illegal in some waters as I understand.

I can't see myself using the tactic much because a very large majority of the waters I fish have very little schooling minnow populations that the rig immitates.

[m.t.hands]

hey Drew, here is what my KO's look like, this is right out of my mold, little light sanding, paint, eyes, and clear....if i had a finished one here i'd post a pic