# Alabama Rig



## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

B.A.S.S. outlawed the Alabama rig. Back to the Tebow rig, cast and pray.


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## Neo (Sep 27, 2011)

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_123/alabama-rig-banned.html
It's all about one lure on one line.
If you read this they make it sound like the fish magically appear on your line just by showing up at the lake. "The fish just can't help themselves". REALLY! I have a box full of magic lures that have caught as many fish in the box as in the water.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Just out of curiosity, how often do ya'll fish in BASS tournaments? It seems like this rule only applies to tourneys.


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## Neo (Sep 27, 2011)

Fair enough.
Never. :surrender:
BUT if you read the article there is some definite misinformation being spread about umbrella rigs.


> Rules Committee members believe the rig eliminates some of the skill that should be required in tournament competition at the highest level. “It doesn’t matter how you work it,” said one of the anglers. “The fish can’t help themselves.”


It's this kind of stuff that is absolutely untrue. It leads people to believe that you can fish these things anytime, anywhere under any condition and you'll limit out and that's the furthest thing from the truth. That was my point.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

I understand that. It is an odd statement to come from them. I would expect something like that from PETA or their likes.


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

I've been thinking about getting one and using it around the dam's at lake talquin and lake seminole for stripper's.


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## roanokeriverrunner (Jul 13, 2011)

MrFish said:


> Just out of curiosity, how often do ya'll fish in BASS tournaments? It seems like this rule only applies to tourneys.


 Its like golf, i can use an illegal long distance driver thats outlawed in PGA, but its the principal for comparisonas to what the pros can do, i mean why dont we just dynamite for fishing.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

roanokeriverrunner said:


> Its like golf, i can use an illegal long distance driver thats outlawed in PGA, but its the principal for comparisonas to what the pros can do, i mean why dont we just dynamite for fishing.


If you want to compare yourself to the pros, then don't use it. And you don't dynamite for fish, because that is illegal. Not against some rules that you choose to abide by.


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## roanokeriverrunner (Jul 13, 2011)

MrFish said:


> If you want to compare yourself to the pros, then don't use it. And you don't dynamite for fish, because that is illegal. Not against some rules that you choose to abide by.


 ok i agree the dynamite was a stretch for comical value, but in my opinion i see it like using a corked bat or a weighted driver in golf, but thats just my take on itm everyone has the right to their own opinion, so anyone who wants to use it for recreational purposes can go ahead and i wont judge them. I personally like to be able to go to a place and limit out and say if i was in a tournament today on this body of water i would have had a great stringer of bass and a chance to win.


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## Amarillo Palmira (Jan 2, 2010)

it would be useful for speck trout, bass, or stripers when they are schooled up and crushing bait, but otherwise useless.


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## J Smithers (Jun 27, 2008)

The rule pretty much only applies to elite series events. The bassmaster open, federation tournaments and college tournaments can still use them. I just purchased an umbrella rig to use at places like lake Martin for stripers but you better believe I will use it for bass if I'm somewhere and they are schooled up


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## Neo (Sep 27, 2011)

I think there is some serious mis-information being spread about these rigs. I think it needs to be understood that they are no more effective than any other artifical lure. 
Take a crankbait for example, if an angler doesn't know how to effectively use one the chance of that person catching a fish is slim. I'm not saying that he won't catch anything by chunking & winding but if an angler doesn't know how to locate fish and do an effective presentation the chances of success are greatly reduced. 
The same goes for the Alabama Rig or any other multi-lure set-up. There is the false impression that all a person has to do is show up and some how the fish are just going to be hypnotized and hook themselves. It's just not the truth.
With that being said; do you have a greater chance of catching more than one fish at a time? Maybe??? 
If you are opposed to it fine, that's your choice. 
Is it somehow cheating? No.
From what I've read BASS took the easy way out. It only applies to two series but the easy route none the less. MY impression is a couple of anglers got their butts kicked at Guntersville last year and went to crying about how unfair it was that Paul Elias straight up kicked ass that weekend using an Alabama Rig.
IMHO


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## jesse1378 (Mar 29, 2010)

its pretty deadly on trout. it states for the elites series tournaments so there are some that it can still be fished in.....BUT the bad thing about the rule change is one lure one line so the guys who use a double fluke or a shakey/drop shot can no longer do that. if you fish in any local clubs they are apart of BASS federation nation so in some clus the rule has trickled down, but i think the club can decide what they want to allow.


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## screwballl (Feb 1, 2011)

The "Alabama" or Umbrella rig is only outlawed in certain specific events. It only limits anglers competing in the Bassmaster Classic and Bassmaster Elite Series to the use of a single lure during practice and competition. It does not apply to Bassmaster Open, B.A.S.S. Federation Nation, College B.A.S.S. and other events. FLW has announced it will study the effects and possibly make a rules change in the future, but is taking a wait and see approach for now.

Right now only the states of TN and VT have limits.

TN:


> Umbrella rigs can be legally fished in Tennessee waters as long as they comply with the regulation as described in the proclamation. An umbrella rig is defined as an array of more than three artificial lures or baits (with or without hooks) used by a single rod and reel combination. Each blade of a spinner bait would be considered a lure. If the hook sizes are 8 or smaller, all lures or baits may have hooks (single, double, or treble). If any hooks on the umbrella rig are hook size 6 or larger, then only one lure or bait in the array may have a hook and that hook must be a single hook.


This means for perch/crappie, you can use it, but since bass hooks are generally larger in size then TN law allows for this rig, it is outlawed.


VT:


> ...a person may take fish only by using not more than two lines over which he or she has immediate control and to each of which lines is attached not more than two baited hooks, or more than three artificial flies, or more than two lures
> with or without bait, except... at lakes with specific rules.


As for the rest of the nation, most states and tournaments have no rules regarding this so tie on 50 lures and catch what you can! (joking obviously, ALWAYS check the rules of any tournament you may be involved in no matter how small or local)


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## gator7_5 (Oct 4, 2007)

I dont bass fish much at all, but just watched an FLW event on ESPN at Lake Guntersville.

Everyone was throwing the Alabam Rig, which is why I came to this board. They were culling 4 pounders at 8:30 am, and the winner was only 6 pounds (101 total) off the lake record.

One of the anglers said it didn't matter how you retrieved it, the fish hit it, the hardest part was casting it.

There were many doubles. Seemed pretty deadly to me.

EDIT: The tourney ws the one that ELias won that neo was reffering to. But, all of the top 10 were throwing the rig pretty much.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

This is a very deadly lure that every serous angler should keep on his boat.


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## BlazerBen (Feb 17, 2011)

CatHunter said:


> This is a very deadly lure that every serous angler should keep on his boat.


+1 forget the one lure one line i wanna catch a sack of fish!!!


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