Alabama rig banned in major BASS events.

[djkimmel]

HydroWave is suppose to imitate a school of shad by sound....Alabama rig by sight....One company is owned by 2 elite series pros...one of which has dominated the sport...but that's OK?....I guarantee you if Strike King had brought it to market first...that panel of pros would never have voted banned it.

It is a shame that there are so many possible alternate reasons why this ruling was done. If it had snuck up on us, I don't think this would happen, but with it winning 3 fairly high profile events in short order it EXPLODED on us causing a different type of reaction.

I do feel sorry for the lure companies if there ends up being a backlash effect that grows because the industry is already struggling badly enough.

[djkimmel]

lol. its' not some magical bait that fish just can't help but eat.  Schooling fish keying on schooling bait seems to be the prime opportunity for it. Sounds like the best lure to target a specific pattern. Kinda like throwing a jerkbait to suspending fish or using 1.5oz of tungsten to punch grass mats.

You still have to find the fish, identify the pattern and get them to eat it. So what if you catch 5 let alone 2 at a time? 

Being "too effective" means we should probably ban tubes on lake st. clair and lake erie. Should also just shut down production of senkos all together... those might as well be live bait.

Off on a tangent... i'm totally putting 5 tubes on an a-rig with different length leaders and dragging them at the DK open!!!! (assuming a-rigs aren't banned there too)

I will consult the MadWags Memorial angler's panel to get an opinion and then make a ruling.

Okay, they said go ahead and use it as long as I get a clear answer from MDNR Law division soon (I hope). I have seen an email where a fairly high up Fisheries person said Law ruled it is legal with 5 hooks or less. I don't see how a rod on the deck is illegal if the lure is not in the water. That is a strange.

[djkimmel]

Well, thanks to the generosity of Ed Dyer, I now own TWO Alabama rigs.  I should house sit for him more often!!  LOL!!!

Still not sure if I can even throw one of the dang things though.  I did however buy a spool of 65 lb braid recently in anticipation of at least trying to throw it.

Are you supposed to take things away from the house you house sit at?

[djkimmel]

I heard that in Michigan you can have one rod with an A-rig setup but if you have another rod on the deck with it, that would be illegal. Geez, that will be easy to enforce and that sounds to me like they are treating it like the number of baits/rods you can have in a trolling setup.
I'm not for it in TXs, that doesn't mean I didn't buy a few to toss around for fun fishing.
Five or potential 10 treble hooks at the end of a line are going to rip up a fighting fish.

Shoot! I usually have 8 or 10 rods laying on the deck already. I get bored easy!

[Roy Randolph]

Anyone consider the possibility that this is a ploy by the manufacturer?

I mean if I owned the rights I'd try to get it banned from BASS Tournaments even all tournaments.

Because the ability to say "The Lure/Rig that's banned from tournaments" will sell millions of these to non tournament anglers and any angler fishing a circuit that allows it.

I was thinking by spring sales would fall off on this rig but now I'm sure the numbers will sky rocket.

I can see it now........

Opening day on Lake St. Clair there will be 500+ of these running the shallows

[Jay-MadWags]

And many anglers will lose thier A-Rigs to many muskie.

[bob o]

And many anglers will lose thier A-Rigs to many muskie.

yea, but at least it will be a blast doing it

[Manxfishing]

Anyone consider the possibility that this is a ploy by the manufacturer?

You know the thought did cross my mind
But It was a ploy by the other manufactures

Last year after the classic
Sq. bill crank baits were the rage, and they sold a ton
Year before that
Red eye shad
The year before that, Any thing in Sexy Shad

I really don't think that Mann whated or tried to get the rig banned
But the thought that a few of the other players in the game didn't what to play
with the rig in the game did cross my mind

[Jay-MadWags]

And many anglers will lose thier A-Rigs to many muskie.

yea, but at least it will be a blast doing it

Maybe for the "Wealthy Bass Angler".

[2k JIGS]

Sorry to say, but rangerfan hit the nail on the head. KVD don't like them there for they are band. He runs everything..... I know there are a lot of manufactors like my self that would really be hurt by the local tournaments banding this rig. BASS is messed up, and FLW has a real good opportunity to take advantage of this ban.

I my self am not sure if I will even fish it.... Really not even sure how often it would work in Michigan, but with that said all tournaments should follow the state law!

[djkimmel]

I don't think we'll see large scale bans. Just scattered pockets where the fear of change is strongest mixed with a little 'why didn't I think of that before Paul Eliasitis' too!

I am curious about who pushed the hardest for the ban on the B.A.S.S. tournament angler committee group (whatever it is called?)? That might help explain why a little better. I just can't see Kevin trying to get a hot lure banned?? Maybe. But it doesn't quite fit.

FLW will take advantage. They always have.

I think it will work real good in Michigan. We have a sight fishing state and this technique is made for clear water. I'm betting the first tournaments are won on it in Michigan by the end of the spawn though the people doing it may not talk a lot about it!

The summer weights will be surprising to some people but the fall weights should be really, really good on a lot of lakes. Our bass haven't even seen this thing yet. Mostly.

[Dan]

FLW's response: No ban

http://www.flwoutdoors.com/fishing-articles/153206/flw-clarifies-position-on-alabama-rig/

[LGMOUTH]

Here is another question about the A-Rig. Ive been watching quite a few videos about the rig and I saw a version where you would put willow leaf blades on the wire arms that arent being used. If you would put blades on four of the wires and then one would be a swimbait or whatever? Wouldnt it just be a big spinnerbait then? I dont know if it would work but it would still look like a school of bait fish. If it would work do you think B.A.S.S. would let it fly in the Elites. It would only be one lure, like I said just a big spinnerbait. What do you guys think?

[djkimmel]

I think I don't really understand why some people have reacted so strong to this new lure. But some people reacted to strong to plastic worms, fishfinders and other new wonders. There are spinnerbaits on the market with up to 5 blades but they are on one arm.

I could see someone arguing they only have one lure body rigged like you suggest but I wouldn't want to be the test subject if I was in the Elite Series. 'Here rookie, give this a try.' I was thinking - what if you put 5 minnow bodies on it but only 1 body has a hook? Again, I would let the rookie test the rules out first

[bassdisaster]

Just seems to me the A rig goes away from the 1 rod 1 line 1 bait mentaility.
Now its OK to toss 5 baits @ 1 time, ok how about 8 or 10  unlimited even, how is that benificial?
Great idea stolen from the salt water guys but again how can 5 baits tossed @ 1 time show skill?
Pro's are suposed to be chuck full of skill, if so why do they need the A-Rig!

BD

[Manxfishing]

Just seems to me the A rig goes away from the 1 rod 1 line 1 bait mentaility.
Now its OK to toss 5 baits @ 1 time, ok how about 8 or 10  unlimited even, how is that benificial?
Great idea stolen from the salt water guys but again how can 5 baits tossed @ 1 time show skill?
Pro's are suposed to be chuck full of skill, if so why do they need the A-Rig!

BD

There's a limit on the number of hooks
It's what ever the staate law is

As far as skill
I don't think the fish hook them self with the rig
You still need to know when, were and how to throw it

If your going to ban any thing
Let's ban SI or, Etc

[Waterfoul]

How about we don't ban anything?  All this talk of "if they are going to ban XXX then why don't we just go ahead and ban YYY" is getting out of hand.  It's not about the states "banning" the A-rig.  Each state has it's own regulations for hook number, size, etc... and the regulations limiting such things were in place well before the A-rig came along.

Winter sucks.  Spring will be here eventually... till then shop online, go to Bass Pro Shops, visit Ken at KD Outdoors, hit up the fishing shows, watch WFN, read you favorite fishing magazine, post here on GLB and I'm sure we will all make it!!

[red68prostreet]

Well said Waterfoul. My thoughts exactly.

[djkimmel]

I don't really want anything banned...

[dartag]

This just happens to be the topic of the winter for us.  Remember when it was drop shot debate,  Catch and release season debate.   It's always something.   There have been a bunch of tournys in Florida and I have not read a thing about anyone throwing the rig.

It was amazing at the novi show seeing how many were bought.  Mccarter hung one on a pole and people just stared at it in wonder.  It does look cool with all them baits hanging off it.   I may even hang one on my deck this summer for my friends to stare at.