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{The Alabama Rig The Alabama Rig is taking the fishing community by storm. The design of the lure is a single metal rod attached to a plastic head with five wires extending from the head.1  A lure can be attached to each of the five wires. Four of the wires are 5 ¼ “ long with a lure attached to each one. The wire in the middle is 5 ½ “ long with a lure attached.2  As one might say it is similar to a donkey rig on steroids.11   Fish tend to eat primarily shad. Bass tend to try to feed on schools of shad. “The rig resembles schools of shad, and schooling bass and bass chasing bait fish and bass can’t resist it.”8  “The most common way to rig the Alabama Rig is in a radius pattern or horizontal pattern.”9   “The radius pattern can be used when top water fishing across aquatic  vegetation or with a carolina rig around boat docks, explains Andy Poss.”9  The Alabama rig can be used with any color grub or swim bait. Using the same color and type of bat is recommended since a person is trying to resemble school of bait. So, do the lures get tangled up with each other when fishing? No, the lures are bent forward far enough that the dangling lures will not touch each other.2

The Inventor So who is the man behind the Alabama Rig? The man is Andy Poss from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Andy is in the process of getting the Alabama Rig patent. As this is being wrote the lure is being sold for around $25.00.2 Andy Poss met Paul Elias a Bassmaster Elite series pro and 1982 Bassmaster Classic Champion at a charity event at Pickwick where he gave Elias a couple of lures.10  Which would put the Alabama Rig on the map a little later with a big tournament win by Elias.

The Alabama Rig is effective Paul Elias won the $100,000 tournament at lad Guntersville in northern Alabama with a almost lake record for a four day 20 bass event with 102 pounds 8 ounces2,3 day one with 26 pounds6. He followed it up with 29.03 on day two and won by 17 pounds6. Elias missed the four day FLW tour record by just four pounds.5

Bob Behrle used the bait for only two days, because Elias kept it quiet about his lure of choice. His fourth day stringer of 20 pounds 6 ounces and a four day total of 85 pounds 5 ounces. Russell Lane caught limits of 19 pounds 15 ounces and 26 pounds 5 ounces. He used it only for two days for a cumulative weight of 75 pounds 4 ounces.

Elias used 7’11” Pinnacle flipping rod, Pinnacle reel and 65 pound test Spiderwire Ultracast FluoroBraid line its recommend to use anywhere between 60 pound to 80 pound test since it’s common to catch multiple fish on one cast.

Is the Alabama Rig legal to fish Some of states that current allow the five hook version is Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Idaho, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Florida, Connecticut, Texas, North Carolina, Michigan, and New York allow the five hook, except on certain bodies of water.1 Some states allow only three hooks per line so most fish two lures without hooks in those cases. Those states are Tennessee, Colorado, Ohio, Rhode Island, Washington, California, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Other states prohibit an Alabama Rig with three or more hooks is New Hampshire, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Illinois, Nevada, Vermont and Maryland.1 Some states are looking to change laws to allow the rig or outlaw it completely, so check your state laws and the tournament rules.

Beginning February 1, 2012 the Bassmaster Elite Series and Bassmaster Classic will allow no more than one lure at a time, the reason why the Alabama Rig is too affective.4

6 Tips for Success 1.	Go heavy. Eighty- or even 100-pound –test- braid and a big flipping rod are recommended since these rigs are heavy and can be challenging to cast. Plus, they’re not cheap, retailing at $20 or more. You want stout gear that will straighten hooks and get your investment back to the boat. 2.	Use wire. Go heavy on the rod and line, but stick to wire hooks on your baits. You want them to straighten out under pressure from the heavy rod and line, but still stand up to a fish…or two…or five. 3.	Keep it tight. Experts say keeping the baits in a tight configuration is the way to more bites, but don’t position them so close they tangle. 4.	Check the law. As this article goes to press, The Alabama Rig appears to be illegal in several states – maybe yours! Review your regulations carefully and call local authorities if you have questions. If you’re a tournament angler, you’ll want to check the competition rules, too. 5.	Keep it simple. Poss suggests sticking with lures of the same size and basic design when fishing The Alabama Rig –“five like for like,” as he says. You’re trying to mimic a school of something, and they never very much. 6.	Experiment. This technique is new, and the fishing world is just beginning to figure out ways to use it. You might come up with something no one else has even thought about trying, and it might just work!3

1 John Neporadny To Fish or Not to Fish the Alabama Rig  BASS Times January 2012: 20 print 2 Frank Saargeat The Alabama Rig BASS Times December : 10-11 print 3Ken Duke The Alabama Rig Not Just Whistling Dixie   Bassmaster January 2012:26-29 print 4Dave Precht Harnessing Umbrella Rigs   BASS Times 3 print 5Elias Wins Walmart FLW Tour Open on Lake Guntersville Wire to Wire October 23, 2011 Brett Carlson   www.flwoutdoors.com 6Tackie Update: Holy Alabama Rig !! October 23, 2011 Josh Douglas www.joshndouglasfishing.blogspot.com February 15, 2012 7Alabama Rig, Lure Created in Muscle Shoals, is Lastest Bass Catching Craze October 23, 2011 Michael C. Bolton www.blog.al.com February 15, 2012 8What Is an Alabama Rig for Fishing Ronnie Garrison www.fishing.about.com 9The Alabama Rig Brad Wiegmann www.bradewiegmann.com 10Alabama Rig: Hottest Technique in Years Ken Duke www.bassyndicus.com

11Alabama Rig-Next Big Thing or Pushing the Limits? Rich Lindgren www.bassinblog.richlindgren.com February 15, 2012

Pictures: Ken Duke The Alabama Rig Not Just Whistling Dixie   Bassmaster January 2012:26-29 print Elias Wins Walmart FLW Tour Open on Lake Guntersville Wire to Wire October 23, 2011 Brett Carlson   www.flwoutdoors.com {User sandbox}}