First off, the Rig ain't no joke. I don't care California or not, you guys better get into this Rig. I guarantee you this rig will catch them good in CA and will be winning $ in short order. 3 baits or 5 baits and/or teasers, it's likely gonna be 'case by case' basis depending on tournament directors and tournaments and states, so just be ready and flexible.

Rafael, Jerry's rig looks killer, I'm just confused about what he expects to put BEHIND a trout head? What are the baits he's stringing up? I can see stringing up 3 weedless 6" Hudds for example, because they won't foul, can run extremely close together, and offer a good rigging with the line tie on the nose of the bait (vs. the top hook style). I don't know what of Jerry's baits he suggests fishing behind that rig? To me, its the baits that are fished BEHIND the RIG that is most important. Baitfish don't chase a larger predator fish. Trout swim in small schools, I'm just curious about a 'castable' rig that involved 3 or more BIGBAITs...that might require some super heavy artillery to lob. Trolling, the sky is the limit with size and rigging. Casting and castable only. I think a mistake of the rigs I'm seeing guys create is too big a 'head' on the thing. Make it compliment the bait ball thing, not contradict it, with the bait chasing a teaser head that could eat them.

The Alabama Rig out this way (stuck on Kentucky Lake trying to get a lower unit replaced), is about creating a small bait ball. 5 baits, 10 vortexes and buddy, let me tell you the fish will eat this rig. Don't get all bubbah biased, stupid Southern fish do this and do that. Kentucky Lake is TOUGH fishing, don't get confused it was NOT some slug fest. Not easy out there, and this rig caught fish no other bait could..suspended fish with millions of natural baits to eat at their hearts content. My buddy Casey Martin, the CoAngler Champion at Guntersville, said Paul Elias was like, dude, he couldn't catch the fish he won the Tour Event with on a deep crank, blade, spoon, nothin else....only the Rig. Catching otherwise uncatchables. G'ville is as pressured as anywhere, if not more...no it isn't gin clear water, but CA isn't gin clear. Probably not a great rig for Lake Dixon, but a killer on El Capitan, I bet.

I'd embrace this, not fight it or snicker at it. This thing will catch fish that you otherwise won't catch. 10 vortexes, 5 baits, and a new presentation at the surface or sunk out somewhere slow rolled deep. They eat it off the wire, its crazy, and its fished on braid! I'm hearing how they are catching them, everywhere in the country on it, guys who sent buddies a rig to fish in TX or Georgia or wherever. Tournament rules and state DFG rules will be reacting to shape the future here, but just from a pure fish catching conversation, holy smokes, get into it.



http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/8843-Hammer-Alabama-rig.jpg