Or should I say," California Rig"? To make this bait legal here in CA it would have some alterations. But I can see this being very effective on a certain spotted bass lake right now. :)

To fish is to live!

So I don't see how this is legal in CA. would you only rig 3 of the arms?

Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what have-yous

5 baits, only 3 with hooks.

When can we buy?

I thought the rule was three artificial baits period

2.00. Fishing Methods –General.

(a) Except as otherwise authorized, all fish may be taken only by angling with one closely attended rod and line or one hand line with not more than three hooks nor more than three artificial lures (each lure may have three hooks attached) attached thereto.

Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what have-yous

Someone on another forum said they discussed it with DFG and they said only lures with hooks count, you can have as many "teasers" as you want.

But if you're worried, talk to DFG. Fishing forums are very bad sources of info for regulation specifics :p

Its weird my fascination with this rig as I do not think I would even throw one, except maybe for Stripers on the delta. Maybe this rig would work on spotted bass lake when they are casing pond smelt, I don't know?

Lotta ins, lotta outs, lotta what have-yous

So, I thought Tackle Warehouse was going to get the first order this week, but they want swivels and snaps added. Jerry would like to know what you guys think, would you like to put your own hardware on, or would you rather have it ready to rig??
I would like to choose my own hardware IMO such as split rings vs. snaps and swivels. If Jerry has to add hardware this could change the retail to $29.99.
That said, I believe Monster and Bait Barn will receive their orders sometime this week. Those orders will NOT have hardware. I hope you LIKE!!!



http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/8842-baitball.jpg

Attachment #1, (.jpg file)

At this point I think people just want Alabama rigs period, hardware doesn't really enter into it.

The trout pattern ones are interesting. I'm curious if the rig is weighted in a way to make the trout head run upright?

The only improvement I could see would be the option of having a much smaller head, and wire which has more of a matte finish. But I have no idea if any of that really matters. I'll find out soon enough :)

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

southernswimbait.com
BigBait Fishing in the South

Attachment #1, (.jpg file)

Oh yeah, I expect heavy duty barrel swivels and snaps, come OEM. Even with a Rig that throws 3" Hammers, with the heavy mono or braid main line (this thing a big rig, fishes like a bigbait), you can't funk around with hardware/terminal tackle. Another mistake I'm seeing out there is too small of snaps on guys' fabricated ones. Good snaps and barrels are hard to come by off the shelf. I prefer rigs come with the hardware.

southernswimbait.com
BigBait Fishing in the South

Yo Matt - thanks as always for the on-the-ground insight :)

I'd prefer if the rig came with hardware. The question is whether it should be a snap swivel or just a snap?

It seems like if you're going to have a twist problem it will be at the main line tie, not on the individual lures. So maybe all that's needed is the snap.

I'm similarly confused by the trout head as the center of the rig. If I was throwing three hudds, OK cool! But three 3in hammers would look odd. Jerry probably just wants to catch big fish :)

The rig I want is a super finesse rig with the smallest head possible and light wire, maybe titanium even. Load that thing up and drag it around in 40 feet for spotted bass so I can get my limit faster and get back to throwing real lures.