5 Hook A-Rigs Legal In Arkansas?

[Quillback]

I'm hearing different info on A-rigs in Arkansas, I believe you can use 5 hooks on one, but I've heard some say only 3 hooks - anyone have a definite answer? I have searched the regs online and can't find any mention of the number of hooks you can have on one pole. I believe the striper guys have been trolling 5 hook rigs for years.

[Flysmallie]

Yes. 3 hooks in MO and 5 in Ark.

[1969Larson]

What? A decent striper plug has three treble hooks - that's 9 hooking points. An umbrella rig will have 4 or more separate hooks. Striper fishermen troll balloons, planar boards, and downriggers... sometimes all at the same time. I've seen 12 rods out at once. What's the big deal?

[moguy1973]

What? A decent striper plug has three treble hooks - that's 9 hooking points. An umbrella rig will have 4 or more separate hooks. Striper fishermen troll balloons, planar boards, and downriggers... sometimes all at the same time. I've seen 12 rods out at once. What's the big deal?

A treble hook is considered one hook...you can't have more than 3 total hooks on one "bait", and the alabama umbrella rig has 5 hooks...

[jeb]

Sorry, forgot to mention this to you when we were hunting together yesterday, Quillback. But I called the AGFC enforcement office in Eureka Springs about this very thing on Friday. They assured me it was legal to have hooks on all 5 arms of the A-rig, at least on Beaver.

[Quillback]

Cool, thanks for checking that out.

[Stump bumper]

You are right about the striper fishermen using 5 hooks for years, I saw a picture of an umbrella rig a striper fisherman was pulling that had a total 0f 27lbs of bass on one catch.

But if you think striper fishermen use a lot of rods, I have seen crappie guys out with 20 rods.

Then I would hate to count the hooks on trout lines, that is what gets me about Table Rock they won't allow a 5 hook rig up there but have trout lines everywhere.

[jeb]

Yeah, that was my thought too, Stump Bumper. Trot lines have no limit of hooks, AFAIK. But I think they also limit the kind of fish you're suppose to catch on those, don't they?

The Ranger's office actually told me that there "were no limits" regarding that on Beaver.

If someone finds printed and/or online information to the contrary, please post it up. I could not find anything in the regs about it on the AGFC website or my handbook. So for now, I'm going with what I was told by the AGFC.

[Stump bumper]

I did find a limit of 100 hooks on some waters on trout lines but no regulation on what fish you can keep as long as it is not over the limit for that lake. I have seen so many little bass dried up in the sun from yo-yos that have not been checked and cut every one in the line when I see it. You can run 30 of those and I have seen almost that many dead bass in a day.

This is not new for 5 hooks, the umbrella rig weighted and unweighted has been trolled around beaver for years and I have seen them on planner boards downrigers and just pulled behind the boat. If you can throw ten lures on one line knock yourself out there is no rules against it. The only restriction on Beaver that are different for Bass is that you can't spear them.

I have also seen guides fillet up a limit of 5lb plus bass at the ramp for clients that have caught those bass on trolled umbrella rigs.

[navery]

just to add. in mo "trot" lines are limited to no more than 33 hooks just as you can legally use up to 33 poles per person as long as they are labeled with either conservation # or your name and address. i wasn't aware that there were stripers in tble rock. are you talking about catching largemouths and whites on umbrella rigs there?