Elites Ban A-Rig

[cullinby9]

You obviously are so dead-set against this, that you failed to answer my questions.

Would you be okay with an A-rig with 3 wires, 2 of them blades and a center swim bait with a hook?

And would you agree that a typical double-bladed spinnerbait is 3 baits with one hook?

And, would it be legal on the non-major circuits for 2 guys to be in the front of the boat, both fishing a spinnerbait?

I'm not going to be baited into comparing spinnerbaits to the a-rig as I said you can attach 5 spinnerbaits to the thing so it holds no water. Knock yourself out with it I could care less no matter what you try to tell me its fishing 5 baits at once.

[gitnby]

I'm not going to be baited into comparing spinnerbaits to the a-rig as I said you can attach 5 spinnerbaits to the thing so it holds no water. Knock yourself out with it I could care less no matter what you try to tell me its fishing 5 baits at once.

So, you will rant and rave about it's use, but you've never tried it, and you won't discuss options that would make it "more sporting"?

You take an elitist, I'm a big-time tournament fisherman attitude. You demean others for their opinion, and yet think that yours is the only one that counts?

I'll bet you're a treat to fish with?

[dtrs5kprs]

Maybe it's time for us to move on to our usual spring "how to fish a stick or grub" threads.

[roy_eros]

I have fished the a-rig several times on our area lakes in the past couple months. Some days I have done well, some so-so, and some I was skunked. To me this bait is certainly going to be a valuable fish catching tool at times. Is it the great "equalizer" that will change tournament fishing as we know it? NO certainly not. Are there some days it will dominate on particular bodies of water? Sure, aren't many tournaments dominated by other specific techniques? Examples,throwing a mega bass or wiggle wart around here at different times of the year.

Although these are my believes at this time, I think we all need to sit back and see where this thing goes.

When else can you remember fishing forums being blown up like this in January? When else have entire displays of fishing tackle been bare in bass pro and other local stores in January? I think this buzz in the fishing world has been a positive boost to the industry during a slow part of the year.

[Iclass]

Amen Roy!!!!

[Guest csfishinfool]

So, you will rant and rave about it's use, but you've never tried it, and you won't discuss options that would make it "more sporting"?

You take an elitist, I'm a big-time tournament fisherman attitude. You demean others for their opinion, and yet think that yours is the only one that counts?

I'll bet you're a treat to fish with?

demean others?? i was called a donator if i dont fish it on the other thread. there was nothing demeaning about his posts

[Guest csfishinfool]

Btw another FLW everstart seriers tournament was just won on the Alabama Rig, this thing truley is great for tournament fishings future. You tell by all the wins its putting up. Thats like 3 out of 5 now. and the two not won on it were grass lakes

[Feathers and Fins]

Cullin: I am just taking a few minutes here with some of your post to answer questions you asked and ask you a few. Then I have a date with some stripers and Geese.

People don't want us around their docks, they don't like us running around the lake at 70+ mph. How are they going to feel about 150 boats 2 guys in each casting chandeliers?

The people you speak of already think they own the lake and it is their lake and no one should be able to play on it except them and they even don’t like the neighbors on it. So they won’t care. Are you so worried about this type of person and what they think you would be willing to stop fishing altogether?

If you use the hydrowave the fish still has to bite at a single lure The a-rig is 3-5 lures it increase's the strike zone by by 300 to 500% over a single lure. If it gets the fish exicted is it more likely to strike maybe but it still has to locate a single lure not a ball of swimbaits.

The fish still has to strike the single bait! Do you increase odds? Certainly! But as I found out yesterday it does not out fish other baits and it has limitations. So if it has limitations and it does not out fish other baits why are you so opposed to it?

This isn't hard to understand dd22=one lure a-rig=3-5 lures each swimbait you fish is a lure. You can't cut a crankbait in half and still fish it.

True but yesterday the A-rig was out fished by a CD. Same place, same time, same depth, same conditions yet the “ greatest bait ever to come out” LOST hands down to the old CD.

quit calling the a-rig a lure it is 3-5 lures swimbaits grubs whatever. They use chum and 11 foot rods with wire leaders in the ocean too. It's not about catching doubles its about increasing the strike zone. If its legal in your state then do as you please.Trolling is legal in MO but not legal in a tournament I'm strictly talking tournament fishing. One thing we can all agree on is its all about the bite if it gets you more bites and its legal knock yourself out.

It is what it is call it a lure a rig whatever it’s just another tool… But you said it best ITS LEGAL! That in and of itself should say it all!

First I don't know anyone that thinks its going to catch fish on every cast. Second the problem with it that I have is is the appearance of a school of slow moving bait. It simply increases the odds of fooling a fish playing on their natural instinct to ambush a ball of bait. I understand that all fishing is in its simplest form is fooling the fish. I think it takes the talent of fooling a bass to eat your lure completely out of it there by creating a playing field that makes locating the fish more important than having accurate casting, feel, technique that seperates the have's and the could have's. Ive been in the back of guy's boats that were all over the fish and didn't know because they couldn't get em to bite Heck Ive been there myself its frustrating but over the years I have developed things to do to make them bite not to the tune of the a-rig so now the ability to catch suspended fish is going to be undermined by a 5 lure rig were my 14 pounds used to be good in the fall will now be replaced by 18 pounds on the rig its only one big bite a day. It's frustrating that in the last ten years what I've learned about this lake when it gets tough is not going to be enough to compete with 5 lure at once.

This sounds when reading it you are more concerned about people out fishing you that are “ could haves “ Kinda like saying they are not that good but this bait made them that good. If that is the case and again we will go back to: and it is legal, then why not tie one on yourself? If the tournament you are in allows it and you fear being out fished by a lesser angler why not even the odds by fishing it yourself? Sounds on face as ego!

I'm going to be interested to see what happens in the Everstart in early march. I'm planning on fishing as a co-angler and will have a rig in the box. I don't believe it will be won on the rig exclusively but I do think it'll play a major role with a few monster fish. I'm a little confused how flw can be a leader in conservation and sportsmanship and let this rig be allowed. At certain times of the year its going to be a rig or stay at home for example the shad spawn if you can get it within a foot of a dock that their spawning around it will be game over. I saw a quote from Jeff Kriet that I agree with."Allowing the rig is going to make an angler have two choices throw the rig or find a new occupation."

An there are other pro’s who don’t seem concerned about it. Now you yourself admit this will probably not be the tournament winner but think it will play a role! If this is the case then it is more evidence that it is just another tool in the angler’s tool box, and not the great thing and 1 lure beat all and thus no reason for a ban on it. By your own admissions above why are you so against it where legal?

No Mr. Poss was in Alabama manipulating an umbrella rig into a castable version to imitate a ball of bait. He nailed it,sometimes we get on here and speak our opinions on issues that we disagree on. Time will tell who's side is more accurate. We will know alot more about this thing next month after the Everstart. I love this sport and try to get better all the time. I'm not sure throwing 5 baits is gonna be the way to the top.

And like you the sport and lures/ rigs of the sport advance and get better! Why are you so against advancement if you yourself advance as time goes on?

the real issue is allowing 5 lures at once there is nothing to get past.I know enough to know what kinda skill is involved in counting down a lure most accomplished fisherman do. I can also find fish. the real issue issue is allowing the representation of a school of bait by throwing five lures at once so no longer does a fish commit to a single lure but a ball of bait thats how the skill is diminished thats taking the sport out of bass fishing.

This is certainly NOT TRUE. Refer to above regarding yesterdays fishing. Please also beware I did it Trolling so as no angler manipulation could be made to make one lure more or less effective than the other. See post

http://forums.ozarkanglers.com/index.php?showtopic=31843&hl=alabama&fromsearch=1

So the questions:

1. If this rig has obvious limitations doesn’t it make it just another tool in the box?

2. If legal 3 or 5 hook or whatever the state allows then any angler has as much of a chance as anyone else still keeping the playing field even correct?

3. If both the above two answers are yes then why should it be banned from tournaments?

If it is purely that it has 5 baits on it that’s fine and we will agree to disagree if its legal in the state but if its because it gives “Have nots” a chance then that is ego and I will urge you to look at yourself as to why you fish.

I do not want or wish to seem harsh in that but I did tournament fish for years and seen that type of ego and was guilty of it myself at times. I had forgotten fishing was supposed to be fun and enjoyable and the object was to have fun. Tournaments bring out the worse in people as does most competition on things we love. I quit tournament fishing not because I wasn’t good but because I loved fishing and was starting to hate who I was becoming and hating what I loved. But most I was getting to where I didn’t want to teach others about it and help others get involved in it. I watched good men turn into evil people who would cut off other anglers and cuss out people all in the name of Winning and that is not what its about.

Thank You for your time.

[gitnby]

demean others?? i was called a donator if i dont fish it on the other thread. there was nothing demeaning about his posts

Demean was probably the wrong word?

Maybe condescending is better?

no matter what you try to tell me its fishing 5 baits at once.

now what is it you don't understand about why I'm against it?

I think by sporting what Csfishinfool is saying is it takes no skill with a rod and reel to heave 5 swimbaits out and slow roll it back.

This rig is an equilizer for the average angler. good for recreational anglers, killer to true tournament fishing.

I just don't know how you can say this makes you a better angler which is why we all fish to begin with.

[jamesedward]

Skill, that is why you want this thing banned. Cause you so called pros don't have advantages anymore. I know a ton of people who say THEY will throw the rig if you ban it or not and I am one of them. This levels the field. No more can they call you pros ( PRO ) anymore and it's funny as hell. Cry babies are now coming out of the wood work. Like I said, bitch and cry all you want. The avg weekend fishermen is not gonna stop throwing a bait cause the cry baby pros don't have advantage anymore. Even the OMTT circuit is not gonna ban it cause if it's legal then throw it. Maybe the Pro's can argue this on the radio show. But my guess is none of you will call in cause again, your behind a computer and you don't wanna look like a baby like Some are over this. The best bass fisherman in the Ozarks is Bill Davenport. Way past all you wanna be's. Maybe the field is to equal now for some, but the avg fisherman is not a pro and the Pro's WILL NOT dictate this rule. If so, when you fish against the avg guy and you bring in 20 lbs and the avg guy brings in 30 lbs you can bet it is the Alabama rig doing its job. You think the rogue is bringing in 29 ls last week in the winter bass brawl. How about the rogue on table rock last week 27 lbs or the 28 lbs on lake Ozark last week or the 25 lbs yesterday on lake ozark. Not even close. Try te Alabama rig and you so called pros are scared. Period. You can stay scared cause if there is no poly test then 100% of the avg fisherman will throw the rig all year. Open your ears and ear what people are saying. We are fishing the rig no matter what you say.