A Rig

[Royal Blue]

8 hours ago, Moswimb8slinger said:

I saw the wind blowing into one of my favorite coves on TR yesterday afternoon and found them stacked in there. I initially threw a single 5" prototype swimbait in the area and had a football shaped spot come from behind and grab the tail, I got excited and pulled it from it and the bait was pulled down the hook. I switched to the A-rig with some smaller baits and on a short cast to check the rig, 3 fish swarmed it and I caught that SM pictured in the middle. Believe it or not, that's a 3 pounder, I had so many layers on that it made it look small.lol

The fish were not that deep either, the one fish nearly hit the rig at the surface pulling it out of the water. It was on a bluffy bank, if I were in a boat/kayak I would definitely figure 8 the rig once it's close, that's how I caught 2 of them. I landed 4 and missed 6 in about 30 minutes.

What kind of little swimbaits are those?

[Moswimb8slinger]

They're from a company in Louisiana called "Category 5". It's one of their Suicide Croakers.

I'm testing them out and will be fishing them for the company on a TV show, that will air this summer.

[Royal Blue]

Do you have issues with that Strike King rig wrapping up around itself almost every other cast?  I've switched to Hog Farmer rigs and no longer have the issue, but they're way more expensive.

[Bill Babler]

Personally you cannot really beat the Flash Mob and the Flash Mob Jr.  I caught them this Fall at Walmart in the discount bin and paid $5.99  a piece and bought 20 of them.   Guess I should have bought them all, but they had a bunch.  I think they usually sell for 11 dollars.  Walmart is really funny.  I was there last Spring looking for them and everytime I went they were sold out.  They said they had a huge shipment coming.  My question is why in the HE double HECK would you just not put them in the back and sell them in the Spring when they are hot.  Nope you got to sell them cheap now and then not have any next Spring.

I bet Sam Walton would have really liked my advice.

Rig bite has not been as strong on the Rock as it has on both Beaver and Bull.  Bull has by far been the best.  Don't know why,  those 3 ponds are usually apples to apples, especially with TR being in the middle.  I spent 2 full days with the floater and the Rig on the Rock and it was hard.  Floater was hard on Bull but they Gulped the Rig.

Good Luck

[kscullawl]

You literally can catch fish on an arig just about all year...just like any other bait..:certain times of the year it's better than others. Winter suspended bite is the best. The best day I have ever had was on Easter though.

Agree with Bill, flash mob JR and SR are the easiest to get and throw. I have had days where no blade seemed better than blade. Eco pro at tackle warehouse for 9.99 is about the cheapest for blades unless you find them on sale like Bill did. 

[Bill Babler]

I really like the original Alabama Rig, but they are just out of my price range.  I could probably get a deal on them being a guide, but I'm sure it would only be 50% and the durn things are $25.00 each.  It has a center wire that is fully 3 inches longer than the others and it's really made perfect.  I just like the feel and the looks of it.  On guide trips I will usually lose 1 or two a day.  That is on the client as I do furnish them but if you lose it you buy it.  Same with Megabass jerkbaits.   I do give everyone the alternative of using each of those products, it's their option, and they understand that prior to throwing them.  In all these years I have only had one client balk and said he did not want to throw the megabass.  I put on a Spro Blue Bandit for him and of course he smoked his buddy.  They were both on the bandit in about an hour.  That's the way it is some days.

[LOGROG]

I bought eight 7" yumbrella  rigs at academy sports for 1.48 each last week. I like the flash mob better but I couldn't pass it up.

[Royal Blue]

BPS had a bunch of the Berkely schooling rigs for $3.99 a week ago.  I like that they have that keeper ring that holds them closed for storage, but they're pretty flimsy and come with no blades.  

[Sore Thumbs]

Bill. It took 24 lbs to win on Beaver yesterday. (6 fish limit). No other way to get that kind of weight without the rig. That's crazy for Beaver. You didn't get a check if you were under 20lbs. I'm glad I stayed home. I can't catch that kind of weight in 2 days. Ha