If you gotta have an Alabama rig but refuse to pat $25

[joedog]

Try googling 'castable umbrella rig'
Maybe $10 dollars fits the budget better?

[screwballl]

or make your own for a few dollars. I found these instructions online and plan to make mine someday soon since the bass are picky at a few lakes I regularly visit.

The items needed are
1/16" and 3/32" inch ferrules
-flag markers(like used to i.e. mark a gas line or property markings and yes, remove the flags)
-1/4 oz bullet or egg sinkers
-snap swivels or cross/inter locks
-swivels
-swaging tool to crimp the ferrules(or I guess a hammer might work,lol)
-needlenose or round nose pliers
-1/8" drill bit

The needed items can be purchased at any big name box hardware store...

1. drill a larger hole in a sinker

2. make a loop in a wire with the pliers, slide a swivel up the wire, then slide the wire back down thru the hole in the sinker until the tag end sticks out the bottom of the sinker

3. slide a 3/32" ferrule up the wire to the bottom of the sinker and insert the tag and 4 other wires(from the flags) into the ferrule, then crimp it with the swaging tool

4. you will now have- from top to bottom of the rig- a swivel attached to the main wire, the bullet or egg weight, a ferrule with 5 wires crimped inside it

5. the only thing that remains to be done is to slide the 1/16" ferrule onto each wire, loop the wire, put a snap or inter/cross lock swivel on the end of each wire, slide the ferrule back down the wire with the swivel in each loop and crimp the ferrules.

6. attach jig heads to the snap/cross/interlock swivels along with swim baits, grubs or whatever you want to try

7. It worked better for me using relatively light jig heads(1/16- 1/8 oz) for easier casting

After you get the first loop above the sinker made, it will become obvious what it takes to put the rig together. You can add head weights as desired for different depths, you can use weighted or non weighted hooks, various lures, just play around and see what works for you.

[Briery Creek Bomber]

Instead of using flag markers, go to Walmart and buy an egg whisk for .97 cents and cut it apart. The whisk has several advantages: sturdy and won't rust. Total cost of rigs I make = ~$4.

I've tried using flags from my yard and they don't work nearly as well - the whisk version will last for seasons.

I don't use any sinkers either, after you rig the Alabama Rig with the ferrules and whatever bait it'll weigh in excess of 1 oz - plenty heavy to get to the depth you want.

My preferred bait: super flukes rigged weedless.

I would recommend not using any bait w/ exposed hooks on your AR unless you're fishing in water with absolutely no cover/structure unless you want to go for a swim to recover it when it gets hung up.

Fish on!

[Fish-N-Fool]

I have made up a few of these now and the best thing to use is spinner bait wire like what you can get from Jann's netcraft. You can get just straight wire and make them up yourself. Here are a couple I made up.



This one was made from .051' 12" long wires.


I found it to heavy to cast well and put this one together. I call it my Mini-Bama rig. It is made from .035 8" wire.

It casts very well, but so far 0 fish caught with this contraption. lol

[lilmule]

Its a schooler bait,for like when you are seeing jumps like as in fall,or stacked up on points in the spring.
If school is not in session then zip.
One thing I see you added a skirt some states count that as a teaser or lure in itself.
Idea is they see a pod of baitfish open mouth insert food.
Tn and others are three rig state,that according to our laws is a 6 rig,and would be permitted but 1 hook,3 or under can have 3 hooks.And they do work.To me even better than a 5.Try making one,will work better when few are in school.

And use a swimbait or fluke etc that you have caught fish on prior,mr money is popular however I cant get bit on them so I use kietech 3.8,4.8 a smaller profile more slender bait,built like a 4 in ringworm with a paddle tail.
Lose the fish head forward weight or at least the skirt ,try making it as small as possible and not like a true baitfish outline.
They pay att to the following trailers not the leader and more conforming to many laws.
Does not need to weigh 1 oz or more.Thats about a 3/8 head,can be painted etc to match baitfish or left as is lead colored.
Would also work on salmon in say egg sacks drifted.

[bassboogieman]

If you gotta have an Alabama rig but refuse to pat $25 .. youuuuuu might just be a redneck.

My appoligies - I watched a little of Jeff Foxworthy last night.

[WaffleJaw]

[joedog]

Originally Posted by bassboogieman

if you gotta have an alabama rig but refuse to pat $25 .. Youuuuuu might just be a redneck.

My appoligies - i watched a little of jeff foxworthy last night.

Northern REDNECK, to you, BRUCE!

[screwballl]

The only problem I see with a whisk is that they are chrome plated cheap steel so it is possible they will rust where the tips are cut. Nothing that a quick clear spray or coating can't prevent.

[basshunter21]

Originally Posted by bassboogieman

If you gotta have an Alabama rig but refuse to pat $25 .. youuuuuu might just be a redneck.

My appoligies - I watched a little of Jeff Foxworthy last night.

lmao, that cracked me up!

[NewfoundLakerMal]

Yes they say it is illegal but they also say you can have a lure with one single hook point and an additional 3 hook points, i.e. a treble hook. I am waiting for a reply from NH fish & game as under these rules I can have 2 lines with up to 8 hook points. So is 5 hook points on one line any different? Duh, bureaucrats that don't know squat about fishing must have made this ruling.