Lots of nice fish are caught on the Alabama Rig during the colder months on Table Rock Lake and even into spring. Just this week I caught several good white bass on the Alabama Rig, or A-Rig as it is commonly called.
To those unfamiliar with the rig, it has 3-5 arms and the same number of baits attached to it. Some have spinner blades attached as well.
It is important that only three of the baits actually have hooks on them as that is the law here in Missouri. Use hitchhikers to attach the non-hook baits on the upper arms as most bites will occur on the lower one’s.
One of the issues you will soon discover when using this bait over time is fatigue in the shoulder area. My suggestion is that you use underhand casts utilizing the strength of your forearm to reduce this fatigue at the shoulder. Also when choosing a “rig”, select one that is light enough that you can throw it for several hours.
Keep in mind that these baits get hung up often due to the exposed hooks. Make sure to keep a lure retriever handy since A-Rigs are expensive. When fully rigged they are in the range of $15-$20 each. Also, use monofilament or fluorocarbon line as braid tends to fail much quicker.
