A NO-GO ON THE ALABAMA RIG
Popularized due to it being used to win a big largemouth bass fishing tournament in Alabama this past fall, the Alabama Rig has generated much interest in the world of sport fishing these days. In fact, Nebraska Conservation Officer Jeff Clauson and I have been getting quite a few inquiries about whether the Alabama fishing rig can be used in Nebraska waters for angling (see the pic below). The answer: It’s a no-go!
Alabama Rig as shown at www.bassmaster.com
Jeff says that Nebraska Statue 37-543 Sub-Section 2 makes this particular fishing rig illegal. The statue reads: It shall be unlawful for any person to use, while fishing in this state in any lake, pond, or reservoir or in their inlets, outlets, and canals within one-half mile of such lake, pond, or reservoir, more than two lines, and neither line shall have more than two hooks. This subsection shall not apply to ice fishing.
The Alabama Rig is essentially a castable version of the popular umbrella rig that has been used in the southern U.S. for catching striped bass. The 3/8′s ounce rig comes with a five-wire harness that allows for the use of as many baits on a single line. The idea is to simulate a small group of prey fish that have peeled off from a large school. According to Jeff and Game and Parks Fisheries Outreach Coordinator/Biologist Daryl Bauer, the difference between the Alabama Rig and say a Rapala-brand crankbait lure, for example, is that, all of the hooks on Rapala-like apparatus are attached to one bait or artificial lure.
Rapala Crankbait Lure.
Conversely, they say, on the Alabama Rig, although the hooks are attached to one main head, they are actually separate lures and/or baits. That’s where the illegality enters the picture. It’s a multi-hook set up. Take another look at the Alabama rig below.
See the difference? If you’re asked about the Alabama rig in your fishing circles, you now know that it’s a definite no-go in Nebraska waters for fishing. Just keeping you informed and a ‘legal beagle’ on the water. Good fishing!
I have followed this Alabama Rig for some time. Please clear up some question as per the TWO hooks per line……For as long as I can remember I have seen crawler harness with 3 hooks per harness, alot of the large Rapala stick baits have 3 treble hooks. Are both of these then deamed ILLEGAL to use in NE waters? Re the Alabama Rig if configured with only two hooks and the other 3 jig heads were hookless and only used as attractors would it be deemed legal to use?
About the Alabama rig with five baits.
If I put one bait with one hook on two of the wires and one spinner blade with no hook on the other three is it ok to fish in Nebraska.
THANK YOU
Excellent blog post, Greg. I do believe folks could legally use a spreader rig (I refer to call it an “Alabama” rig, because it really is nothing new at all, spreader or umbrella rigs have been around for a long, long time), in Nebraska if only two of the baits had hooks in them. For example, take the rig in your picture, there are 5 separate baits there; if 3 of those swim baits had no hooks, were nothing but attractors, and two baits had hooks, then it would be legal. Oh, by the way, spreader or umbrella rigs have been used like that, with a bunch of attractor baits and only one or two with hooks, for years as well.
Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
daryl.bauer@nebraska.gov
http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/category/barbs-and-backlashes/
Daryl
I see that my comment was deleted that was posted yesterday? I also see that the original blog post has been rewritten. What is the dif in a large Rapala stick bait with 3 trebble hooks, a crawler harness with 3 snelled hooks or a spreader rig with more than two hooks permently attached to the main body of the lure? As I build most of my own lures it would be very easy to build a spreader with all hooks permantly attached (no snap swivels) so that all hooks become a part of the main lure. I do agree that the multiple hooks are not needed and a spreader can be configured with one or two hooks to be very effective.
So here are the two NE regulations that I believe relate to the issue on the Alabama rig.
1. Definition of a Hook – One hook means a single, double or treble-pointed hook. All hooks attached to an artificial bait or lure shall be counted as one hook.
If one considers the entire Alabama rig collectively as a single “bait” or “lure”, then under this regulation it would be legal for use in NE. I could not find a description in the regulation of what constitutes a “bait” or ‘lure”.
2. Anglers are limited to no more than two lines, with a maximum of two hooks on each line, with these being any type of attached line (rod and reel or fishing pole) on all lakes, ponds or reservoirs or in their inlets, outlets and canals within one-half mile of these bodies of water, with the exception of ice-fishing line limits.
If you accept that the harness of the Alabama rig is a separate entity and that you attach a maximum of five lure’s/baits to it then this regulation will be in “play”. At that time only two of the “lures” / “baits could contain a hook. The other three will have to be “decoy’s” with no hook attached.
I believe that the issue that will have to be decided for Nebraska is what constitutes a “bait” or “lure”.
The Alabama fishing regulations as written allow for the entire harness to be considered a single lure. The Tennessee regulations do not.
Phil,
Greg consulted with one of our conservation officers on the spreader or umbrella rigs; he told you how the rule is interpreted. There is no “issue”.
Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
daryl.bauer@nebraska.gov
http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/category/barbs-and-backlashes//
WELL I TO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS BAMA RIG STORY..I FEEL BAD FOR THE ANGLERS WHO INVENTED THIS CASTIBLE RIG FOR FRESHWATER…HERE IN THE NORTHEAST SAVVY ANGLERS HAVE BEEN USING THE CASTIBLE UMBRELLA RIG FOR YEARS….WITH WIRE AND BCKTAILS FOR FLUKE AND STRIPERS..JUST BECAUSE THE MAN WON A BIG BASS TOURNIMENT HIS FELLOW ANGLERS ARE UPSET….WHEN IT COMES TO MONEY OUR PIERS GET THERE FEATHERS RUFFLED…THAT’S JUST THIS CAPTAINS OPINION…..
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My main question is why can we sell these rigs at any local Walmart, cabellas or tackle store in Nebraska if they are illegal? I view that as entrapment, here buy this new rig. Oh I’m sorry that’s a huge fine for using an illegal rig. Make it legal or don’t sell it in the state