JBlaze Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 Made of 3/4 inch PVC Trim Board, 1/8oz weight in belly, foiled with aluminum duct tape, colored with sharpies, cleared with D2T, .035 spring temper stainless wires, 2/0 Gamakatsu wide gap, 3in. Kalins Grubs. Total Weight 1.17 0z. John I took this thing down to the topside ramp today and made a few casts to see what it would do. Much to my surprise, it is a high floater. It landed in the water with the wires and grubs hanging straight down and the nose and ½ of the body was above the water. on the retrieve, it looked like a small school of minnows swimming with the grubs rippling the surface of the water, even at a rather slow speed. this might be a good thing. Rather than add more weight to this one, I will make another and not finish it until I find the correct amount of ballast to get it down to the Denizens of the deep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleriver Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 (edited) Mine was a slow sinker even with nothing attached. Probably all that extra stainless. I also drilled a very large hole and filled it with stainless and two part epoxy. The body of my lure was made from Pine and for water protection was allowed to soak 24 hours in a 50/50 mix of linseed oil and mineral spirits. This too adds weight and there is a loss of buoyancy due to the oil being carried into the wood with the spirits. My future builds will be a smaller body. Not 100 percent positive but besides from being less buoyant, the fish chasing this lure will be more likely to attack the larger trailing targets. Vic Edited October 29, 2011 by littleriver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big-D Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 (edited) Here's one I made from .035 stainless wire, and thread. Took me a few tries to bind the 5 wires in a streamlined package, but I think I got it this time. I made an oblong line tie and folded the 2 arms in half so all 4 arms parallel the shaft. Then I used thread to bind them in place. 3D eyes abd a D2T topcoat finish the package. This was the first try made with 5 seperate, 6" straight wire shafts. I covered the wire wraps with thread and a coat of D2T. I used the tag end of the wire in the eyelet to bind the arms to the center shaft. It's bulkier than I would like, but it worked. Edited October 30, 2011 by Big-D 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big-D Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 If you present this topic in the wire baits forum, you may get ideas from a different audience. I normally don't look in hard baits forum and stumbled onto this subject. Just a thought. -D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Largehead Louie Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Getting there: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-daddy Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Just like everyone else, I am trying to put together one of these rigs. I had a question that I hope someone who has seen one of the originals can answer. How long should the arms extend from where they bend to the swivel? 6" ? 8" ? The first one that I made looks too long but I havent tested it yet. Has anyone got any ideas???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatchingConcepts Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Think I got it right this time? Resin pour head looks clean and sexi... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Largehead Louie Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Think I got it right this time? Resin pour head looks clean and sexi... It's pics like that that make me wish I had devoted time to hard baits instead of soft plastics. Looks awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleriver Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 Think I got it right this time? Resin pour head looks clean and sexi... I think so too. Looks great! Better than the original Alabama rig. Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 I think so too. Looks great! Better than the original Alabama rig. Vic +1 I think you nailed it. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass01 Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 on the original i believe the wires are connected to a big crane swivel the comes out the front for the line tie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatchingConcepts Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 (edited) All the pix I have seen dont have a swivel on the nose of the bait... http://www.thealabamarig.com/ for reference, check out the official site ! EDIT --- I get it you mean that they used a crane swivel for the line tie on the front and formed the body over... Good idea to reduce bending wire I guess and getting a cleaner look... Edited October 31, 2011 by CatchingConcepts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaPala Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 How about this to beat the A-Rig? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 Those things should be X rated! Hahaha The Godzilla Rig! I'm really impressed that he can actually cast the four bait setup. And that fish he caught looked like something from a Godzilla movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 That's got to be the definition of thinking outside the box. Good find LaPala. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleriver Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 Hilarious! I could not stop laughing. As i was thinking four, he was pulling it out already. I too was amazed how well it cast. One of these would be great to have on the shop wall for inspiration and a laugh or two. Thank you for sharing the video LaPala. My wife still does not get it. Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitro98 Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 that is just awesome! Ideas are easy to come bye...making them reality is the hard part...and this guy did it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 Very funny LaPala!! Enjoyed the video Now I wonder if it is legal to tie 4 Umbrella rigs with 5 swimbaits on that kind of rod and fish it at the next FLW Tournament in Alabama...that would be 20 baits casted on one rod! I guess it would be legal cause Im only using 1 rod and 1 line...GIVE ME A BREAK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted October 31, 2011 Report Share Posted October 31, 2011 Rookie, If you threw 4 umbrella rigs with 5 swimbaits each into a school of busting stripers, I'm pretty sure you'd be water skiing in nothing flat! Even if you didn't get bit, you'd need a chiropractor, and a truss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted November 2, 2011 Report Share Posted November 2, 2011 (edited) I must say I was pretty skeptical about this rig when first reading about it and watching the videos. It seemed to me like it would be useful only in a very limited set of conditions. After fishing yesterday and seeing the number of fish that were following hooked fish to the boat it made me wish I had one to try. The fish were chasing schools of small shad and would have probably went nuts over this rig. May have to try and build a couple just for the heck of it. Ben Edited November 2, 2011 by RayburnGuy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint M Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 Rayburn im about to have some made before long. Dont spend any money on em. I'll send you one to try out. It is amazing to me how much attention this rig is getting. I have three of the original alabama rigs. I have fished them quite often over the last few weeks. So far im not blown away by them. I have had just as much luck with a single swimbait. I fish a lot and I love the idea. I just think its like any other lure. There is always a time and a place for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 Thanks Clint. And your definitely right about all the attention it's getting. I seriously doubt that most fishermen will go to the trouble to learn what conditions and lures work best on the thing and will end up fishing it a few times and then sticking it in the "don't catch" lure pile. I cobbled one together this afternoon just for the heck of it. Haven't decided about putting a head on it or what would be the best way, and material, to make a head for it. I may try it without a head and see what happens before I go any farther. My fishing buddy told me that if I made one of them I better make two just in case they worked so he could have one. lol Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuskyGary Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 Moreland wins FLW Kentucky Lake. Thats two tournments in a row won on this bait. The thing that most people are missing is this bait catches supended bass! Elias was running down the lake and spotted bass twenty feet deep in thirty feet of water. Stopped his boat, threw out the alabama rig, let it sink about ten to fifteen feet and started to retrieve it. The bass came up from twenty feet and smashed it. Limit in no time. Now how many guys can catch suspended bass on any rig? Not many, if this works it will change tournment fishing. Just run around the lake looking for suspended schools of bass and bait and throw the alabama rig! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 The thing that most people are missing is this bait catches supended bass! That's what I was thinking when I watched the video interview of Paul at the first tournament. I was in a situation the other day where bass were feeding on schools of small shad in shallow water (3 to 8 feet) and on multiple occasions there would be 3 to 5 bass following a hooked fish to the boat. I'm thinking it might also work in a situation such as that as well. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 In case anyone is wondering if the Alabama Rig is legal to fish in Texas here is a word for word copy of the reply I got from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Ben Here's the word from one of our head Game Wardens: It is my opinion that the Alabama rig is a lawful artificial bait. Keep in mind, it is unlawful to take or attempt to take fish with one or more hooks attached to a line or artificial lure used in a manner to foul-hook a fish (snagging or jerking). A fish is foul-hooked when caught by a hook in an area other than the fish's mouth. L. David Sinclair Chief of Staff - Division Director I Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Law Enforcement Division 4200 Smith School Road Austin, TX 78744 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
