A-Mac Posted November 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 Here's a nice fish I caught on my makeshift A-rig the other day... I was throwing some swimbaits on it and had a fish that went 4.5 crush it right off the back. Then later in the evening I saw this toad destroy it. I also had a smallmouth try to jump in the boat after it! Tried it today and threw the heck out of it without a bite. However, I definitely didn't catch a lot of fish, so it showed it has it's time. This fish went 8.2lbs! http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj100/amcalexa/384369_10100848009653788_13713245_63122812_62985149_n.jpg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF Posted November 5, 2011 Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 (edited) Nice fish A-MAC...nice looking umbrella rig too..Im not going to call it a Alabama Rig because well apparently some guy in Alabama Invented it. I will say one thing for sure.. THE NAME SUCKS..I mean man where in the heck did he come up with that name. I might start calling some of my new baits the Cabarraus County Crank! Hey Mr. Poss...maybe next time you invent something call Tater and ask him what to name it...He's got a BS Degree in Marketing from BSU (Ball State University). Personally I would have called it...The "DreamCatcher" Rig..kinda fits don't it The Rookie Edited November 5, 2011 by The_Rookie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF Posted November 5, 2011 Report Share Posted November 5, 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! You can troll a crankbait and catch those same suspended bass too...No wait sorry.. I forgot..trolling is not legal in bass fishing tournaments...What was I thinking... I rest my case on "THE ALABAMA RIG". Give the poor fish a break. What's next a down rigger on a rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleriver Posted November 5, 2011 Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 Beautiful fish A-Mac! The expression on your face says it all. Good time for sure. Your "A- Rig" looks great and I bet even better when that bass was hanging from the end of it. Now that is confirmation. Well done! Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timturr Posted November 5, 2011 Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 Here is how to make the A-rig. Use .041 straight wire shafts, 7.5 inches long. Take one wire shaft and bend a small loop in it with the tag end coming out the top.This will be the main wire shaft. Take five more wire shafts and bend a closed loop on the end with swivels and bass snaps inside the loop. On the other end of the 5 wire shafts bend a loop like at the end of a spinnerbait arm but don't close it completely. Using the first main wire shaft with loop on end attach the remaining five wire shafts to the loop on it closing the loops on each shaft to the main wire. Take a Do-it Spinnerbait Mold and drill out the area it the bottom of the mold where the hook would come out. place you wire rig into the mold with the main wire coming out the top and the five wire shafts with swivels and snaps coming out the bottom. Use Alumilite super plastic ( Alumilite.com) to pour the head. It will come out of the mold in five minutes. After removing from mold, clean up head from extra Alumilite with a knife. Then bend a loop in the main wire coming out of head to make a line tie. Paint head to desired color. It is that simple. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Mac Posted November 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 I was using .035ish wire and it did fine... Of course, I guess it just depends on the rigidity (for lack of a better word) of the SS wire. I also used a plastic resin, no filler. I basically made a mold from on of my cranks and just inserted the wire harness. I put twisted wire and bent the tags toward the nose and then looped the 5 other wire ends over the tags. Needless to say, the thing is pretty solid. I thought it was funny though. I threw that rig a lot on the second day and never caught a fish. It's a darn good thing people want this thing banned! Bunch of dingbats that are afraid someone might have a 1 up on them... One thing I noticed throwing this is that both of might fish hit the lure on an eratic retrieve. I would stop the bait, all the lures would fall in sync, and as soon as I would start to retrieve it would get slammed. I saw the big girl hit. She side swiped it. I swear that fish had every lure in its mouth before the hookset! She wanted them all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Mac Posted November 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 One thing I will point out. I didn't really have enough fancy swimbait hooks to make mine run "upright". No matter what, each swimbait would come in right side up, but the rig would not necessarily be correct. You need larger weights on the bottom lures to make it always run correct; however, I really don't think it matters now. I think the fish that are going to hit it get so siked-up seeing a lonely 6 fish school that it doesn't matter if the leader of the pack is on its side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 (edited) Nice job, and nice fish!!! Which wire got bit? Did the wire bend with the fish on? Edited November 6, 2011 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bass Man Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Nice catch A-Mac!! Great job on the rig building also!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Mac Posted November 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Nice job, and nice fish!!! Which wire got bit? Did the wire bend with the fish on? they all did! that fish tried to eat them all with a side swipe! The lure on top and closest to the fish was the one that hooked up. Yeah, the wires go pretty screwed up, but they bent back no probs. It's not as pretty as it once was. Dang thing does not come over crossbeams under docks very well. I'm sure they would be worse with tree tops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Here is how to make the A-rig. Use .041 straight wire shafts, 7.5 inches long. Take one wire shaft and bend a small loop in it with the tag end coming out the top.This will be the main wire shaft. Take five more wire shafts and bend a closed loop on the end with swivels and bass snaps inside the loop. On the other end of the 5 wire shafts bend a loop like at the end of a spinnerbait arm but don't close it completely. Using the first main wire shaft with loop on end attach the remaining five wire shafts to the loop on it closing the loops on each shaft to the main wire. Take a Do-it Spinnerbait Mold and drill out the area it the bottom of the mold where the hook would come out. place you wire rig into the mold with the main wire coming out the top and the five wire shafts with swivels and snaps coming out the bottom. Use Alumilite super plastic ( Alumilite.com) to pour the head. It will come out of the mold in five minutes. After removing from mold, clean up head from extra Alumilite with a knife. Then bend a loop in the main wire coming out of head to make a line tie. Paint head to desired color. It is that simple. I didnt follow your directions exactly...but will this work? Who wants to test it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikePaintsBaits Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 I'm Testing It ........LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR KNOW IT ALL KIND OF Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Its coming your way Mike. PONY EXPRESS!! just like I always ship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 (edited) How are you guys twisting the 5 wires together where the head will be? I read timturr's description, but wasn't exactly clear on his technique. thanks, Ben Edited November 7, 2011 by RayburnGuy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bass Man Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Who wants to test it? Dang!!!!!! I knew I should have stayed up later last night!! ! Lol Looks great Matt!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timturr Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 I am buying straight wire shafts with a hook bent on the end. I use a Twist Tech wire forming tool to make the loops at the end of the wire shafts where the swivel goes. I use the same tool to form a loop at the end of the main wire shaft. Using the preformed hooks on the five wire shafts, I bend them closed on the loop of the main wire shaft just like you would close the hook of a spinnerbait frame on the hook before you pour it. The plastic is very strong. Just about any way you can get the wires connected together long enough to get the plastic poured will be sufficient. The palstic will keep everything from coming apart. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crankbaits Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 Why all the fuss about this rig? I thought we were in this for innovation not duplaction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdL Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 What size rope do you have to use with this rig? And when it breaks off you can lose 5 lures at once instead of one? Guess if you win big bucks at a tourney you can afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 I am buying straight wire shafts with a hook bent on the end. I use a Twist Tech wire forming tool to make the loops at the end of the wire shafts where the swivel goes. I use the same tool to form a loop at the end of the main wire shaft. Using the preformed hooks on the five wire shafts, I bend them closed on the loop of the main wire shaft just like you would close the hook of a spinnerbait frame on the hook before you pour it. The plastic is very strong. Just about any way you can get the wires connected together long enough to get the plastic poured will be sufficient. The palstic will keep everything from coming apart. Tim Thanks for clearing that up for me Tim. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikePaintsBaits Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 I'd have to say most things we do are a form of "duplication" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 I'm not a duplicator. I'm an imposter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikePaintsBaits Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 Yep you are Ben .....lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 Why all the fuss about this rig? I thought we were in this for innovation not duplaction. I suppose that in someway or other, we are all duplicators. Look at crankbaits, how many different shaped bodies are out there. I would think that any shape you could whittle, saw or form in anyway would have already been done by someone. If I used a duplicator to copy someone elses bait, that would make me a duplicator. Look at spinnerbaits, Inline, R-bend and Twisted-eye. what else is there? Does building one using these wire shapes make you a duplicator? I don't think so. To me the joy and sastifaction of building a lure is the fact that, I thought of, or looked at one and thought to myself, I can do that. I made it. I painted it my own scheme. Maybe, I tweaked it to make it a little different and or better but it is still just a crankbait or a spinnerbait etc. Improved? Maybe, maybe not. But I made it and its mine. The other thing, it feels good when I or a pal catches a fish on something I made. That my friend is what all the Hoop-La is all about. If that makes me a duplicator then I am a duplicator. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleriver Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 Well put John. The "new" will always be exciting. Especially a winner. You know what I like best about this rig? The fact it has come from someone just like us. A little guy working in his garage or basement. Not some big lure manufacturer with engineers, assembly lines of mass production, sponsoring dozens of professional fishermen with millions of dollars at their disposal. No, just one man and an idea. He beat them all . How inspiring is that? Vic 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted November 8, 2011 Report Share Posted November 8, 2011 Well put John. The "new" will always be exciting. Especially a winner. You know what I like best about this rig? The fact it has come from someone just like us. A little guy working in his garage or basement. Not some big lure manufacturer with engineers, assembly lines of mass production, sponsoring dozens of professional fishermen with millions of dollars at their disposal. No, just one man and an idea. He beat them all . How inspiring is that? Vic Very inspiring, I think that is every lure builders dream, to make that magic lure that fish can't resist. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
