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  1. #1
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    Alabama Rig Legal?

    As it reads in the regulations, i dont see how it is legal in Indiana. I was told at Bass Pro that it was. At 26.99 i would say they will say anything to sell them.

  2. #2
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    Re: Alabama Rig Legal?

    In Indiana you could only legally run two baits on it. Yes, they just want to sell the bait!

  3. #3
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    Re: Alabama Rig Legal?

    Could put 5 baits on but only 2 could have hooks. Too much to worry about!

  4. #4
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    Re: Alabama Rig Legal?

    I had read on another forum that an individual asked a CO on his interpretation of the law and the alabama rig, and the CO stated that he looked at the whole rig as one lure, not individual hooks, therefore making it legal. I, however, am not going to take that as proof. I have e-mailed the DNR that way I would have a hardcopy if they said it was legal. They have not returned my e-mail though and it has been a few days. Usually they reply right away.h

  5. #5
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    Re: Alabama Rig Legal?

    Don't have the hard copy in my possession, but have personally talked to IDNR and had the hard copy from high up the food chain read to me, and they are saying perfectly legal. As I understand it, the hard copy was created in response to an initial BPS request.

    -SBB

  6. #6
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    Re: Alabama Rig Legal?

    I have a hardcopy now. Here is the e-mail I received today:

    Steven -
    Thanks for your webmail inquiry.

    Indiana's fishing regulations do not specifically address legality of umbrella rigs and the smaller version known as an Alabama rig. As a result, anglers will not be cited by our Conservation Officers for using these rigs at the current time. However, you should stay informed since we are reviewing this gear and regulations affecting its use may be proposed in the future.

    You may want to sign up for the WILD Bulletin - a FREE e-newsletter that provides information about Indiana's fish and wildlife resources and recreation through e-mail. You will receive information about hunting and fishing season dates, regulation updates, wildlife and fisheries research status reports, tips on wildlife watching and reminders about important dates for Hoosier outdoor enthusiasts. You will also receive updates about new information available on the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife webpage. Here is the direct link: http://www.in.gov/dnr/2350.htm.

    If you have further questions, I would suggest that you contact your local DNR Law Enforcement District Headquarters office. Here is the direct link to all contact information: http://www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/2755.htm.
    Patti
    DFW

  7. #7
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    Re: Alabama Rig Legal?

    Steve: It looks to me like Patti kicked it over the IDNR CO's to figure this out.

    The CO's are the ones that you will run into in the field and who would issue a citation. They get the legal process started from what I can see. So if you want to avoid getting a ticket from the local CO's I'd recommend that you talk to them about this issue first and see how they interrupt this issue.

    They may be know or not what the legallese say in the rules but in the end a judge will rule as to what the law means. But it can get expensive defending yourself in court so it would pay to have the CO's on your side of this issue in the first place. That way you won't end up having to hire a lawyer or anything like that.

    I have a feeling based on this email you posted that IDNR will be looking into this issue and will probably do something to address these alabama rigs.

    I Know the director of the IDNR F&W Division as he is a school mate of mine and I hung out with him almost every day during my Sr year at Purdue. I'd bet that he will make his opinion known on this issue and knowing him he will get a lot of input before going to the IDNR Resource Council before they make any decisions. He's been there since 1977 when he started working for IDNR as a property manager at Sugar Ridge. And If I know how he thinks he will probably make his decision on what's best for the fish resource and he will listen to his Fishery Biologist and get their input along with the input of the general fishing pubiic. Politics and money can probably influence the IDNR Natural Resource Council member as much as anyone else so who know's what they will eventually rule.

    But my opinion is based on the current rule and the way I read it we are limited in the number of hooks we can use on each bait. Two hooks per line and those hooks can be trebble hooks of course.

    I don't think I have bought any crank baits with more than two trebble hooks on them in years. I have some older cranks from the 1940's and 1050's that may have more than two trebble hooks but they may not be legal in IN now.

    I don't use the Alabama rig but I am interested in this issue because I am learning to tie a spinner/worm harness rig that has two regular #4 hooks and one treble hook on the rig. That may not be legal to use here in IN.

    I didn't really look carefully at the Alabama Rig that Gander is selling even though I was only 3 ft from the display window. So I can't tell you how many hooks it has on it.

    One thing I would ask is if the hooks can be taken off this rig and added back to the rig easily? And How many individual hooks are included in these Alabama Rigs? If you were to manufacture one how many hooks would you need to make one? That's probably the key to this issue.

    I'm going to stick to just two hooks per line and only three rods at any one time.

    I'm wanting to troll some crank baits and add a trailer jig to the back hook on the crank bait. So I'd like to know if that's legal since it will have two treble hooks on the crankbait and a single hook on the jig trailer. To me that adds up to three hooks on one line which may not be legal. Perhaps if I remove the trailing treble on the crank bait it would then be legal.

    Now I have a headace.

    Quote Originally Posted by SteveM4A1 View Post
    I have a hardcopy now. Here is the e-mail I received today:

    Steven -
    Thanks for your webmail inquiry.

    Indiana's fishing regulations do not specifically address legality of umbrella rigs and the smaller version known as an Alabama rig. As a result, anglers will not be cited by our Conservation Officers for using these rigs at the current time. However, you should stay informed since we are reviewing this gear and regulations affecting its use may be proposed in the future.

    You may want to sign up for the WILD Bulletin - a FREE e-newsletter that provides information about Indiana's fish and wildlife resources and recreation through e-mail. You will receive information about hunting and fishing season dates, regulation updates, wildlife and fisheries research status reports, tips on wildlife watching and reminders about important dates for Hoosier outdoor enthusiasts. You will also receive updates about new information available on the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife webpage. Here is the direct link: http://www.in.gov/dnr/2350.htm.

    If you have further questions, I would suggest that you contact your local DNR Law Enforcement District Headquarters office. Here is the direct link to all contact information: http://www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/2755.htm.
    Patti
    DFW

  8. #8
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    Re: Alabama Rig Legal?

    The alabama rig allows hooks to be removed easily. snap on swivels at the end. But you are confused on how the current law works. You can have a bait with more than two hooks on it. A jerkbait with 3 hooks is perfectly legal. It is really not well defined in the current law, however. Since there is no law that states anything about an umbrella or alabama rig, it places in it a grey area. They are looking at the rig as one bait with just multiple hooks on it, which is legal. But you can put as many hooks as you want on an individual bait. You can have 2 standalone hooks on a line, or 2 baits, with those baits not being governed on how many hooks it can have. They do not make this very clear in the law.

  9. #9
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    Re: Alabama Rig Legal?

    It's confusing alright. I hope they clarify it some more.

    Quote Originally Posted by SteveM4A1 View Post
    The alabama rig allows hooks to be removed easily. snap on swivels at the end. But you are confused on how the current law works. You can have a bait with more than two hooks on it. A jerkbait with 3 hooks is perfectly legal. It is really not well defined in the current law, however. Since there is no law that states anything about an umbrella or alabama rig, it places in it a grey area. They are looking at the rig as one bait with just multiple hooks on it, which is legal. But you can put as many hooks as you want on an individual bait. You can have 2 standalone hooks on a line, or 2 baits, with those baits not being governed on how many hooks it can have. They do not make this very clear in the law.

  10. #10
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    Re: Alabama Rig Legal?

    I'm just not going to use one. I personally do not see how under current indiana law they can be legal.

  11. #11
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  12. #12
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    Re: Alabama Rig Legal?

    Heck I'm using it!!! I have 5 fully rigged and three different name brands ordered. Bout $50 fully loaded. Make sure you get Super Glue!! Have a Merry Christmas guys and good luck with this new rig....

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