Alabama Rig And Tournaments

[rustedhook]

Okay...let me try to this a different way.
First, I am a big fan of the A-rig, if that wasn't already obvious. I mean, fish smash this thing with a ferocious strike, and using it makes me almost giddy. My motive...simple. I like to catch fish when I go fishing, and this thing catching fish. PERIOD.

The point of my original post is this. When you read most comments about the A-rig, it is questions about how to rig it, what rod to use, what jigheads work best...questions about how to effectively use it. Then you have tournament directors making posts, rallying support to "ban" it in tournaments. Why? What is the motivation?

My "out-of-line" comments that have some fired up? Riddle me this?
Scenario 1: You have a tournament series that has been taking place for some time. Now this tournament series is a "Night" tournament, and has been going on without any restrictions on where one can fish, except those areas prohibited by federal law. The tournament has its fair share of "home" lake fisherman, and each week, the same group of locals bring in 3, 4 and 5 fish in their livewell. One of the "locals" invites a couple of buddies that do not fish that often. The two guys decide to participate one evening. When the tournament blasts off, everyone runs to their "honey-holes" to fill their livewells. These two guys, unfamiliar with the lake, decide to stay close and fish inside the buoys of the launch site...perfectly legal and within the rules. When the tournament is over, true to form, the locals bring in their 3, 4, 5 fish bags. As chance would have it, these two guys who don't know the lake win the tournament. Naturally, questions about what was used, where did you catch 'em...it comes to light that they never left the ramp. While everyone is running all over the lake, they stayed right there. This makes some of the guys visibly upset, and they pull the tournament director to the side. Next tournament, there's a new rule. "No fishing allowed inside the buoys". Unfair? Fair? Doesn't matter. Tournament directors perogative to set the rules. Either play by them, or don't fish.

Scenario 2: Some local home lake anglers have figured out a way to catch fish in the fall, a seemingly difficult thing to do consistently, by using a common lure, lets say, a crankbait. Now these guys have spent countless hours and days on the water to hone their technique, to perfect their skill, and it shows in weigh-ins, as they consistently fair well while others struggle. Then a couple of guys who never cash a check show up at weigh-in with a big sack of fish, and they share that they caught them on a multi-lure rig that just come out. This infuriates the locals, who have spent all this time and energy to take a common lure and develop a technique to coax finicky suspended fish into biting. All of that time seems wasted. Next tournament, new rule. "Any rig that uses more than one lure in the water is prohibited".

Now, to say that scenarios like this don't happen, well, that is like putting your head in the sand. One can become angry, but if one is truly observant, and takes the time to listen and analyze a given situation...

So, what is the motive? When other posts are questions to learn more about the lure, why are tournament director's posts a rally cry to get the lure banned altogether?? What is the true motivation?

Is is the costs??

Is it because a couple of guys who "can't catch a cold", and never cash a check, now show up at the weigh-in with a sack full of fish?

Just making a general observation.

With all that being said, if the shoe doesn't fit, why put it on??
I RUN TOURNAMENTS AND YOUR COMMENT MAKES ME MAD AS HELL . I WORK MY ASS OFF FOR NO GAIN . LOOK AT MY NEW YEARS TOURNAMENT , NO LOCAL WINNERS HERE . YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR SAYING . IF YOU THINK US WEEKEND OPEN GUYS ARE OUT FOR OURSELFS , STAY YOUR BUTT HOME BECAUSE I DONT NEED YOU . SCOTT

[/QUOTE]

Not trying to ruffle any feathers, I only ask this because you run tournaments.
What is the difference between a guy in the back of the boat throwing a multi bait rig and the guy in the front of the boat fishing a drop-shot in one hand a jigging spoon in the other? Most tournaments don't allow you to fish with more than one rod at a time.

[Carter1]

Seems like some folks NEED to get out and fish right now. Too much down time without fishing makes us cranky. I know I can't stand it after a week or more.
I have never fished an Alabama Rig. Would I try it? I'm thinking about it. I will be down at KY/Barkley in a couple of weeks and I hope to find one of those baits at a local store. Any suggestions? If you feel so passionately against the use of this lure contact Fish and Wildlife and voice your concern over it. Right now this bait is hot and is getting a lot of press. Is it the do all to end all bait? Nope. After a while the hoopla will die down. People will find out it is not a "magic" bait and its popularity will diminish. Of course it will still be used quite a bit by some but another bait or technique will come along and then that will be all the talk at the dock and on sites like this.
So, lets all just go fishing, have fun and enjoy life.

[roughscott]

Not trying to ruffle any feathers, I only ask this because you run tournaments.
What is the difference between a guy in the back of the boat throwing a multi bait rig and the guy in the front of the boat fishing a drop-shot in one hand a jigging spoon in the other? Most tournaments don't allow you to fish with more than one rod at a time.[/QUOTE]
THE GUY IN THE FRONT IS BREAKING THE RULES OF 1 POLE AND THE GUY IN THE BACK DEPENDING ON WHAT TOURNEY DIRECTOR RULES ARE .

[bill28wagner]

In full disclosure I have 2 rigs and never thrown them. So I dont care either way. My question about the legallity creeps up. Say you have a limit of 5 and catch 4 keepers on 1 cast. what is the maximum number of keepers allowed on the boat at one time. Somebody told me 6 while culling. Well all of a sudden you have 9 on the boat. Are you illegal and if you are the ols saying is an 1/8" is the same as a mile. If it is ilegal to have 9 keepers on the boat you have harvest those fish illegally and by all means your catch will be dq'd.
Iam not advocating either way, god knows if it will help catch more fish ill sink the boat with them

Just a question I have. Cause ive never had a situation of having more than one keeper over my limit.

Oh and by the way. If I ever catch 5 keepers on one cast in a tournament it has been a pleasure reading this board because I will most undoubtedly have a heart attack

[Carter1]

Your last sentence Bill, cracked me up. You are not in violation just because you caught them as long as you release the excess fish right away. And you are allowed to cull fish in this state. You could already have a limit and catch two on a crankbait at one time. So I wouldn't worry about the too many fish dilemna. That is a nice problem I have not really had.