Flw on the a-rig vs. Bassmasters Elite Series

[lroberts]

I was down at KY Lake yesterday. I tried the Alabama Rig off and on throughout the day. I got one bite on it but that was it. I caught my bass on a jerkbait. I saw several people hurling the A-Rig but maybe only a couple of them caught a fish on it. Maybe we were in the wrong place for it or not using it right. I don't know. I do know I would not want to throw it all day.

This cold front probably hurt that bite.....A friend of a friend caught over 60
bass in a day on the A-Rig there just last week....and yes I saw pics.

[Tim_T]

Will FLW allow trolling and live bait soon? That seems to be the next progressive step. Man I can see Larry Nixon or Jay Yelas with a 14-foot crawler pole so that he could reach way back in some shallow water in the spring.

[Carter1]

You're probably right concerning the weather Iroberts. Temps were in mid to low 30's and the wind chill made it feel like low 20's. Water temp was 43 - 45.

Another note regarding the A-Rig, I was speaking with a guy who either owns or works at a tackle store down that way and he spoke out against the A-Rig. Funny thing is his store sells them. Draw your own conclusions on that.

[first2fish]

I mainly fish for fun. I have fished tournaments but i purchased a a-rig because i thought of a few situations this would work very well. I love to fish the jumps and if i can catch more than 1 fish per cast or 5 per cast that would be a ball if my rod dont break---lol. Also in the fall when fish are keying on shad this rig will work well. I know the a-rig will work in other situations but thats why i bought it. Later jc

[09Z7SC]

I tried a Yumbrella rig out on Nolin yesterday, it is a bear to throw, that is for sure. I didn't get a bite on it, but I beleive those fish were shut down with the cold front and the muddy water in some parts.

[offdtop]

You're probably right concerning the weather Iroberts. Temps were in mid to low 30's and the wind chill made it feel like low 20's. Water temp was 43 - 45.

Another note regarding the A-Rig, I was speaking with a guy who either owns or works at a tackle store down that way and he spoke out against the A-Rig. Funny thing is his store sells them. Draw your own conclusions on that.

They can sell them and not have to like them, usually they have a reason for not liking them especially the small tackle stores. I spoke to a FLW pro over the weekend and he wished they would ban it! And, he has won money on the rig. They all agree that if it is legal they are going to have to throw it because of the potential the rig has under certain circumstances/conditions, but, would rather not have too.

Remember that the majority of this talk is regarding Professional Anglers in regards to banning it, hardly any talk is about the everyday guy. But The laws are now being looked at with a magnifying glass because it is a new dimension they hadn't forseen

[Fntsyfbgod]

This is the main reason I now like FLW more than BASS. I think FLW hit it on the head why most people watch and follow the tournaments. Its not because we want the drama of the show about who is going to win. With fantasy fishing and the internet with the exception of the classic weigh-in which is live we usually know who won the before it is on the air. I watch to see what techniques and tactics used so I can learn to be a better fisherman. Rooting my favorite pros is secondary I since I usually already know the winner. For them to take away techniques that I could see them using takes away from the show for me. And most people who follow the show like me and want to learn also fish tournaments so we dont want to seem trolling or live bait obviously. I love the common sense approach FLW takes to give fans what the really want.

I agree with some of what BASS does like the no local help rule but I really prefer the FLW rules. For example the fact landing nets are not allowed. The idea is that it is the highest level of competition but it doesn't make much sense to me to take something every other bass fisherman has. I also wonder how much no nets changes the lure selection the pros make which is something I dont want to see. I have heard Velvick talk how it hurt his big swimbait fishing. I also wonder how much the no nets rule was a tv thing wanting the pros to run around the boat when they hooked a fish for more drama.

[nlex104]

The no dip net rule is awesome! Dip nets are Bush League...I dont want to see professional's landing fish with a net that a grown man could fit inside of ten foot from the boat. Swing it in or grab it.

[GrassRat]

This cold front probably hurt that bite.....A friend of a friend caught over 60
bass in a day on the A-Rig there just last week....and yes I saw pics.

A buddy and I went Sunday. It was my second time throwing the A-Rig. We actually tried a couple of other versions he brought with him. I can tell you that you still have to throw it where the fish are to catch them but when you do it is ridiculously easy. Too easy. Way too easy for the top anglers in the world. It's been years since I caught an 8lb bass. And even longer since I caught more than a few fish in the winter on any given trip. In 7 hours of fishing over two different days, both with east winds, I've watched the a-rig boat over 60 fish. And two of those were 8lbs. 15 or so were over 5lbs and half were over 4lbs. It must trigger some predator instinct or something. It is to bass' eyes what scent is to the nose or vibration is to the lateral line. But on a different level. Bass just can't help themselves.

Oh yes, and several were hooked by multiple baits, especially one five pounder that had all five hooks in it, one in the mouth and the rest in various places in it's body. It bled everywhere. That is a problem.

Nobody can know what this rig will do over the course of a full year. All we have is a best guess. My guess is, outside of flipping conditions in Florida and dirty water, all other techniques will become obsolete in the tournament game. There might not be another tournament north of Florida won on anything else, other than the BASS Elite Series. That might be a bit of a stretch but the point is, at any given time most of the fish are supended. That has been the hardest group of fish to target but usually the largest population of fish in a given body of water at any given time. The a-rig makes those fish bite. So much so, all traditional modern patterns and techniques could quickly become history. I share that opinion with many people.

Dave Lefebre and Randal Tharp's blogs on the FLW website say what I feel about the rig to a "t". There are guys who are pro-a-rig. That is their opinion and they are entitled. But every pro I've spoken to, some at the top of the game and some up-and-comers, feel it doesn't fit in the tournament scene. I agree with them. Some pros are pro-a-rig, sure, but they are in the minority.

Comparing the rig to nets, or long rods, or horsepower, or electronics (although they are getting close to being too much) or other non-presentations is apples to oranges. Those things don't catch fish. But the a-rig does. Better than anything ever cast. Too good for the tournament scene. One angler, one rod, one cast, one lure, one fish at a time. That is the spirt of the game.

For guys just out fun fishing, it's fine and if it's legal I have no problem with it for that purpose. But they won't do it much because when you lose one you lose $30 to $50 bucks a pop. And those suckers hang everything.

[bassmaster]

This pro season certainly will be interesting.. We will see in the FLW IF the A-rig will win most or all of the tourneys. It will also be interesting to see if any of the Elite Series Pros that are against the use of it WILL use it in the BASS opens (legal to use in these) and if they lose to it. Only time will tell if it is the magic lure of all time or will give someone an unfair advantage. Gonna be fun to watch. And like I said....we will see...anything stated now is only guessing....let's let it play out this season and see what the outcomes are on the circumstances I stated above. I'm only an amateur as many on here are EhUm.. Like Grassrat I don't see anything wrong with just fishing it and I want it in tourneys at lease to see what happens this season. After that, I could change my mind.
great discussion guys and good fishing

Tim

[Fntsyfbgod]

Its not going to win every tournament. Pros have know about it a while and it hasnt been dominate until this fall. When fish are suspended eating baitfish in open water its obviously great but its hilarious that people think it will win all the time.