Casting Umbrella Rigs for Huge Largemouth Bass

In recent weeks all eyes have been on The Alabama Rig. A modified umbrella rig, designed to be casted, not trolled. During a recent FLW open tournament on Lake Guntersville, Paul Elias fished The Alabama rig and brought in huge limits, many fish averaging between 5 – 8lbs. The Alabama Rig ended up paying off big, in the sum of $100,500 and gave him a lead over second place by 17lbs 3oz.

While casting umbrella style rigs may seem very unconventional, the proof that these rigs are extremely effective is undeniable. Why do these rigs work so well? If you think about all of the single lures that a large bass has seen through its life, it knows to be weary of a single bait. When you fish an umbrella rig, you are in effect creating the presence of an entire school of baits, something they never seen done with lures and they strike. Big time! Actually the odds of catching two, three, even four fish at a time are in your favor. Imagine catching half your day’s limit in one cast!

A quote from Paul Elias during his victory speech about he effectiveness of The Alabama Rig

“That Alabama Rig was awesome,” Elias told the weigh-in crowd. “It’s going to be crucial to practice catch-and-release on these fish because when you get that bait in your hand you’re going to catch a lot of fish. So please take care of your lake. You’ve got one of the greatest lakes in the country.”

Targeting Suspended Fish

One major advantage to The Hogy Umbrella rig is that it can be presented to fish that are suspended and feeding on shad. These fish are typically difficult to catch, as they often suspend 20′ – 30′ down in 50′ plus deep water. Counting down as the bait sinks to the desired depth is crucial. Once you find the depth the fish are suspended in, let the rig sink to that depth and begin your retrieve. You’ll have to make speed adjustments along the way to make sure that the bait remains in the strike zone all the way the boat.

Paul Elias’ Setup

Elias said he fished his Alabama Rig on a 7-foot, 11-inch Pinnacle flipping rod, a Pinnacle reel and 65-pound-test Spiderwire Ultracast FluoroBraid line. Elias baited the Alabama Rig with either 5-inch swimbaits on 3/8-ounce jigheads or 6 ½-inch swimbaits on ¾-ounce jigheads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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