Alabama Rig Insanity

We watched the FLW Outdoors show this weekend profiling the Lake Guntersville Tour Open. We’ve all been reading about Paul Elias whacking them there on the Alabama Rig, and many, many of us all have been wondering if it was one of those right place at right time fluke things or if it was the real deal. It was pretty amazing footage, and some insightful things as well.

The biggest eye opener was how on the final day ALL contestants were throwing the A-Rig. So, all the finalists were throwing it, BUT they weren’t all fishing the same spot or structure type. Some were fishing pilings, others, hards spots surrounded by grass, creek channels, and deep water structure. This shows that the rig has some versatility and probably more ‘interesting’ uses yet to be discovered.

Another eye opener was how fragile the rig is under a day of fishing use. It’s a wire, and after a few fish the wire bends and then you bend it back to the shape you want and it doesn’t take long for that wire to get a weak spot and break. We think that is an area of improvement that needs to happen before people are happy about spending around $25.00 on these rigs. Ours have broken in regular fishing and not on those Guntersville hogs either, so if these were part of the regular routine you throw, you’d be spending multiples of $25.00 (75.00 – 100.00) to have enough stock.

So, watch the video of the show and let us know what you think.

The Bait Deals Team

source: flwoutdoors.com

Bait Deals Staff Note: We’d like to thank our Guest Writer, Jeremy Fern, for sharing his experiences about what it’s like to go out with a fishing guide AND a fishing pro for a day on the lake.   When we learned of his trip we invited him to share and he graciously accepted.   Please enjoy this great article that we’re pleased to share with you.   Thanks Jeremy! 

Our Guided Trip on Lake Norman, NC with FLW Pro Matt Arey

Matt Arey (flw outdoors)

My father and I had the privilege to go on a guided bass fishing trip with FLW Pro Angler Matt Arey in late October.   Matt had provided an educational seminar and casting demonstration to our College Fishing club at our Gardner-Webb University and through that experience I became friends with Matt Arey.   I had always wanted to take my father out on a guided trip with a Pro and decided to see if I could set something up with Matt.   Matt also works as a guide and has teamed up with fellow Pro Angler Andy Montgomery, to form Rack & Reel Outfitters which provide fishing and hunting guide services.

Contacting our Guide:

Working with a guide was very easy.  First, I picked up Matt’s guide service business card and gave him a call to talk about taking my father and I out on a trip.  Matt asked us if we had a particular lake in mind where we wanted to fish, and he recommended lakes that would be sure to yield some fish.  After we settled on Lake Norman, NC we set a date.   Matt was quick to let us know that he would supply all the fishing gear and tackle we would need, along with provided transportation, gas, snacks and refreshments.  Literally…all my dad and I had to do was show up at a prearranged place and we hopped in his truck and headed out for Lake Norman tugging his new Ranger with a 250 HP Evinrude motor.

Heading Out, and On the Water:

Matt Arey's Ranger Rig

We brought a couple of lures and plastics along only so that Matt might be able to show us the best way to fish them in the future (and he was happy to do so).  On the way to the lake, Matt stopped off to fill up the tank, we grabbed a biscuit at Bojangles, and then we were on Norman within 30 minutes.  A beautiful morning sunrise hit right when we launched and Matt brought the boat to life for a short run across the lake to a flat.  We tossed a jerkbait and spook around that flat  for a while and then made a run for some warmer water.  We hit them hard with drop-shot and shaky head and before a couple of hours were up, we had probably pulled in 10 keepers, all spotted bass.  Once the morning fog cleared off, we headed to a few key spots Arey has on Norman, hit some docks, and then some brush piles with drop-shot.  After wearing those spots out with about another 10 keepers, we tried out some jerkbait and crankbait fishing against a rip-rap wall and pulled in a few.  By this time, my father had the largest catch of the day with a healthy 2 ½ pound spotted bass, and I was running a close second with a spot just shy of 2 lbs.

Writer Jeremy Fern and Dad Dr. Terry Fern

One of our last spots was an old industrial area with a concrete bridge jutting out in the water.  I threw a drop-shot out on to a shallow hump and with just one twitch I had a 3 ½ lb spot on the line.  I fought him back to the boat with the drag screaming and right when I pulled the fish up, it jumped and cut the line.  Wow…disappointing, but I got to see that lunker roll over and he was big.  The biggest fish are the ones you never get in the boat, some say, and I guess that’s the case for the one that got away.  All in all, we caught between 30 and 40 spotted bass on Lake Norman…a great day on the water!

Learning through the Experience:

Throughout the day, Matt would help us tweak our techniques, he provided excellent advice on drop-shot fishing, and showed us a few knots to use in different situations.  The thing that impressed both me and my father about Matt was his attentiveness.  He wasn’t overbearing or always looking over your shoulder and telling you what you’re doing wrong.  Instead, he was keenly aware and his attentiveness even helped us know when to set the hook when we weren’t paying attention to our line…because he sure was.  He was open to answering any questions we had, and was happy to help me understand how to read the down imaging sonar while we were drop-shot fishing.

Overall, it was one of those once in a lifetime experiences.  My dad was elated to get out on a lake like Norman with a pro like Matt Arey.  And I enjoyed spending some great father-son time with my dad.  We would most definitely go out again with Matt, and this time get that 3 ½ lb’er in the boat!

Dr. Terry Fern - Lake Norman Action

Writer Bio Information:

Jeremy Fern
GWU Fishing Club Advisor
2011-2012 Season

Jeremy Fern w/Lake Norman Spotted Bass

About Gardner-Webb University Fishing Club
- 40 members
- Been in existence for 3 years.
- Started by club founders, Lee Phipps and Jacob Vandenbark
- Compete in the National Guard FLW Collegiate Northern Division
- Plan to compete in the FLW Collegiate tournaments in 2012 along with other regional tournaments
- 60% of Club is female / 40% of club is male
- Local Pros connected to GWU Fishing Club – Matt Arey and Bryan Thrift (FLW Pros)

Official Sponsors of Club for 2011-2012 Year

• One Stop Food Stores (primary sponsor)
• Davis Hearing Center (secondary sponsor)
• Damiki Fishing Tackle
• GWU Campus Shop
• Smoke on the Square
• FleetNet America, Inc.
• Tackle Warehouse
• Bulldog Quik Snak

Interested in Contacting the GWU Fishing Club or for more information about Gardner-Webb:

Email Contact:  fishingclub@gardner-webb.edu
Phone:  704-406-3988
Website:  www.gardner-webb.edu/fishing  (not up yet, but will be online Dec. 2011)

Wow.  We all know that a healthy fisherman can fish well into his prime years, so it’s no surprise to see the seniors in our sport, our heroes, fishing the trail year after year.  This article by Colin Moore of FLW announces the fact that fishing great Roland Martin is 71 years old and going on the tour.    That isn’t a typo folks: Seventy-One.  How cool is that!

source: flwoutdoors.com

We hope he does great out there because it gives all of us hope that it’s never too late to do the things we love.  He’s planning to travel with his son Scott and have a great time along the way and we wish him the best.  I remember watching Roland Martin’s fishing show every weekend when I was a kid.  Roland literally taught me how to fish a Rapala minnow effectively in a great how-to episode and that was one of my early fishing memories and pivotal in terms of making me a pretty decent topwater fishermens.  My tackle box will always have an original silver with black back Rapala Minnow in there as a result.

Knock their socks off out there Roland!

Click the photo to go to the whole story or click HERE