modified alabama rig

[mouthsmasherbaits]

Just a thought...on the alabama rig insted of using swivels and snaps.. could you just use a split ring and swimbait hook... and a screw lock. in tennessee you can only have 3 hooks anyway.. so i thought this would be an easy way..plus cheaper and on the other two wire just use a swivel and willow blades.

[DobynsTriton]

you might loose fish. the reason i say that is once the fish is hooked the fish can use the split ring as leverage .you can always make your own rig & just put a barrel swivel on the nose of the rig .They are roughly $5 to make on your own

[pjmcla]

I am not a fan of the big swivels and clips on most of the umbrella rigs either.  There needs to be some form of a swiveling method at the bait to prevent the fish from using the rig as leverage.  High quality ( more expensive ) smaller swivels and clips are available if you build your own or have wire forming equipment to after-market modify.       

[DobynsTriton]

I use survey flag wire that i spray primer on & then use ferrules  to hold it together

[CrabbyBass]

I have never used an Alabama rig, but my thoughts are you would need swivels. The Alabama rig is only weighted by the line tie. Without the swivels there is no way for the swim baits to right themselves and swim naturally. I don't think the rig rights itself and swims the way it should like say a crank bait does when you retrieve it. Am I making sense?   

[Flippinfool]

I have never used an Alabama rig, but my thoughts are you would need swivels. The Alabama rig is only weighted by the line tie. Without the swivels there is no way for the swim baits to right themselves and swim naturally. I don't think the rig rights itself and swims the way it should like say a crank bait does when you retrieve it. Am I making sense?   

Yes you are. Swivels are needed so what ever way that fish twist or turns he doesn't have to take the whole rig with him. Spro makes some very small strong swivels.  #3 Duo snap is the smallest I would go. Size #2 was getting beat up, twisted and opening up. 

[Flippinfool]

Just a thought...on the alabama rig insted of using swivels and snaps.. could you just use a split ring and swimbait hook... and a screw lock. in tennessee you can only have 3 hooks anyway.. so i thought this would be an easy way..plus cheaper and on the other two wire just use a swivel and willow blades.

You say you can only have three hooks. You can still run a five wire. Use the middle and two lower arms with say a 1/4 -3/8 heads with four inch swimbaits. The upper arms run 1/8 oz heads with 3-3 1/2 inch swim baits. Cut the barb off the two top baits and bend the hook into the back of the baits. 90% of the time they will grab one of the larger trailing baits.