Alabama Rig

I have read up on this rig and the legalities of it in MN and WI. It seems as though in MN you could use one that only contained two hooks or lures. MN considers a hook any lure or bait that is attached to a line whether or not said lure or bait contains a hook. In WI you can use 3 hooks. I’m not positive if a bait without a hook is considered a line in WI. For instance could you use 3 of the wires with hooks and two with swim baits w/o a hook in WI? Also, I do not know how MN judges spinner blades. Could one use a rig with two hooks and 3 spinner blades in MN? The following link shows a rig with spinners attached to it. Not sure if this would be legal in MN or not. Sorry, this may be hard to understand. I’m just trying to figure out exactly what we can and can not use in each state. Thanks for your help and insight.

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Nichols_Nick_Rig_3_Umbrella_Rig/descpage-NICKRIG3.html

WI DNR clarified that the A-Rig IS legal in WI, but it can only have an umbrella of 3 lures…..Most of these come in a 5 pattern form, you’d have to put hookless baits on them or spinners etc to fish it legally.

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/enforcement/ww_alabama_fishing_rig.htm

Quote:

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WI DNR clarified that the A-Rig IS legal in WI, but it can only have an umbrella of 3 lures…..Most of these come in a 5 pattern form, you’d have to put hookless baits on them or spinners etc to fish it legally.

http://dnr.wi.gov/org/es/enforcement/ww_alabama_fishing_rig.htm

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That DNR statement makes it sound like if you put hookless baits that would be illegal, but spinners are ok, because they are not baits.

“However, the rig would be legal if not more than three hooks, baits or lures are attached. An angler then could place hookless spinners to the other two wires if desired.”

lots of 3 arm ones available. I’m gonna run a big jighead on the bottom with 4 hookless bait on the rest. my opinion no hook, its not a bait or lure…

I guess a lure w/no hooks to me isn’t bait, b/c I can’t catch anything w/it…..don’t see how the DNR could argue different….A hookless bait and and a hookless spinner should be conisdered the same thing…..but hear what you’re saying….

I know for a fact in MN a bait with out a hook is still counted towards your two lines. I’m not sure how they would rule on a spinner. In WI it seems 3 hooks with two hookless would be legal? or not?

Well tank you may be right… I’ll look into the rules more here in NY. my guess is this whole Alabama rig thing may cause many states to rewrite rules with more precise definitions… If some dec guy comes up to me and says that my alabama rig is illegal… I’m gonna say
” ONLY ONE HAS A HOOK!!!!”

then I’ll say
“umm those bottles are from last week…”