Fish and Game Department officials are reminding anglers that it is illegal to use an Alabama Rig in New Hampshire fresh waters.
The Alabama rig generated national interest following a well-publicized win by Paul Elias at a FLW Tour Open last October.
Technically, the rig is not a lure, but a castable "umbrella" rig, consisting of a hard body with a line-tie, followed by five wire strands in a fanned out design each with a snap swivel at the end. You can attach a variety of lures to each swivel for a look that is meant to mimic a school of baitfish.
Following the tournament win using the Alabama Rig, bass fishing websites, forums, and magazines abounded with stories touting the fish-catching abilities of the new tackle. The buzz has generated many inquiries to Fish and Game about the legal status of using the Alabama rig, or similar fishing rigs, in New Hampshire fresh waters.
The bottom line is that the rig's use in New Hampshire fresh waters is not allowed. That determination is based on the following New Hampshire regulations:
The words "an artificial bait" contained in New Hampshire's statutory definition of "angling," mean one artificial bait per line. Attaching additional spinners, spoons, poppers, plugs, jigs and plastic, rubber or other artificial imitations of natural bait is not allowed. Therefore, an Alabama Rig is illegal to use in New Hampshire's fresh waters.
For more on the controversy surrounding the Alabama Rig, click here.
