# Regulations on the alabama rig



## Bighead7572

What exactly is the regulations on the Alabama rig in Utah? I keep getting different answers.


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## Fishrmn

> No line may have attached to it more than two baited hooks, two artificial flies or two artificial lures.





> No artificial lure may have more than three hooks.


I would think one 'Bama rig would be a lure. Can't put more than 3 hooks on it. One 'Bama rig plus one 'Bama rig would be two lures. As long as you're not making the 'Bama rigs out of "line". You could build one with a dozen teasers but only 3 hooks.


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## Bighead7572

Ok that makes a little more sense. Thanks


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## gunplay

I'd check with the DWR for the official word. from what I have seen on Wayneswords.com the rig is made up of 5 lures and is not legal in Utah. Only 2 of them can have hooks. I know there has been some good conversations on that site about it with Wayne who is with the DWR and is in charge of Lake Powell.
Go to the DWR for answers on Legal questions not on a public forum!


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## Fishrmn

By that logic, a jointed Rapala is two lures. And there are jointed crankbaits that have 4 sections. Are they 4 lures, or one? A 'Bama rig is a lure. A lure may have three hooks.



> (d) "Artificial lure" means a device made of rubber, wood, metal, glass, fiber, feathers, hair, or plastic with a hook or *hooks* attached. Artificial lures, including artificial flies, do not include fish eggs or other chemically treated or processed natural baits or any natural or human-made food, or any lures that have been treated with a natural or artificial fish attractant or feeding stimulant.


You can have 2 lures on your line except at Lake Powell where:


> No line may have more than 3 baited hooks or more than 3 lures.


If Wayne's Words says you can only have 2 hooks at Lake Powell, the person who posted that had better read the law.

Or Fish Lake where:


> No line may have more than 3 baited hooks
> or artificial flies in series or more than 3
> lures.


And that ain't coming from a public forum. It comes directly from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Guidebook. And the Utah Code.


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## gunplay

I think that law went into effect this year as a way of working towards making them legal in Powell to help thin down the predators at least I know that was the direction they were talking about earlier in the Winter. Wayne was tring to get a full blown over ride of the law so they would be legal.
His question was also for Utah not just Lake Powell. It is also legal to chum in Powell. That doesn't make it Okay for Utah nd that comes from the guidebook and Utah code.
There is a big push to make 3 flies on a line legal in Utah for Cezch nymphing etc but for now you can't do it except for a few exceptions.
I'd still play it safe and check with the DWR
The way I understand it, the original Alabama rig has 5 lures with 5 hooks total and about 30 States have deemed them "NOT LEGAL" 
Also Understand that a treble hook has three hooks each and some lures have as many as three treble hooks on them. The way the law reads, they are legal but a fly fisherman on the Provo with 3 flies on the line is breaking the law, even though he only has 3 hooks so "Logic" isn't always what will keep you from getting a ticket.
If Fishrmn is so sure about it then buy some and start fishing them in the next bass tournament. I'm sure you will be a big hit at weigh in.
You can modify them to 3 hooks and fish away. but the original 5 hook one IS NOT LEGAL.


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## Fishrmn

If you've got 5 hooks in an Alabama rig, you'd be breaking the law. But if you built it with 3 hooks you'd be fine. If I were Mitt, I'd betcha $10,000 that I'm right. Ask Wyogoob if you can hunt squirrels in Utah. Ask PBH and several others if you can continue to fish while in possession of a full limit of fish. The answer in both situations is YES. The laws that I quoted have not changed is several years that I'm aware of.
From the 2010 guidebook. The oldest that is still available that I can find.


> There are a few additional angling rules to keep in mind:
> • No artificial lure may have more than three hooks.
> • No line may have attached to it more than two baited hooks, two artificial flies or two artificial lures. The only exceptions to this rule are if you're using a setline or you're fishing at Flaming Gorge Reservoir or Lake Powell.





> Lake Powell, Garfield, Kane and San Juan counties
> See Fishing Across State Lines on pages 6-7 for license and permit requirements, and Fishing Methods/Bait on page 9 for use of dead shad as bait in Lake Powell.
> 
> • No line may have more than 3 baited hooks
> or more than 3 lures.





gunplay said:


> You can modify them to 3 hooks and fish away. but the original 5 hook one IS NOT LEGAL.


Ain't that what I said???



Fishrmn said:


> No line may have attached to it more than two baited hooks, two artificial flies or two artificial lures.
> 
> 
> 
> [quote:hw8j0cgt]No artificial lure may have more than three hooks.
Click to expand...

I would think one 'Bama rig would be a lure. Can't put more than 3 hooks on it. One 'Bama rig plus one 'Bama rig would be two lures. As long as you're not making the 'Bama rigs out of "line". *You could build one with a dozen teasers but only 3 hooks.*[/quote:hw8j0cgt]

I don't fish for LMB, and I don't hunt squirrels other than to just shoot something, but I don't like to be wrong, and I don't usually stick my nose into something unless I'm sure I'm right. If you build a lure that has no more than three hooks, you could put a thousand tubes, skirts, swivels, split rings, squids, feathers, lead bodies or whatever on it and build it with 10 feet of stainless steel wire.


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## gunplay

I think We are on the same page. The Original is not legal but a modified one is.


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## Fishrmn

Yup.


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## k2muskie

As pictured in this articles link below this rig in the photo of the article is 'illegal' to use in Utah. If modified to only 3 lures and each lure 'only' having one hook this rig would be legal in Utah.

http://www.xploreutah.net/story/new-tec ... hing-craze


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## wyogoob

Fishrmn said:


> If you've got 5 hooks in an Alabama rig, you'd be breaking the law. But if you built it with 3 hooks you'd be fine. If I were Mitt, I'd betcha $10,000 that I'm right. Ask Wyogoob if you can hunt squirrels in Utah. *Hey, stop yellin', I'm tryin' to sleep.  *Ask PBH and several others if you can continue to fish while in possession of a full limit of fish. The answer in both situations is YES. The laws that I quoted have not changed is several years that I'm aware of.
> From the 2010 guidebook. The oldest that is still available that I can find.
> 
> 
> 
> There are a few additional angling rules to keep in mind:
> • No artificial lure may have more than three hooks.
> • No line may have attached to it more than two baited hooks, two artificial flies or two artificial lures. The only exceptions to this rule are if you're using a setline or you're fishing at Flaming Gorge Reservoir or Lake Powell.
> 
> 
> 
> [quote:28yrt59a]Lake Powell, Garfield, Kane and San Juan counties
> See Fishing Across State Lines on pages 6-7 for license and permit requirements, and Fishing Methods/Bait on page 9 for use of dead shad as bait in Lake Powell.
> 
> • No line may have more than 3 baited hooks
> or more than 3 lures.
Click to expand...

[/quote:28yrt59a]

.................................quote]


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## KennyC

You can buy the legal ones at Sportsman's for like $25 bucks.


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## mzshooter

OK, this is just my two cents but I don't think your 100% correct on the three hooks on an Alabama Rig!! Only Lake Powell and Flaming Gorge have the OK or regulation for using three lures on a rig. Every other Utah lake you’re only allowed two! The issue being that the Alabama rig is just that a "rig" not a lure you can attach five artificial lures to it just not in Utah. I've used it a time or two in some of the central Utah lakes in the fall using two lures on the bottom and placing blades to the top three swivels. It works fine. Until they clarify the law I'll be sticking with three lures at Powell and Gorge and two everywhere else. Good Fishing to you all.


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## Fishrmn

I guess it depends on your definition of a lure. If I tie it on my line, it's a lure. If I go with your definition then a jointed rapala that has three sections and three hooks is three lures. The following quotes are from the Utah 2012 Fishing Guidebook.



> There are a few additional angling rules to keep in mind:
> • *No artificial lure may have more than three hooks.*
> • No line may have attached to it more than two baited hooks, two artificial flies or two artificial lures. The only exceptions to this rule are if you're using a setline or you're fishing at Flaming Gorge Reservoir or Lake Powell. Please see page 11 of this guide for more information about fishing with a setline. Information about fishing at Flaming Gorge is available on page 24, and information about fishing at Lake Powell is available on page 26.





> Lake Powell, Garfield, Kane and San Juan counties
> • No line may have more than 3 baited hooks or more than 3 lures.
> 
> Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Daggett County See Fishing across state lines on page 7 for license and permit requirements.
> • No line may have more than 3 baited hooks
> or artificial flies in series or more than 3
> lures.


If I tie an Alabama rig on my line, it is a lure. If it has three hooks it is legal. If it has 4 hooks it ain't.


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## mzshooter

Fishrmn said:


> I guess it depends on your definition of a lure. If I tie it on my line, it's a lure. If I go with your definition then a jointed rapala that has three sections and three hooks is three lures. The following quotes are from the Utah 2012 Fishing Guidebook.
> 
> If I tie an Alabama rig on my line, it is a lure. If it has three hooks it is legal. If it has 4 hooks it ain't.


Boy where starting to get way off now. You're trying to put two different rules together and they are not! First rule "No artificial lure may have more than three hooks." Second rule, "No line may have attached to it more than two baited hooks, two artificial flies or two artificial lures. The only exceptions are using a setline and Flaming Gorge and Lake Powell which state and I fraise, No line may have more than 3 baited hooks or artificial flies in series or more than 3 lures." 
Just because it's tied to your line don't make it a lure; you don't count your swivel as a lure or a dippsy diver, pop gear, or sinker no they are part of your "RIG" not a lure. I troll all the time at strawberry with two jointed rapalas tied too one line with an 18" leader between them and both lures have three hooks. Am I braking the law NO I have two lures nether has more than three hooks (Rule Number 1) and a rig that has two lures (rule number 2). 
As for the original Alabama rig even the manufactures call it a rig and state that you may attach up to five lures on it and most packages say to check your local state reg. for how many lures may be attached. Second only 10-15% of manufactures sell you the rig with lures attached most have nothing attached you have to add your own lures. And I would even say if you wanted to add three hook rapalas to the Alabama rig you could, three at Powell and Gorge two everywhere else. You would have a fun time casting that!!


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