Fishing with Gus
by Gus Gustafson
We hear anglers say they caught fish on Carolina, Texas or Sabiki rigs. Now there is an Alabama rig. Hopefully, this article will help clarify any confusion you may have about these very popular and often-used rigs.
The Carolina rig has been used to catch bass and other fish for decades. As a rule, they are tied by the angler, so the ways to tie it vary. Usually, a slip sinker is placed on the line, and a two-way swivel is tied to the end of the line. The swivel acts as a stop for the slip sinker. A piece of leader material is then tied to the opposite end of the two-way swivel and a hook is added to the terminal end. To complete the Carolina rig, add a soft plastic lure. The rig should be cast near or along the bottom and slowly retrieved. As a rule, the Carolina rig is used in open water.
The Texas rig is fished the same way but is easier to tie. Put a slip sinker on the line, tie a hook, add a soft plastic lure or other bait, and it’s ready to fish. The Texas rig is used when fishing brush or rocks.
A Lake Norman favorite is the multiple-hook Sabiki rig. Primarily used by those targeting white perch, it is also quite effective when suspended bass and crappie are around the boat. A string of pre-packaged flies, usually four to six, are tied to the line via a two-way swivel. The rig is complete with a bell sinker or jigging spoon tied to the opposite end. The Sabiki rig is fished vertically at the depth of the feeding fish.
The Alabama rig, a multiple wire harness lure, hit the bass fishing scene last month when Paul Elias used it to win $100,000 in a FLW tournament at Lake Guntersville, Ala.
The rig is a miniature version of the saltwater umbrella rig used by anglers who troll for bluefish and striped bass. The wire harness design allows the angler to cast multiple swim baits at the same time. The rig has a snap swivel attached to the terminal end of each of its arms and center wire, which makes it easy to change lures as conditions dictate. It can be cast or trolled and will catch bass, stripers and hybrids at various depths. The rapid rise in popularity of the Alabama rig has created an imbalance in supply and demand. Call for availability before driving to your favorite tackle shop.
Upcoming events
• The Ryan Newman Foundation holds its sixth annual Charity Fishing Tournament from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Dec. 10, at Blythe Landing in Huntersville. Details: www.ryannewman
foundation.org.
• I’ll conduct a free safe boating class, “How to Navigate Norman in Low Water,” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Dec. 14 at North Point Watersports, 112 Doolie Road, Mooresville. Topics will include understanding Lake Norman’s channel marker and buoy system, avoiding the 10 most dangerous spots and navigating low-water conditions. Details: 704-617-6812 or Gus@LakeNorman.com.
Tips from Capt. Gus
The Alabama rig works best cast while using a long-handled 7- or 8-inch bait casting outfit loaded with 50 pound braided test line. If not tournament fishing, the rig can also be trolled behind a slow moving boat.
Hot spots of the week
Spotted bass fishing has been phenomenal. Anglers fishing at dawn are reporting catches of fish limits before the sun clears the horizon. Best results are with buzz baits thrown to rip-rap points and adjacent to exposed rock piles and stumps. White perch and crappie are being caught in Little and Mountain creeks on small minnows around submerged brush piles.
The lake level on Lake Norman is about 3.8 feet from full pond. The water’s surface temperature is in the high 50s and low 60s.
Capt. Gus Gustafson is a full-time professional fishing guide on Lake Norman. Details: 704-617-6812 or www.fishingwithgus.com.
