A-Rig fishing

[Bcsampson76]

Can anyone provide tips and tricks for A-rig fishing? I mainly fish the motherlode lakes in Central Ca and the big northern Ca lakes. Whenever I have had success with these rigs it’s been low and slow, but it’s been a very limited success. This is just one of those tactics I have not been able to crack as a consistent fishing tactic. Any and all tips and tricks are welcome if you feel like sharing them.

[bgibson]

Use Fluorocarbon line. Have a different color or size for a bottom bait. When reeling bait in give it quick half turns every few turns so a-rig will "flare and pulse"

[Bcsampson76]

So a bigger bait for the bottom instead of the middle?

[SoonerFan]

So a bigger bait for the bottom instead of the middle?

Play around with it and see what works. Sometimes a different color on the middle or bottom with trigger a strike. Use a heavier weight on the bottom if the rig spins and twists line.

Check out Tactical Bassin' YouTube on A-rigging. They've sort of become who I listen to on this technique.

[DaveBrabec]

That bite is almost over till next winter

[styler]

That bite is almost over till next winter

Don't know about where your at but here in ga its still pretty strong.
Ive been playing around with different size baits. I like the smaller baits on the outside or on top . Im using 5 hook setup so I'm placing the smallest baits on top 2 and a little larger on the bottom 2 and the largest in the middle.
The majority of mouth hook ups seem to be the bottom 2 and/or the middle.
As far as keeping it from twisting line I don't care for the ones with out a swivel at the line termination. if mine is spinning I cant tell.
Nice thing about live scope is you can see it and work out how fast it sinks and how fast to retrieve it .
I dont jerk a hook set at bite. Instead I let em catch themselves. My buddy was doing that and if he missed the fish usually, he missed the fish. If you feel a bite keep reeling until its hooked. a lot of times they may nip at it first and then go for the big bite. let em do it is my thoughts.

[5 by 3]

I’m in a state where you can only have 3 hooks, so I like to put jig heads/baits on the middle and bottom two wires, then put a #4(?) blade on the top two wires for extra flash.

Catches them good up until the spawn, and then I put it away til fall usually.

[DrewFlu33]

Hopefully I'm not hijacking here... For those who have a lot of experience, how would you set one up if you were limited to two hooks? Try to get them to go for the 2 on the bottom, or one bottom and one middle? Or something else? What's better, dummy baits, or just extra blades?

This is a technique that I'm learning myself. It's basically illegal in MN (only one hook allowed...though there are one-hook variations), but I fished it a lot in Mexico and felt I learned a ton there so that I'm not completely useless. Getting feedback in the form of bites when you do something right helps a lot! We are allowed 2 hooks on border waters with WI, so I am considering throwing it a bit on the Miss this year. The setup for 3 hooks makes a lot of sense, but deciding which 2 to focus on is a lot more daunting for me.

[styler]

Hopefully I'm not hijacking here... For those who have a lot of experience, how would you set one up if you were limited to two hooks? Try to get them to go for the 2 on the bottom, or one bottom and one middle? Or something else? What's better, dummy baits, or just extra blades?

This is a technique that I'm learning myself. It's basically illegal in MN (only one hook allowed...though there are one-hook variations), but I fished it a lot in Mexico and felt I learned a ton there so that I'm not completely useless. Getting feedback in the form of bites when you do something right helps a lot! We are allowed 2 hooks on border waters with WI, so I am considering throwing it a bit on the Miss this year. The setup for 3 hooks makes a lot of sense, but deciding which 2 to focus on is a lot more daunting for me.

Only 2 hooks? blah that sux.
In my limited experience Im finding if I use different size bait usually they'll bite the biggest one. I probably would use the bottom 2 with the largest bait .
If their following from behind and below they'll hit the lowest and largest one.
I've been rigging my 5 hook setup with 2.5" keitechs on top 3" on bottom and 3.5: in the middle. Ill get the 3.5" hit most of the time with the 3" next.