Get the right rod for the job
Veteran bass fisherman J.T. Palmore prefers to use a 7-foot-6 extra-heavy baitcasting rod with a fast, light tip when fishing an Alabama rig. A stout rod is required to handle the heavy, multi-rig baits that can easily weigh over 2 ounces. The lighter tip increases hookup chances by helping the bait to “load up” without pulling it away and missing the fish.
The reel chosen depends on the situation. Typically, a reel with a slower retrieve ratio — 6-to-1or less — with a larger line capacity is used, although higher-speed reels are employed when he desires to move the bait faster in shallow-water presentations., where the lure will draw a reaction strike from big fish in laydowns or grass edges as it passes quickly by.
Recommended line is 20- to 25-pound fluorocarbon, with the invisibility of fluorocarbon increasing the chances of a strike in clearer water that’s typical for Gaston.
Lure selection should be based on shad size, with smaller baits matching the bait size in the fall and larger baits doing better in the spring. Palmore likes a YUM Flash Mob Junior, paired with a 3 1/2-inch Missile Baits Shockwave minnow. He likes the smaller size for shallow water.
Palmore usually goes with a 1/8-ounce jighead for shallow-water presentations, then switches to 1/4-ounce for deeper fish. He uses a homemade football-shaped jighead because “They hang up less and seem to wobble some which fish like.”
Other variations include using a Chatterbait or spinnerbait in the middle of the configuration, or curlytail grubs instead of swimbaits.
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