FLW Bans A-Rigs for 2014
Umbrella rigs no longer permitted, $10,000 to be awarded to anglers finishing 21st through 60th place 28.Aug.2013MINNEAPOLIS – FLW officials have announced the new rules for the 2014 Walmart FLW Tour season as well as some additional tweaks to FLW Tour regular season qualifying event payouts. Among the highlights: Anglers who finish in 21st through 60th place will receive a $10,000 check for each and every qualifying event of the 2014 regular season.“While overall awards for the season remain unchanged, we’ve restructured payouts to extend $10,000 awards through 60th place in every qualifier,” said FLW President of Operations Kathy Fennel. In addition, for the 2014 season, umbrella rigs – commonly known as the Alabama rig or A-rig – will be prohibited from FLW Tour competition.“FLW has thoughtfully studied the use of umbrella rigs for two seasons, and we’ve decided to no longer permit their use on the FLW Tour,” said FLW President of Operations Kathy Fennel. “The rigs have simply evolved to a point that we can no longer wait for state-enforced restrictions to be developed. That said, umbrella rigs will be permitted in our other tournament circuits, but with restrictions that limit them to a maximum of five wires outfitted with a maximum of five spinners and five lures, only three of which can have hooks. This decision is consistent with the wishes of a majority of our anglers while heading off potential conservation concerns.”After taking a wait-and-see approach with regard to use of umbrella rigs on the FLW Tour in 2012 and 2013, FLW officials came to the conclusion, after seeking input from FLW Tour pros, that it was in the best interests of the sport to prohibit the use of umbrella rigs at the Tour level.“It’s definitely a step in the right direction,” said 2013 Forrest Wood Cup champion Randall Tharp. “From the very first tournament of the year I saw where this was heading. The biggest reason I didn’t like it was that it made a whole lot of other technologies obsolete and that’s not good for the sport. The question for me was: Where do you draw the line? At Beaver Lake some people were throwing 20 baits on one rig. So where does it end? I realize that new technology has always been part of the sport, but I think in this case, FLW did a good job drawing a line where they did.”To view the official 2014 Walmart FLW Tour rules, click here.Not that anyone will notice, but thought it interesting, basically admitting they were wrong to allow them for two seasons. WTH,,, still allowing to use in all their other trails ???
-
DANG AND JUST WHEN I STARTED TO JOIN……
$10,000 to 60th place? Dang I think I could at least come in 60th.13 PIV w/ 200 MercIG: WarriorRiverCustomRods
I dont see it that they now finally banned it. I think they truly wanted to give it awhile and see what the results were going to be after the test of time. When they had anglers putting up to 20 lures on them they said enough is enough they are banned for the touring pros. I would bet a dollar to a donut that if the anglers would have left them at 5 lures they would still be able to use them. They would have had the same rule as the rest of their series, but I think they made a fair rule out of it.BrianBrianHAWG Hunter2013 BassCat Eyra2013 Mercury 250 Pro XS Gen2 L/U
i love this. i just think the A-rig makes it hard to not fish it. it may not always be the best lure, but it is always one of the best to throw. plus it is ugly.
Got to frame this differently to me- It was costing them either money or marketshare. No other reason matters.C.O.D. Jr. III
The payout shows just how much money there is in competitive fishing these days . — Somewhere close to a million per tournament . — Thats some serious green !! — Its no wonder some of the guys squawk when they have to share their spot with somebody .
Of course it was going to cost them money. The big lure manufacturers were squawking. Just throw out 1 lure an A rig and catch a few fish, no need to carry all the other baits cranks spinners jigs etc.!! Finally a good move by FLW, now how about becoming a leader and ban it on the oher circuits to preserve some kind of expertise in the sport.
Man this a rig thing reminds me of Ol Sam! Ol Sam Rush would say, I think, something to the effect that FLW is just being stupid and idiots like me finally are getting our way! If you get time send me a sign ol Sam!!C.O.D. Jr. III
sign,sign ,everywhere a sign
.
