Question: A recent innovation on the pro bass-fishing trail is something called the "Alabama Rig," which is similar to a hook setup called an "Umbrella Rig" by saltwater anglers. The Alabama Rig consists of five or six lures (usually plastic grubs or small swimbaits) radiating from a central attachment point by wires, imitating a school of baitfish. It looks similar to a "mobile" that you might suspend above a baby's crib.
Since all the lures have hooks in them, would this rig be legal for inland/freshwater fishing in California for bass or other species?"
— Steve C., Chico
Answer: With the amount of money being paid in bass tournaments these days, anglers are constantly looking for the next big thing to help them catch more and bigger bass. Unfortunately, the five-lure Alabama rig is not legal in California. We have gotten a lot of questions regarding this rig, but you can't use it here.
According to competitive bass angler and game warden Tim Little, the traditional "Alabama Rig" is not legal because it has five separate lures each with a hook. California law allows a maximum of three lures on a single line (whether the lure has a single hook or uses three hooks as allowed by law.)
The California code states: "all fish may be taken only by angling with one closely attended rod and line or one hand line with not more than three hooks nor more than three artificial lures (each lure may have three hooks attached) attached."
Some people have come up with a modified three-wire rig (called a Cali-rig), which is legal. This rig must be attached to one rod with one line and no more than three of the attached lures can contain hooks. Those lures with hooks can have no more than three hooks attached to each. The other two lures must be hookless teasers.
Q: I live in Southern California and maintain private fish tanks for my clients. One client has a 5,000-gallon shark tank with a black tip reef shark. After hearing about other Requiem sharks being seized, my client would like to know how he can obtain permits or if this shark has been grandfathered in as he bought the shark in 2008 (and he has verifying receipts).
— Ryan C.
A: Unfortunately, permits are not available to possess species listed in Title 14, section 671 for hobby (or pet) purposes. To stay within the law, the only options are to transfer the animal to an appropriately permitted facility, transfer the animal out of the state, or humanely destroy it.
Q: If I am hunting for big game with a rifle, is it legal to also carry a handgun equipped with a flashlight/laser-lite combo? The handgun would only be a sidearm for safety.
— Yia L.
A: Yes, it is legal as long as the handgun is not used to assist in the taking of big game.
Q: If I'm out hunting deer during general rifle season with a partner, and I have a regular deer tag and he has an archery-only (AO) tag, does that mean we cannot hunt together because I would be hunting with a rifle? Technically, we wouldn't be breaking the law, but I'm not sure how a warden in the field would interpret this.
— Roger A.
A: The restriction only applies to archers who are taking deer during the archery season and in areas where the AO tag can legally be used. As long as your method of take (firearm or archery) matches the tag you carry, you can legally hunt together. However, if you choose to hunt in close proximity to your friend and are contacted by a game warden, you can expect that you will be asked several questions to ensure that the special privileges granted to AO tag holders are not being compromised.
Carrie Wilson is a marine biologist with the California Department of Fish and Game. Contact her at CalOutdoors@dfg.ca.gov.
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