Product Review: Tennessee Rig

I have been getting a lot of products to sample lately, and every package is a bit like Christmas time. New and unique baits are something that definitely interests me and I can’t wait to try them. You guys and gals that have that bass bug know what I am talking about. Recently I received a sample pack from the maker of the "Tennessee Rig". Yes, I did say Tennessee. This rig is fished the same way as a Carolina rig and carries a claim: Outfishes the Carolina rig 3 to 1, and won’t hang up on everything. At the recent B.A.S.S. Federations Alamo tournament, I gave this thing a try. My first impression was that this rig can catch fish, the test would be the claim that it is virtually snag-proof. My sample pack came with a ½ oz., ¾ oz., and 1 ¼ oz. rig and a 3-way swivel. They are simply a 10" straight weighted stick with a banana curve on the end. The 3-way swivel attaches to the line at the point that gives you your desired leader and the T-rig attaches to the swivel. The difference between the T-rig and the Carolina rig is that the T-rig holds the bait off the bottom with a slow, steady retrieve. This rig glides over any obstructions and imparts an erratic action in the meantime. To test the 99% snag-proof claim I casted into an area full of stumps, brush, and rocks. I have to admit I didn’t believe this claim, but was soon surprised as this rig was getting through this stuff with little trouble. The times I got snagged, it only took a light jigging action of the tip to free the rig. I wound up loosing one because I stopped the steady retrieve, which they recommend not to, and it became wedged. I really did not get a chance to test the 3-1 claim as I wanted to get back to flipping, as that was the bite, but I plan on checking that out soon. The T-rig is something you really need to look at yourself. I hadn’t seen anything like it before. I definitely think you can catch a lot of fish on this thing and would not hesitate to throw it when I am in a Carolina rig mood. I believe the T-rig can cover more water than a Carolina rig and I really like the idea of my bait hovering off the bottom. To see this for yourself, check out their website at www.tennesseerig.com. Good Fishin’, Kip Pollay