[youtube=http://youtu.be/zUqxw-vIOGI]

You have to check this thing out.  The flying/swimming V.  I messed around with the Picasso Bait Ball Extreme over the summer.  Talk about a cool derivative of the Alabama Rig.   There is a V4, V6 and V8 Model of the Picasso Bait Ball Extreme.  I fished and filmed the V6 series.  You basically have dummy baits that are coupled with hooked baits at the endpoints of the V.   The fun thing is the shape and inherent light weight/neutrally buoyancy of this rig make it geared toward grass fishing and definitely busting fish/surface breakers that are chasing bait.  You don’t have to reel like crazy to keep this thing up top. You can make the baits pop out of the water, creating your own fleeing school of baitfish or herring.

 

Can you feel the vortex?  You can bet the fish can sense the vortex behind this rig and will sense it has a different signature than other Alabama Rigs.  V for Vortex.
Can you feel the vortex? You can bet the fish can sense the vortex behind this rig and will sense it has a different signature than other Alabama Rigs. V for Vortex.

 

Stalingrad.  The Vortex Formation, stalled, has a better fall than the Alabama Rigs with the 5 star clusters.
Stalingrad. The Vortex Formation, stalled, has a better fall than the Alabama Rigs with the 5 star clusters.

Rig from the Above Video:

Picasso Bait Ball Extreme

Picasso School E Rig Ball Head 1/16 ounce

KVD Swim-N-Shiner 4″ Swimbait

1/16 oz Picasso School E Rig with a big ole fat 5/0 hook.  Get there. KVD Swim N Shiner, but whatever you swimbait of choice, I think you can worry more about where to fish than your soft swimmer of choice.  Just match the hatch and get after it.
1/16 oz Picasso School E Rig with a big ole fat 5/0 hook. Get there. KVD Swim N Shiner, but whatever you swimbait of choice, I think you can worry more about where to fish than your soft swimmer of choice. Just match the hatch and get after it.
You have screws to mount your dummy baits.  The outside bait rigged with a 1/16ounce and 5/0 Picasso School E Rig Jig Head
You have screws to mount your dummy baits. The outside bait rigged with a 1/16ounce and 5/0 Picasso School E Rig Jig Head

You can add whatever swimbaits or jigheads you want to this rig to match your application. I can see putting a bunch of Skinny Dippers or even just the same above rig depending on how thick the grass, and go cover some water in Okeechobee.   With braid, you can rip even top hooked swimbait thru grass and effectively fish.  Don’t let top hooks fool ya, they are weedless when fished mindfully and with aid from braid.   If you needed to sink this thing out, I think a more standard Alabama Rig would make sense, unless the flying V gave them a different look than the 5 Star cluster look?    I can see throwing the V6 or V8 version all the way in the very backs of creeks and pockets and creating a fleeing school of bait effect on ANY lake or river system.  You can fish this thing like a spinnerbait and cover water.   I really would fish braid even in the clearest water.   I can see adding a Robo Worm Robo Minnow or Keitech Swing Impact Fat baits in a more Herring pattern and fishing this thing fast n furious up shallow on red clay points, high spots and way offshore sweet spots.  You could up this thing to 6 or 8 bigger 6-7″ soft swimbaits and literally create a good herring ball that might call ’em up somewhere between Keg Creek and the Monkey Islands!

Swimming V.  The V-6 Picasso Bait Ball Elite, swimming along in formation.
Swimming V. The V-6 Picasso Bait Ball Elite, swimming along in formation.

 

The over under flying V performed by the RAF!  V-6 Elite Bait Ball from Picasso.  Fishes skinnier than your normal a rig and changes your formation.
The over under flying V performed by the RAF! V-6 Elite Bait Ball from Picasso. Fishes skinnier than your normal a rig and changes your formation.

Click to Purchase:

Picasso Bait Ball Extreme

Picasso School E Rig Ball Head 1/16 ounce

KVD Swim-N-Shiner 4″ Swimbait

 

 

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