Terminal Tackle : A premium ball bearing swivel is the key connection between the main line and the leader. This will help prevent line twist and ensure that a secure hookset. I’ll also put two beads in between the sinker and the swivel to make more noise and protect the knot from damage.
Weight: I’ll use a brass sinker, because of the noise it makes in the water when bounced off of the beads. Depending on the depth and current I’m fishing, my weight will range from ¼- to 1-oz. I will go to a tungsten Carolina rig or barrel type weight if I’m dragging my rig in sand or mud as I think this weight design kicks up more silt, thus attracting the bass more.
Hook: If I’m fishing shallow water and making long casts, I’ll use a Lazer TroKar EWG hook, but if I’m fishing deeper and around bigger bass, I’ll use the heavy wire EWG hook as it won’t bend as much. The size of the hook will depend on the plastic I’m rigging up, but typically a 3/0 to 5/0 hook is used.
Plastic Baits: There are countless plastic bait options that an angler can choose to use on their Carolina rig. Depending on what the bass are feeding on will dictate what I rig up, but my usual bait is a Zoom Brush Hog or Baby Brush Hog and a Zoom Lizard. If I’m throwing a Carolina rig to an
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inactive school of bass feeding on bait, then I’ll rig up a Super Fluke.
FISHING A C-RIG
To fish a Carolina-rig you just need to cast it out and drag it across the bottom, but there are several things that I have learned that you can do to alter your retrieve and things that you can focus on to help improve your catch.
I start off moving my rig along the bottom by sweeping the rod in a sideways motion. This keeps the sinker in constant contact with the bottom and allows it to disturb the sand or mud. This could resemble a crawfish or shad fleeing from a predator and attract the bass to your lure. When fishing around rocks though, I have noticed that the sinker will get hung up less if I move the rod in a vertical motion.
This may sound like a broken record, but pay close attention to when you get your strikes. Many times a strike will occur when the sinker bangs off a large rock or when the bait is ripped through the vegetation. If this is the case, be sure you have visuals on shore or a marker buoy in the water to help you keep your boat in position so you can repeat that cast and hit the cover in the same way.
PROPER GEAR
Having the proper
gear for Carolina
rigging will enhance
your ability to fish it
properly, detect bites
and get those bass
into the boat. Using a
long rod will help you in
making long casts and
then it will pick up more
slack in your line after
a bass has hit. An extra soft tip will ensure that you can feel everything that your weight is being drug over on the bottom of the lake. My go to rod for this technique is the
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