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Winter 2020
page 42
Photo: MLF
His hook of choice is a Gamakatsu Finesse Heavy Cover or the Gamakatsu G-Finesse Hybrid Worm hook.
“I like the Finesse Heavy Cover because it has a perfect keeper and you can hide the bait in there easily when you rig it,” shared Martens.
ENDLESS OPTIONS FOR SOFT-PLASTICS
The simplicity of this rig allows it to work with just about any soft- plastic bait you can imagine.
“There are endless possibilities. Flukes, Senkos, and creature baits all work,” said Martens. “But my two favorites are a six-inch Roboworm FAT worm or a lizard.”
“In the spring and around the spawn, I like to use a shorter leader because bass will often try to eat the weight,” he stated. “I like a one to a two-foot leader. As it gets warmer after they spawn, I use a three to four-foot leader most of the time.”
Martens will also go as far as to change the rod he uses based on the leader length, but he says with traditional Carolina-rig fishing, a rod of at least 7’4” is necessary for both casting the awkward rig and for getting a good hookset on bass. He mentioned the 7’6” heavy action Enigma HPT Gen3 Series Flipping Rod as an excellent all-around choice.
When it comes to weights, he will use both lead and tungsten versions in a wide range of sizes.
“One of the best things about the Carolina- rig is how much water you can cover while still using a finesse technique,” said Martens. “I’ll use everything from a 1/4-ounce to a one-ounce, depending on the depth I am fishing and how quickly I want to move the rig.”
He says a 1/4- or 3/8-ounce weight is good for shallow water fishing and he chooses a 3/4-ounce or one-ounce when fishing deep water and when he is dragging it quickly in shallow water.
“The weight is really what attracts them, and I have found that using heavy weights works great in the pre-spawn, even in really shallow water,” he said. “I prefer tungsten, but if it is ‘snaggy’, a standard lead egg weight works good and avoids hang-ups. If there is grass around, the cylinder ‘mojo-rig’ weights do a good job.”
ALTERNATE USES
Over the years, bass anglers have
experimented with Carolina-rigging all
sorts of lures, and it works, according
to Martens.
“It is basically like a down-rigger, and I have caught fish Carolina-rigging jerkbaits, crankbaits, and Scroungers,” said the Alabama pro. “It is highly lake and condition-specific to where I have done it, but it will catch fish.”
The Carolina-rig is one a proven way to catch bass with soft-plastics, and it has worked for generations. Whether you are new to the technique, or just getting back to it, it belongs in your arsenal. •