Carolina rigging

[muskiebassfisher]

what technique is used to work a carolina rig.

[bwillis]

Reel very slowly while keeping the weight dragging on the bottom

[Sam]

Suggestions:

1.  Use GLASS beads. You can get them at a fabric shop.

2.  Try BRASS sinkers to click against the glass beads for a different sound.

Cast out. Let bait sit for about 20-seconds; and then bounce it back to yourself slowly by moving rod tip and reeling in the line.

Check leader for nicks and cuts on a regular basis. 

[Sam]

Oops. One more tip.

When moving the C-rig bait, use a sweeping motion to the left or right.

You can point rod tip into the air and bounce the rig along the bottom; but you really need to consider sweeping the rod tip to the right or left to move the bait.

Just a suggestion. 

[badger_bassin]

I think it's important to move the rig by sweeping the rod as well, instead of retrieving by reeling.  You can feel any cover or structure much better.  Also try using a lighter pound test leader than your main line so when you get snagged up you only lose your hook and plastic.

[bass or bass ?]

Suggestions:

1. Use GLASS beads. You can get them at a fabric shop.

2. Try BRASS sinkers to click against the glass beads for a different sound.

Cast out. Let bait sit for about 20-seconds; and then bounce it back to yourself slowly by moving rod tip and reeling in the line.

Check leader for nicks and cuts on a regular basis.

Also, I like to use 2 glass beads, one red, one green, with the brass weight. Two beads make more noise than one.

[eyedabassman]

I think it's important to move the rig by sweeping the rod as well, instead of retrieving by reeling. You can feel any cover or structure much better. Also try using a lighter pound test leader than your main line so when you get snagged up you only lose your hook and plastic.

Well Badger State brother! That is the way I do it too! Much better feel!

[kikstand454]

i sweep left or right until i come to a peice of cover... then i point the rod at the sky and move it forward by pulling it straight towards me.  it seems to give me a better feel of the cover, and i hang up less... working it through branches or whatever. also... when you move it like this you can only go a foot or so at a time. as long as youre keeping contact with the bottom. thi helps you slow down in the all important strike zone.  most of your bites will be when you hit a piece of cover.

[burleytog]

Reel very slowly while keeping the weight dragging on the bottom

The absolute worst thing you could do with a C-rig. 

Stand with the rod perpendicular to your belt buckle and pointing at 12.  Keep rod perpendicular and sweep to either 4 or 8 slowly.  As rod returns to 12, pick up slack line with reel.

[Hooked_On_Bass]

Reel very slowly while keeping the weight dragging on the bottom

The absolute worst thing you could do with a C-rig.

Stand with the rod perpendicular to your belt buckle and pointing at 12. Keep rod perpendicular and sweep to either 4 or 8 slowly. As rod returns to 12, pick up slack line with reel.

[pat_walker_fishing]

id have to agree with hoding the rod perpendicular to your belt line and grag and pause......I prefer brass and glass for sound, all by buddies use tungstun, but to me brass and glass has its own uniqe sound......Ill used 14-20 vanish floro for my main line,and 10-14as my leader....remeber to use a sweeping hookset.....i missed so many fish at first becouse i was trying to set the hook likea t-rig

[roadwarrior]

This should help:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1120348381

8-)

[Catt]

Everytime I read how one should move a Carolina Rig with a sideways sweep my mind goes back to Paul Elias on Falcon Lake...he moved his Carolina Rig like a Texas Rigs.

[roadwarrior]

Sweeping the rod moves the weight forward

and causes the bait to rise off the bottom.

Raising the rod as you would with a T-rig

lifts the weight and drags the bait. That is

the fundamental difference.

8-)

[senile1]

I like to keep my mind open to different methods even if a method, initially, appears to be less than adequate. For instance, if I am using a floating worm with a Carolina rig and I raise the weight, (i.e. Texas rig technique) my floating worm is going to rise in the water column and then drop back down when the weight hits bottom. The bait is, thus, effectively moving up and down while moving forward, a few inches or feet above the bottom. This will be a different action from the normal method of sweeping the rod. I normally sweep the rod, but I think there is a place for the T-rig technique, especially when using floating plastics on a c-rig. I see this as a method to use for bass suspended only a few feet off the bottom.  I know that when the weight is off the bottom the bass can feel the weight when it takes the bait which is why the suggested method is to drag the weight.  Using the t-rig method, I think the amount of time the weight is lifted off the bottom would have to be kept to a minimum.