Deep? Carolina Gear

[Catt]

Will the Carolina keeper hold a 3/4 ounce weight in place ?

Nope!

Carolina Keepers struggle with any above 1/2 oz!

[WRB]

Catt is right, a pegged glass bead will hold it or add a small round split shot against the keeper to help hod it.

Tom

[Catt]

Simply double your keepers

[martintheduck]

Take a look at Top Brass Pro-Jo cylinder weights in 3/8 & 1/2 oz. I use these in lieu of a egg sinker.

Tom

 

Do those have inserts? I've used 1/8oz for "split shot" rigging but never the big ones... heck didn't even know they made big ones!

[J Francho]

You don't need inserts with brass.

[WRB]

Do those have inserts? I've used 1/8oz for "split shot" rigging but never the big ones... heck didn't even know they made big ones!

I get them from Don Iovino painted black up to 3/4 oz, you can find them.

The Top Brass weights have very smooth hole edges, no reason for inserts.

Tom

[Todd2]

I tried the Pro-Jos in 1/2 oz today for the first time on Tom's recommendation above. Gotta say I'm very impressed. I fished the rig most of the day and didn't lose one. It comes through cover as good as anything I've used but I could really notice the difference in feeling the bottom. All of my keepers came on the rig today. I'm sold.

[HoosierHawgs]

The set-up you use depends quite a bit on where you'll be using it and it what type of cover.  I prefer a tungsten weight, a glass bead, braid for the main line and a leader from 12-18in.  I believe a lot of fish are missed on a long leader, especially if there is any current.  I like the Havoc baits because they float, but my favorite is a BK tube when I'm working it fast.  A football jig will sub for a C-rig if the fish are feeding on the bottom. A drop shot is a better alternative, but like some of the others, I have more confidence in the C-rig because of the information that heavy weight transfers up the line.

Wouldn't a big jig also transfer that information of bottom composition just as well, and I would think it would be easier to feel what's actually going on with the bait, because you are in direct contact with it, so you can feel that bite, unlike a C-Rig? Feel free to correct me if I am wrong, just trying to get what I can from this thread.

[HoosierHawgs]

7' 3" MH/MF LTB

200E7 

50lb braid to a 12-15lb fluoro leader

1/2-1oz brass weight with 1 glass bead and 1 clicker

 

I hate C-rigging though so if you see me fishing it I've basically given up on catching fish that day.

Why the Moderate Fast Taper?

[Bluebasser86]

Why the Moderate Fast Taper?

It's an older, full handled LTB that was their C-rig model when it was in production. Basically, it has a little softer tip than a fast rod which I believe it to help prevent pulling the bait from the fish's mouth while dragging since bite detection can be a bit of an issue with the C-rig. That's why I like it, no idea if that was their thinking when designing it. 

[HoosierHawgs]

It's an older, full handled LTB that was their C-rig model when it was in production. Basically, it has a little softer tip than a fast rod which I believe it to help prevent pulling the bait from the fish's mouth while dragging since bite detection can be a bit of an issue with the C-rig. That's why I like it, no idea if that was their thinking when designing it.

Interesting. Not a big C-Rig guy myself... But makes sense.

[ww2farmer]

Rig it up as posted above.

Then cut it off, and throw it in the lake.

Reel up the extra line all the way into the reel.

Break the rod in half.

Chuck that in the lake, too.

Turn on your graph.

Grab your drop shot rig.

Fish with that.

;P

 

No need to throw good equipment in the lake once the dreaded rig is off LMAO.

 

I hate C-rigging though so if you see me fishing it I've basically given up on catching fish that day.

Same here..........but it does surprise me a few times a year.

[J Francho]

The C-rig works at the city dump.

[Choporoz]

Since posting here, I made note of all the replies...and let the Bait Monkey take over.  I got an assortment of weights; 3/4 oz egg sinkers, 3/4 and 1 oz lead and tungsten worm weights, 3/4 oz mojo carolina weights, and 1 oz brass weight (Top-Brass) with a built in swivel. 

 

I tried the brass swivel/weight first, because it seemed to simplify things by eliminating the extra swivel and bead.  Logic failed me here.  Having a 'fixed' carolina weight made it absolutely impossible to detect strikes - especially at 25+ feet.  I could feel the bottom just fine, but if I ever got a bite, I'd have never known it. 

 

As to the rest, I'm very disappointed to find that like the tungsten the best.  The compact size makes casting heavy weight much easier, which is a big consideration with a carolina rig.  The bottom contact 'feel' is far superior to lead.  I put off trying tungsten for a long time due to the price and the frequency with which I lose weights (mostly drop shot and texas, but carolina too at times.)  I can't say if it is 'worth' the premium price in all applications, and it certainly won't be for everyone, but I'm sold...at least for deep c-rigging. 

 

I will say that the Mojo Carolina sinkers are not too far behind.  Every single Mojo product I've ever used has impressed the heck out of me.  These are no different.  They come across the bottom well and transmit well.  I feel the differences in bottom composition, but I'm not as confident about what I'm hitting (rock, weed, wood, etc) as I am with the tungsten. 

[scaleface]

Carolina rigging with heavy weight and leader is a deep water search tactic for me.It covers deep water quickly  Bites are hard to detect , sure , but I use it on points and large flats that dont have a lot of brush and set the hook when I feel something. My number one  bait for the rig  is a Zoom lizard. A Zoom lizard is very shiny and smooth . If a bass hits a Zoom Lizard , the teeth marks are very easy to see . You see teeth marks , you missed fish. 

[Todd2]

The C-rig works at the city dump.

Wow...no love for the old ball and chain.

[Drewski73]

I do a lot of that 20-30 FOW C-Rig stuff here in Texas. I use a Dobyns Champ 804C with a Curado 200D on it. 50lb braid for main line, 12lb mono leader in that depth it starts about 3 feet long and gets longer depending on the fish. 3/4oz is the lightest I throw on that rig. Up to 1.5oz in normal Texas wind in 30 FOW. Ill use anything from a 4" finesse worm to a 12" curl tail, or large lizard. 1/O to 4/O EWG lightwire hook depending on bait size.

 

That being said my buddy fishes pre-made C-Rigs on whatever Rod he broke off last, and fishes whatever line is on that rod, to a 12" leader made out of whatever line is on that rod, to whatever hook is on the floor, with a zoom plum finesse worm, or a zoom plum finesse worm, and he KILLS THEM!  

 

So, either of those tactics may work for you! 

[J Francho]

Those that know what I mean by city dump, know where I fish, lol.

[ChrisD46]

7'1" MH/F - St Croix LTB.

15lb Red Label Flouro.

1/2 to 1oz tungsten weight depending on wind and depth.  Glass bead.

18" leader length.

Zoom Baby Brush Hog.

 

I'm more likely to throw a jig or football head though, but sometimes the old C-Rig just catches them better.

^^This^^ I use AbrazX though in 15lb. but can't go wrong with a Zoom baby brush hog in Green Pumpkin or Junebug if water is more stained . While a tungsten weight is a nice touch - I use 1/2oz. ~ 1oz. steel egg sinkers that deep .