Breaking off my Carolina Rig - Rocks are Hell

[nocellcontracts]

I'm using Sunline Sniper 16lbs. for my main line.......and 14lbs. Trilene XL mono for my leader.  3/4oz tungsten worm weight with glass bead. I fish a lot of rock and shells. Line gets nicked pretty bad and when I set the hook - POOF - I lose it all. Yes, I could retie every hour and I don't mind that.... just wondering if I am fishing too light of a line to begin with? What line do you all use for C-Rigs? Thanks.

[fishnkamp]

The problem is your line choice on the main line. Fish braid as a main line.  Something like Power Pro in 30 or 40 pound test. The diameter is very thin 30 pound is the same diameter as 8 pound mono. Now for a leader go to PLine CXX moss green in 10 pound or 12 pound. Keep in mind CXX is extremely strong. Iin tests 10 pound CXX moss green breaks closer to 20 pounds.  The fish will not care about the braid and it will hold up.  Another option is to go to P Line Halo in 17 pound test, but I would use the braid. 

[Logan S]

While it's a good line overall, I have found Sniper to be less abrasion resistant than I'd like.  You could bump up to 20 lb or try a different brand.  Red Label isn't as nice as Sniper, but does better around rocks....AbrasX is very nice and holds up well around rocks/wood, but it's more expensive when you get into the 15lb+ lines.  

I typically use 15lb Red Label for C-Rigs, but I don't deal with a lot of shell beds around here  If I'm going to be in especially rocky areas I might bump up to 17lb AbrazX....But that's a rare occasion for me.  The 15lb RL holds up well to the 'normal' rocky/gravel points I typically throw a C-Rig on.  

I would never use braid for the situation you describe...Would get torn up even worse than what you're using now.  

[webertime]

I am up on Champlain where rocks and Zebra Mussels are the rule.  I use:

20lb Seaguar Abrazx Main Line.  Braid and mono bow in the current, I've seen braid get shredded on Mussels in one cast.  20lb Abrazx is really good in the sharp stuff and sinks, so no bow/float.

17lb Suffix Siege Mono Leader. XT, Big Game, CXX and Maxima are all interchangeable with the Suffix.  Again tough line and with mono the leader isn't constantly dragging over the sharp stuff.  Flouro to me keeps the bait on the bottom when the mono allows the bait to come off the bottom, like most creatures do. 

3/4-1oz Finesse (Mojo) shaped sinker with a Tungsten Ticker Bead (Vike).  The thin profile slides through the rocks easier and the Vike bead still gives out that "ticking" sound.  I have tried glass and it's ok, but when it cracks and fails it cuts everything off...  With your Tungsten weight smacking it, I suspect that also maybe a reason for your break offs.

Spro 80lb swivel

San Diego Jam Knot to swivel (Flouro) and Trilene Knots on the mono leader.

 

I've lost 7 rigs since May of 2014 with this set up, most due to my laziness and not retying.

 

[Airman4754]

50lb Spiderwire or Suffix 832 and 12lb CXX. You're not breaking anything off. 

[rippin-lips]

1 hour ago, fishnkamp said:

The problem is your line choice on the main line. Fish braid as a main line.  Something like Power Pro in 30 or 40 pound test. The diameter is very thin 30 pound is the same diameter as 8 pound mono. Now for a leader go to PLine CXX moss green in 10 pound or 12 pound. Keep in mind CXX is extremely strong. Iin tests 10 pound CXX moss green breaks closer to 20 pounds.  The fish will not care about the braid and it will hold up.  Another option is to go to P Line Halo in 17 pound test, but I would use the braid. 

Braid is less abrasion resistant to rocks than a nylon line. If it's cutting through #16 fluoro then it'll slice right through #30 braid. 

[fishnkamp]

If the braid won't hold up *(and it does here on the Susquehanna River that is all rock) then try my other suggestion either PLine CXX which is terribly strong or go to the Halo 17 pound test. That is almost impossible to cut through.

[webertime]

The 3/4oz weight smashing the glass bead is a probably not helping regardless of braid vs fluoro vs mono in the rocks.

[lakeannaangler]

I would use a very abrasion resistant line like seaguar AbrazX for main line and 15lb sufix siege for leader material. 

[WRB]

Why use a 3/4 oz tungsten weight? Unless it's very windy or a lot of current you don't need a heavy weight.

Try 3/8 to 1/2 oz Pro-Jo brass cyclinder weight, slides through rocks very good. FC line tends to drag along the bottom using C-rig, suggest you use 15 to 17 lb mono, tempered glass bead, Carolina Keeper, no swivel, no leader.

Tom

[Todd2]

I use 15lb Big Game with a Carolina Keeper...on heavier weights put on two. Mojo or Pro-Jo weights work great but I'll use egg sinkers too. Works for me...

 

 

[BassThumb]

Braid for the main line. 

I've found that frogging rods work well for pulling double-duty as a Carolina rig rod.

The action, length and line of the frog stick are perfect for C-rigs, and rarely do I find myself wanting to alternate back and forth between frogs and C-rigs. 

[Bluebasser86]

I opt for a braid main line as well, usually 50lb braid with a 15lb Big Game leader. 

[Red Bear]

while trilene XL is a fine line imo, it does tend to fray quite often. thats one part i would definitely change up if fishing a lot of rocks and shells...

[WIGuide]

Try swapping out you Trilene XL for XT or big game. Either are more abrasion resistant than XL.