Carolina Rig - Whats needed for setup?

[MN Fisher]

Only things I use swivels on are Carolina Rigs and Double Fluke (Donkey) Rigs...even on my panfish combo I direct tie everything.

[TCB]

Why are swivels used on the Carolina rigs? Does the lure twist when fishing it? 

[Deleted account]

It is used as a stop for the sinker. An oval split ring, or something similar could be used too. You could also use a knot if your beads have small enough holes. Bobber stops can be used if you are using the same line and leader, that's what I've been doing more and more.

[TCB]

What brand and pound test mono line do y’all use for the Carolina Rig? I was at Walmart and picked up clear stren 8lb mono and also the zebco omniflex (a lot cheaper) does brand really matter? Not sure which one I should use or maybe I should take those back and get another brand?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MN Fisher]

Stren is alright...but 8# is way under what I'd use for a C-Rig. 12# minimum is my suggestion.

[FryDog62]

Good points above, just a couple additional ones... 

 

I’d recommend a plastic bead. Glass beads can chip and eventually cut the line. Also, my preference is to drag plastics that float and/or suspend when paused. For worms, I like the GrandeBass Airtail Wiggler and for lizard-style lures the Big Bite Baits Flying Squirrel. Both effective and relatively inexpensive. 

[RDB]

Throwing a Carolina rig is not difficult, it just requires a slight adjustment in technique.  The most important thing is to keep tension in the line throughout the cast.  I use sort of a lasso cast where I take it back high and drop the angle on the follow through.  As long is tension remains by making a loop in the backswing, you will be able to bomb casts.  It’s almost like an overhead roll cast.  

[TCB]

Hey guys, thank you, thank you, thank you so very much for all of the help and please continue to add anything that you feel will be beneficial. 
 

Well, I went fishing yesterday using the Carolina Rig from the bank.  The casting was fine, but I can see now that it would probably be better to have a heavier setup. I used straight mono on everything, and I know that isn’t ideal.
 

Can you guys recommend a rod and reel that won’t cost me an arm and a leg that would be a good option for the C-Rig? 

[TCB]

On 3/3/2021 at 9:00 AM, Spankey said:

I want you to master the c-rig and any and all techniques you want to try. You will get as good as you want to with any of them. 
 

But I’d like to see you nail that first bass and get that over with. Certainly doing it easier and what I feel more effective at first. I truly believe you can do that by tying on a 1/0 or 2/0 worm hook, pinch on a #7 or a #5 round split shot 8-12” above the hook. Use a 4” PowerWorm or something like a GY 5” kit tail worm and pop and hop it on the bottom. I feel that strongly that this presentation will catch bass. 

I would like to try this setup. When you say PowerWorm, are you talking about Berkley PowerWorms? Sorry for the inexperienced question. I also tried to look up the GY 5” kit tail worm, and I don’t know which one to buy.  Could you send me a link of what to get? I would really appreciate it.

 

I just picked the Carolina rig because a friend of mine told me about it, and from my research it seemed like a good option at the time, but I didn’t catch anything with it yesterday.
 

To be honest with you, it doesn’t matter to me what the setup is. All I want to do is just catch some bass no matter the size. The only thing I prefer to use is an artificial lure instead of live bait. That’s  really my only preference.  

[RDB]

20 minutes ago, TCB said:

Hey guys, thank you, thank you, thank you so very much for all of the help and please continue to add anything that you feel will be beneficial. 
 

Well, I went fishing yesterday using the Carolina Rig from the bank.  The casting was fine, but I can see now that it would probably be better to have a heavier setup. I used straight mono on everything, and I know that isn’t ideal.
 

Can you guys recommend a rod and reel that won’t cost me an arm and a leg that would be a good option for the C-Rig? 

 

Since you are just getting into fishing, instead of looking at rods for specific techniques, I would look at rods for general applications (bottom contact, treble moving, single hook moving, etc.).  I would look for the highest quality, most sensitive rod in your price range for bottom contact applications and Carolina would fall in that group.  I use an expensive G. Loomis 7’3” MH/fast usually but it is one of my dedicated bottom contact rods, not a dedicated CRR.  You can enhance sensitivity by using braid and/or fluoro and tungsten.  Also, you will often have a lot of line out so line stretch is not your friend.

10 minutes ago, TCB said:

All I want to do is just catch some bass no matter the size. The only thing I prefer to use is an artificial lure instead of live bait. That’s  really my only preference.  

If that’s the case, I would just throw a wacky rig on spinning gear.

[TCB]

What size worm and hook? I’ve used weightless wacky before but didn’t catch anything.  

[RDB]

Just keep it simple.  Go to Tackle Warehouse (or your favorite store) and type in wacky rig.  I usually use a #1 or 1/0 hook, an o-ring and a senko or other stick bait.  Google wacky rig fishing and watch a few videos.  It’s a fairly do nothing technique.  If you can’t get bit that way, I hear golfing can be very relaxing ?.

[Choporoz]

https://www.bassresource.com/beginner/Carolina_Texas_Rig.html