Learning to Carolina Rig In Tough Conditions

[Bazoo]

I occasionally rig up a carolina rig, but I never have success with it. The local lake I fish, is pretty heavily pressured in most of the spots I also fish. I have had some success there with weedless lizard, and caught 1 fish each on topwater, spinnerbait, swimbait. But I've fished it many days and not caught anything.  So on those days I generally try something new or a lure I'm not comfortable with, with one of those being the Carolina rig.

 

I use 1/2 oz bullet sinker, and 1 or 2 plastic beads, a swivel, and something like an 18" leader. Then I use a hook of 2/0 3/0 4/0 in either worm or EWG variety, depending on what I happen to have handy or to match the plastic I intend to use. I've tried senkos, lizards, and paddle tail flukes.

 

I have tried throwing it out and pulling it in very slow, stop and go, similar to the way I'd fish a weedless texas rigged lizard, and I've tried pulling it a bit faster. I have read where you can "cover a lot of water" with a Carolina rig and that its okay to pull it in a bit faster. Regardless, I haven't been successful with it.

 

Course, I'm doing it in the dog days of summer, but I thought Carolina rigs were supposed to work then too. The water ranges from light to moderately stained. The area I normally fish on Freeman Lake is the double holding ponds, that are connected to the main lake on the north end, via acreek channel one per pond, they are large side by side ponds but not connected to each other except through the main lake.  I also fish the north end of the main lake there in that general area, though I've never caught anything in the main lake, only the ponds. I don't know if the fish are migrating out of the ponds at all, or some, but I know that even during the dog days there are fish in the ponds because that's where I've had my success.  All bank fishing by the way. Mudd bottoms mostly, but some riprap in the big lake on that end.

 

Anyways, I need some Carolina rig advice.. what can I try different, what am I doing right or wrong. I have senko, curly tail worms, trick worms, lizards, some brush hog type, paddle tails, and probably some I caint remember. What variety would give me the best chance and in what color?  I generally try something different every time as far as color or type, speed of retrieve, and location.

 

I appreciate any advice I can get. 

Thanks, 

Bazoo

Here is a map showing the two upper holding ponds, there is a connecting creek for each pond, on the far east and far west side of the north end of the lake. Main made dam between the two and between the lake proper and those ponds.

[LrgmouthShad]

If they don’t want a Carolina rig, don’t use it. C-rig is not rocket science and you aren’t doing anything wrong. The fish don’t want it. 

49 minutes ago, Bazoo said:

Mudd bottoms mostly

Mud bottoms I prefer lighter weights. Goes for t-rigs and jigs.

[WRB]

Finesse C-rig I call a Slip Shot rig.

You want to use mono line as it doesn’t sink and drag on the bottom.

Spinning Slip Shot rig:

1/8 oz to 3/16 oz Mojo cylinder weight.

8 mm faceted glass tempered bead, color of choice.

Rubber Peg-it or Carolina Keeper, prefer the Keeper.

Owner #5133 size 1/0 or 2/0.

6 lb to 8 lb mono line.

weight...bead (pegged w/ rubber Peg-it) 

Carolina Keeper ( If bead isn’t pegged).

Hook, Palomar knot, about 24” to 30” below Keeper or pegged bead.

Casting:

Same rig components except 1/4- 3/8 oz cylinder weight.

Owner #4107 Cover Shot hook 3/0.

Soft plastics, try to use hand pours of floating types* Double Z and Roboworm.

Spinning; Roboworms 4 1/2” to 6” straight or curl tails.

1/0 for 4 1/2-5”, 2/0 for 6”. Weedless Texas style rig worm skin hooked.

Casting; 5” to 6 1/2” Craw worm, Double Z High 5 Chobee Choker,  7” to 7 1/2” curl tail or straight tail worm. 4” Yamamoto Hula Grub #221 or smoke w/black flake.

Colors your choice, I use Oxblood lt/red flake, MMIII.

Tom

 

 

[bowhunter63]

I use a 1/4 ounce worm sinker swivel and about 2 ft of leader. Not really worried about a clacker. Like a Zoom lizard or brush hog. Rage craw works really good also 

[Fried Lemons]

I got into it this summer when I was really struggling. I was using heavy 1oz weights with magnum worms and dragging rather quickly to cover water and gain an understanding of the bottom composition and contours. The key for me was finding hard spots. Any time I would be dragging sand or mud and suddenly hit rock was when I would get bit.

 

I am assuming you fish from the bank like I do. I would rig it heavy and work it quickly to prospect the main lake. Don't just cast it wherever, search off the points and the deepest parts of the coves. Assuming your lake isn't completely silted in, you are bound to find some hard spots. The spots situated on points or the mouths of coves or other such areas will be key spots. Then just keep revisiting these spots at different times until you find the fish. 

[papajoe222]

If a C-rig isn't working, the active fish are somewhere else in the water column. It's actually the presentation I use to figure out where the active fish are. If they're on the bottom, I'll often switch to a faster, bottom presentation. If the bite dies, I'll go back to the C-rig  and up in the water column before leaving the area.

[Bazoo]

3 hours ago, Fried Lemons said:

I got into it this summer when I was really struggling. I was using heavy 1oz weights with magnum worms and dragging rather quickly to cover water and gain an understanding of the bottom composition and contours. The key for me was finding hard spots. Any time I would be dragging sand or mud and suddenly hit rock was when I would get bit.

 

I am assuming you fish from the bank like I do. I would rig it heavy and work it quickly to prospect the main lake. Don't just cast it wherever, search off the points and the deepest parts of the coves. Assuming your lake isn't completely silted in, you are bound to find some hard spots. The spots situated on points or the mouths of coves or other such areas will be key spots. Then just keep revisiting these spots at different times until you find the fish. 

Thanks for the idea. That will help me learn some new areas too. Yeah, I'm a bank fisherman most of the time.

[garroyo130]

On 9/10/2023 at 7:31 PM, Fried Lemons said:

The key for me was finding hard spots.

 

^ Find hard bottom