School Me on Carolina Rigs.

[Bazoo]

I have a good idea of how to set up a Carolina Rig, but I haven't a clue as to why one would choose that over a Texas Rig, or how best or when to fish a Carolina Rig.

[Ski]

Being in Fl. I prefer a "MOJO" rig over Carolina rig. Either techniques allow the bait to freely move around on a slow retrieve.  I use this in water 4 or deeper on occasion. The "MOJO" rig allows me to quickly turn my pegged texas rig into a mojo and back to a texas when I want. Also while using tungsten weight it allows to feel wither it is a soft, weeds or hard bottom.

[fin]

I never use a C-rig, but I will slide my T-rig bullet weight up about 6” and peg it sometimes. That will give you a totally different action regardless of what kind of plastic you have on. I guess having the weight separated from the bait is the main attraction/benefit of the C-rig. It gives the bait a more natural look and feel to the fish.

 

Swivels and beads ain’t for me. I’m sure it works for some people.

[VolFan]

In very general terms, one would use a Carolina rig to cover more water than a Texas rig. Generally you fish a c-rig like a deep crank, reeling and stopping, across longer underwater stretches. You can vary the leader length and plastic used for whatever you are fishing. It works great with slightly buoyant baits like Zmans, especially stick baits and flukes.

[webertime]

So universal truths about this question/request:

1.  Sweeping Hookset...  moves the hook and weight, jig type hooksets move the weight 

2.  Nobody agrees 100% on the rest

 

I live on Lake Champlain and fish's 2-3 weeks a year on the St Lawrence.  Prespawn to ice up I'll use a rig.  Here's how what I have narrowed it down to.

1. short or long leader.  I've only noticed a difference in current where the bait/leader gets slack knocked into it due to moving water.  I run 18 to 50" leaders

2.  Leader material.  It's got a weight in front of it and a bait on the back of it.  It's being pulled down in 2 spots.  Mono or Fluoro work fine either way, your not gaining float over a 2 ft section of line behind the weight.  That said an elastech type plastic and mono will get you a touch more float.  I use 12lb mono/copoly.  

2. Swivel... spro 50lber.  No reason not to and have never broke one.

3.  Main line.  Again you'll get 1000 different responses.  I am in clear to clearish water rocks and weeds (with zebra mussels).  I use 16-20 lb fluorocarbon (Sniper, Abrazx, Tatsu).  No braid for me for 2 reasons.  Abrasion resistance lacks and more importantly (nerd alert) surface area of the line.  Not diameter.  Braid isn't smooth it's like rope with indents and raised spots those intendents catch water and cause a bow in the line thus you lose some sensitivity.  Dragging 50-60 yards of Main line in 20+' you'll be surprised by the bow you can get.  Again people will not agree but I've seen it with braid and not with Fluorocarbon.

4. Rods...  I love rigging, it's probably unhealthy the amount I love it.  I had a lot of rods and figured out what the best for me was and built it.  NFC 807 blank with a handle that goes to my elbow.  8ft, they call it fast, it's 10000% not fast.  I spiral wrap mine and the torque/twist you get dragging a heavy weight disappears.  A longer rod without taking a reel into account moves more line for hook sets (add in a high speed reel and you have a lot of opportunity to make up for your mistakes).  Rods that are commonly available that are good are (Levante Brailist and Perfect Pitch, The 7 2 to 7 4 Tatula MHR rods) faster rods (Disclaimer: for me) yank the hook away from the fish and the fish stay pinned better with a "slower" rod.  Even a MH St Croix with a 1oz weight will work well (close to maxed out gives it the action I like).

5.  Reels, it comes down to Capacity and ratio...  make sure you hold enough 16-20 lb line and a 7 or 8 ratio for getting your long cast in.

6. Weights (for me) Phenix rockcrawler and MOJO Finesse.  Lead is fine, if you can't feel an ounce of lead bouncing along the bottom get to a nerve doctor fast.  It's the shapes of those particular weights that get it done.  

7.  Baits, Speedcraw works everywhere.  Old Rage Shrimp (elastech) are awesome too.  100 sized DWalker swimbaits are a sneaky good bait.

 

Retrieve... the fish tell you I usually sweep (long and slowish) the rod and then reel in the slack.  Occasionally jump the weight off the bottom will work too.  It can get really granular...  on Champlian if you're drifting in the wind or whatever, .8 to 1.1 mph boat speed will get you chomped.  Faster or slower nada.  So that (Retrieve speed) is on you and where you fish.

[rangerjockey]

This the time of year for them, for me anyway. I don't use the swivel deal, Instead just a Carolina keeper, bead and weight. 1/2 or 3/4 oz. with a Zoom fish Dr. or centipede.

With the Carolina keeper you can adjust the leader length easily but you may need to use 2 with heavier weights.

You are fishing the weight not the bait.

[DaubsNU1]

Good words @webertime. I've struggled with the C-rig here in Nebraska. Soft, muddy / mushy bottoms, lots of green moss. Ick.

 

I did have a little luck fishing the C-rig down in Missouri, mainly on rocky points.

 

I appreciate your suggestions here. 

[scaleface]

I use a Carolina rig as a deep water search bait . I take a 3/4 to 1 oz weight with about a two foot leader too explore deep flats and extended points quickly.  I never use a long leader as I have not found an advantage to it. A one to two foot leader is all I ever use.

[casts_by_fly]

watching intently.  Dragging is one technique that I don't know- both carolina rig and football jig.  Offshore has never been my thing but I'm learning it the past year or two. 

 

I'm like Daubs and I have a lot of weeds and a lot of mucky bottoms with filamentous algae and green slime.  But I do have a couple places on a couple lakes where I've graphed hard bottom in the middle of nowhere.  So next time out on those lakes I'm going to give the carolina rig a try.

 

Do you guys fish a C-rig through thicker grass beds?  I've got a spot or two where I could throw up into the grass and work it back out into the clear water.  I'm thinking that's got potential but also going to be a lot of pain with hangups..

[Tennessee Boy]

A Carolina rig is very versatile.  When I first started fishing the lake that I live a mile from,  I would throw my c-rig out and drag it about 10 ft before it would get stuck between two rocks.   I learned to use different weights and a different technique.   I love to fish weightless soft plastics and the c-rig makes it possible to fish them deep.  I use to use it to “feel” the bottom to find transition areas between different bottom types.   In the modern world it’s faster to use electronics for that.  

[fin]

I believe @Bazoo is strictly a bank fisherman. Does anyone use a C-rig for bank fishing?

[scaleface]

12 minutes ago, fin said:

I believe @Bazoo is strictly a bank fisherman. Does anyone use a C-rig for bank fishing?

Never have. 

[Pat Brown]

I like to fish at Carolina rig from the bank at ponds when it's raining.  Throw it where the current is flowing in or throw it where the current is flowing out and just let it sit there in the current.  They'll try to break your arm off!

 

For muck bottom folks: The first thing I like to do when I'm fishing a Carolina rig is find a place where some sort of hard bottom is happening.  Break lines are usually good. Outside of weed lines are good.  Points and humps and rip rap are good.

[FryDog62]

Any long flats or points with gravel/chunk rock are great for Carolina rigging.  You can cover water fairly quickly and thoroughly. The key is to

move slow enough to drag/scrape the sinker along the bottom with pauses. The noise/disturbance gets the attention of active and neutral bass. 
 

For me, the key is using a mono leader and floating plastics that get up just above any silt the sinker kicks up - and gets in the eye sight of the fish. 
 

Much different than a Texas Rig, closest techniques would be dragging a football jig or swivel head. Sometimes those work well too, but at other times you need the pause and floating plastic of the C-rig to get bit. 

[TnRiver46]

I learned C rig on lake Toho in FLA. 4-5 feet of water

 

it works very well, anywhere 

 

it keeps your bait glued to the bottom better than a T rig , heavier weight

[OmegaDPW]

6 hours ago, fin said:

Swivels and beads ain’t for me. I’m sure it works for some people.

 

 Me too. I fish a poor man's C rig...split shot up the line. Less I have to replace when I get it snagged. 

[webertime]

4 hours ago, casts_by_fly said:

watching intently.  Dragging is one technique that I don't know- both carolina rig and football jig.  Offshore has never been my thing but I'm learning it the past year or two. 

 

I'm like Daubs and I have a lot of weeds and a lot of mucky bottoms with filamentous algae and green slime.  But I do have a couple places on a couple lakes where I've graphed hard bottom in the middle of nowhere.  So next time out on those lakes I'm going to give the carolina rig a try.

 

Do you guys fish a C-rig through thicker grass beds?  I've got a spot or two where I could throw up into the grass and work it back out into the clear water.  I'm thinking that's got potential but also going to be a lot of pain with hangups..

Yes, MOJO weight z-craw and shorter leader (~1/2 height of the weeds, at most).  Screwlock hook is your friend.  It's more of a reaction thing as you will have to pump the rod more.  1 ounce weight helps.

3 hours ago, Tennessee Boy said:

A Carolina rig is very versatile.  When I first started fishing the lake that I live a mile from,  I would throw my c-rig out and drag it about 10 ft before it would get stuck between two rocks.   I learned to use different weights and a different technique.   I love to fish weightless soft plastics and the c-rig makes it possible to fish them deep.  I use to use it to “feel” the bottom to find transition areas between different bottom types.   In the modern world it’s faster to use electronics for that.  

The rockcrawler will stop in a crag of rocks.  Lift it straight up and it'll pop out.  Try them!

[Tennessee Boy]

7 minutes ago, webertime said:

The rockcrawler will stop in a crag of rocks.  Lift it straight up and it'll pop out.  Try them!

When I said I learned to use different weights,  that’s the what I use.  😉

[flatcreek]

I use a 2 foot leader around rock and wood and a 3 to 4foot leader in and around grass.3/4 to 1/2 oz. Bullet weight with a bead and a barrel swivel . I don’t have a problem tying 3 knots because when they get on it I fish it all day and don’t want line problems 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

A c rig is good to cover water, particularly deeper water. 

Just about all the water around me is shallow with a soft bottom, c rigs just aren't efficient. 

I do use mojo rigs often, which is like a finesse C rig.  Ill use a peg or 2 bobber stops on slim tungsten C rig weight 1/8 or 3/16, 1/4 at most, pegged about 12-16" above the hook.(VMC or Vike)  You can use bullet weights but I find those particular cylinder dont dig into the bottom and shed any slime or grass easily if they do.  I like to use neutrally buoyant or floating baits, I can just let it sit without the bait bogging down on the bottom.    

[Dan N]

Side note: if dealing with soft bottom, a Tokyo rig is a great option over a Texas rig. I use it a lot.

[Bazoo]

6 hours ago, fin said:

I believe @Bazoo is strictly a bank fisherman. Does anyone use a C-rig for bank fishing?

I haven't read all the posts yet, but I'll start here since I was tagged. I am primarily a bank fisherman, but I have a Bass Buster 2 man boat that I use some.

[Bazoo]

I just read through all the replies, thank you all! Very helpful information. It'll certainly be something I could use some times. I'll have to experiment with it.