Carolina Rigs

[gman2]

Hey guys my goal this year is to get better with the carolina rig.  I am horrible at  it but am trying to hone all of my fishing skills so that I can be very versatile.  So heres what I got so far I understand the basic rig tru tugsten weight- for better sensitivity.  Three foot to Five foot leader depends on situation.  Then any plastic bait known to man and away you go.  Seems easy but I suck it up.  What about rod size- or brand? Line Size? Paticular Baits? Conditions?  Thanks for all the help!

[bitman]

Man thats my got to presentation when I cant get a bite power fishing. Its probably my favorite slower presentation except the weightless senko  Here is what I do.  I use a Lindys No Snagg slip sinker so my weight dont get hung up on our craggy bottoms here in TX, then a glass bead, then a Carolina Keeper instead of a swivel so I can make my leader longer or shorter without having to retie then a Betts carolina floater to keep my worm floating above the bottom (especially if its not a floating style soft bait or if Im using a heavy hook)  I peg the floater also so it stays in place. then I like to use a Lizard or a Zellmander.  Bass hate salamanders, they are a big nuisance to bass and they will kill them just to kill then, so sometimes youll get a strike that they sucked it in, killed the lizard and let it back out,  so its usually a pretty good strike on a lizard but it may only be that one time so be ready!!!!  Hope this helps.  Here are some links at BPS to the stuff Im talking about.

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=28538&hvarSearchValue2=444&hvarSearchValue3=042&hvarSearchValue4=00&hvarTarget=search&AFID=&sourceid=&cmCat=SEARCHRESULTS

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=20867&hvarSearchValue2=475&hvarSearchValue3=832&hvarSearchValue4=08&hvarTarget=search&AFID=&sourceid=&cmCat=SEARCHRESULTS

http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=23166&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

Thanks

Danny

PS I like to use Flourocarbon line and I use a 7' American Rodsmiths Carolina Special on a Diawa Regal spinning reel.

[Brad_Coovert]

I always have a Crig in the rod locker.  It is one of my favorite ways to catch fish and works well for me in all water depths and most cover.

For tackle, I prefer a 7'6" MH to Heavy rod, high speed reel and 15 t0 2o lb. main line with a 12 to 15 lb. leader.  I do not like superlines for Crigging unless it is in grass.  I will use anywhere from a 1/4 oz. to 1 oz. weight, a ticker, a glass bead and a plastic guard bead to protect the knot from the glass bead.  Next comes a black swivel and then a 2' - 3' leader with an EWG hook, 1/0 - 4/0 depending on the bait.

As for fishing the bait, I will do different things on the retrieve.  Cast out and let the bait hit the bottom.  I will let it sit for about 15 to 30 seconds so the bait can drift down to the bottom and "deadstick".  I've had a lot of fish bite on the initial cast.  They just pick up the bait and swim off or they are on when I make the initial pull.  After the pause, I may drag the bait, shake the bait, twitch the bait or a mix of all of the above.  I will always pause the bait now and then for another deadstick and I always slow down when I hit some cover with the weight.  Pretty soon, the fish will tell you what they want.

As for places to fish a Crig, you can fish it anywhere.  Drag it down, across and up points and dropoffs.  Drag it through stump fields, on roadbeds, over around humps, across boat ramps, through grass beds and over flats.  You can cover water quickly with this rig.  One place not too many people talk about fishing a Crig is in standing timber.  I have caught suspended fish at 15' dragging a Crig through the limbs of standing trees in 40' of water.

Learning all the bites on a Crig can be difficult.  You will get bites just a like a worm bite with a small tick.  Other times, the bass will grab your bait and try to pull you out of the boat.  Those are easy.  The hard ones can be when the fish swims at you with the bait or when they move along with you on each pull.  You'll get good at detecting the soft mushy bites after practice.

As for baits, I like to use lizards, creature baits, tubes, trick worms, finesse worms, regular worms, Senkos, hula grubs - basically anything.

Hope this helps.

Good luck!

Brad

[flyphisher #]

Using a tungsten weight also helps detect light bites.

I use a 6'10 heavy action/extra fast tip Team Allstar rod.

Junebug,green pumpkin,and black are my best colors.

Depending on time of year, I use trick worms,babybrush hogs, senkos,and if needed during summer really small u-tails.

I also dip my worms in Smelly Jelly when i am C-rigging. Seems to make the fish hold on longer.