Carolina rig help

[huskertko]

Yes, I have read the Carolina rig tips post but i still have questions.

I tried fishing it this weekend and finally go so frustrated that I just quit.  Either everywhere I am trying to fish it is just loaded with grass or I am not doing something right.

I am fishing it on 6'6" MH  rod with a 1 oz tungsten barrel weight and i am picking up som much grass on each cast that i couldn't feel moby dick bite the lure.  I am casting it out and dragging it back to me.

Is this just the nature of the rig or am I doing something wrong?

[roadwarrior]

You might not want to fish it when you have all that mess on the bottom. The C-rig works best for me on rocky bottoms and mud or sand bottoms. In the muck I either fish weightless or T-rigged weedless.

[flechero]

Fishing a c-rig in the grass is tough, but can be done effectively.  I think your biggest problem is the weight... 1oz is pretty heavy, even if you are not in grass.  Your conditions might dictate different than ours but we fish up to 35 or 40 feet with 1/2 or 5/8 oz.  

When fishing deep grass, I'll use a lighter weight bullet shaped weight and instead of dragging it, I'll pop the rod and hop it like a jig, being sure to remove slack and feel before popping it to be sure there isn't a fish already there.  

The popping of the weight allows it to clear a bunch of the hydrilla or whatever grass is there.  You'll still pick up some grass but that doesn't matter as long as the leader is long enough to clear what is being pulled along.  Usually 20-25 inches will be plenty.

Hope that helps.

[Papa_Tom]

flechero---agree that the weight is the likely culprit.  Would also suggest that the shape (barrel in the original query) may also be playing a part.  I went to stacking bullet weights, a long time ago, to get a slender profile for the amount of weight used, to get thru weeds, rocks etc.  Thought about a Mojo, but had lots of bullets on hand. I still use lead, even tho' I know there are better products to return info.  Okay, I'm cheap.  I use the same 1/2 oz preceeded by a 1/4 oz for most all my c-rigging.  Rock, weeds, wood.  Very efficient system.  Good point on the leader length, etc.