Carolina Rig For Beginners?

[Rookiepilot2003]

Hey guys,

I am trying to decide what the best rig would be for me to concentrate on getting confidence in first. The places I fish are mostly little ponds with really no visible structure and shaped like bowls. The water is stained in most of them. I have been reading extensively on the texas rig and carolina rig and feel that since there is no real targets to cast to, a carolina rig would be better suited for my situation as it would act like a search bait in a sense. It would have to be more like a finesse carolina rig/split shot rig due to shallow water. Would you guys recommend the carolina rig to a beginner over a texas rig? Some say it is easier to detect bites on a carolina. Is this true? Texas rig kinda seems like you have to have a specific target to cast towards when there really isn't much in the way of targets where I fish. Any of your input is greatly appreciated as always. I love to learn new things so please make any suggestions that may help. Thanks everyone.

[roadwarrior]

"Some say it is easier to detect bites on a carolina. Is this true?"

No, whoever told you that just messed up and got it backwards.

Consider both, but start with a Texas Rig simply because it is effective,

easier to put together and casts better.

[Nitrofreak]

"Some say it is easier to detect bites on a carolina. Is this true?"

No, whoever told you that just messed up and got it backwards.

Consider both, but start with a Texas Rig simply because it is effective,

easier to put together and casts better.

I agree with RW here too, it's the best rig for all around fishing, as it has been said before time and time again, it's the SUV of our sport.

One really good thing about this rig is you can peg the weight once you get used to it and give you the feel of a C-Rig before you actually start to use it.

Take the time you need to fish the T-Rig with different weights and baits and work your way into the C-Rig by pegging the weight and it will be like second nature to you in no time at all, neither one are difficult to master it just takes time and practice.

[lynyrdsky1]

I guess I am biased due to I use more than anything else but, personally I think you should try the carolina rig. If your just fishing bottom and no specific structure, it is probably the best search bait you can use as a beginner. For a start I would try a 1/2 barrel weight, red bead, brass bead, swivel, a 3 to 5 foot long leader, and a standard 3/0 worm hook in that order. You put the weight first, then the beads, then tie the swivel to your main line, and then tie your leader to the main line.

Just remember sweeping is probably the easiest and best way to set the hook. Setting the hook upwards, with the swinging weight, may cause it to come loose. This is probably why some consider the T-rig better cause you really do not have to worry about the hook set.

Also remember it is not just a deep water technique. You can through from 20 feet of water to a foot of water I promise you it does not make a difference.

Good Luck,

Austin

[roadwarrior]

There are other issues, too:

#1 is gut hooking the fish. This is VERY common and almost unavoidable,

#2 is casting. The longer you leader, the harder it is to cast the C-rig.

I think a T-rig is much more suitable for anyone just starting out.

[Rookiepilot2003]

Thanks everyone. All great comments. One thing is that so many places I have read that the texas rig is by no means a search bait and while carolina rig is. I am thinking of using the carolina rig but with a fairly short leader like 18 inches or less, as light a weight as possible, and seeing how that works. My understanding is the shorter the leader the easier it is to feel bites and set the hook as well.

[roadwarrior]

Well, generally speaking you won't necessarily feel a bite until you move the bait

and something just feels "different". That's the reason so many fish are gut hooked

using this technique.

[eyedabassman]

Thanks everyone. All great comments. One thing is that so many places I have read that the texas rig is by no means a search bait and while carolina rig is. I am thinking of using the carolina rig but with a fairly short leader like 18 inches or less, as light a weight as possible, and seeing how that works. My understanding is the shorter the leader the easier it is to feel bites and set the hook as well.

I think RW is wright on! If I were you I would fish both, one rod a T-rig and another a C-rig if you want to learn how to fish it. The C-rig is a very good search rig. But if you want to get good at a C-rig then just take a C-rig with you in the boat ( no other set up's just the C-rig ). Rw is wright about soft bites and deep hook -ups. The bite will feel heavy or like a wet wash towel,when you start to pull. But get good at both rigs, they are big time bass tech.'s.

[riskkid 2]

I have a small lake behind my house similar to what you describe and have had success with a mojo rig (described below). It sort of combines the advantages of both the T and C rigs. I like to think of it as a finesse c rig.

Use a Zoom UltraVibe Speed worm. I rig it with a cylinder weight about 18 inches from the hook (3/0 Wide Gap). The weight is 1/8 oz and pegged with a rubber nail. Slow reeling is primary technique.

[Shad_Master]

There is no "wrong" way to fish - to learn a technique you have to try it. Always have a backp-up plan, but don't go there until you have given your first try a decent chance.

[smalljaw67]

I'm with RW on this one also, and I'll add something that may help you make your decision and that is bottom content. Those little ponds often have muck bottoms just a few feet from shore, anything other than a sandy or gravel type bottom makes the c-rig unuseable simply because the weight digs into the muck and after a few feet it will become almost impossible to drag it so you'll end up picking it up and using a lift and drop and then the value of the c-rig is lost anyway. Why not use crankbaits or spinnerbaits as a search tool, even if the fish don't hit it they will often flash at it so they give their position away allowing you to fish the area with a t-rig.

[Rookiepilot2003]

I think smalljaw67 may be right that the place I fish at might just require me to use crankbaits and spinnerbaits due to the fact that there isn't a whole lot of structure and targets to cast to. For some reason however, I had my mind set on fishing plastics because I see so many fish caught on them. Thanks guys for your help.

[Rookiepilot2003]

This may be a silly question but have any of you guys fished a whole season without using soft plastics? In other words, using only spinnerbait or crankbait type baits, and did you have decent success or is it limiting too much to one type of fishing. I know some of us lack patience to fish soft plastics and some days I think I lack the patience big time especially when I have been skunked a time or two and am eager to catch something to get my spirits up. Thanks

[ClackerBuzz]

I'm with RW on this one also, and I'll add something that may help you make your decision and that is bottom content. Those little ponds often have muck bottoms just a few feet from shore, anything other than a sandy or gravel type bottom makes the c-rig unuseable simply because the weight digs into the muck and after a few feet it will become almost impossible to drag it so you'll end up picking it up and using a lift and drop and then the value of the c-rig is lost anyway. Why not use crankbaits or spinnerbaits as a search tool, even if the fish don't hit it they will often flash at it so they give their position away allowing you to fish the area with a t-rig.

2x's. If your not used to treble hooks try searching with spinnerbaits, Zman chatterbait, and a jig--all have the hooks facing up. You can try all different retrieves but if the bite is tuff focus on reeling just fast enough to keep it from dragging on the bottom muck. Chatterbaits are lethal for me. If you slow the retrieve down they will stop wobbling/chattering, then twitch ur rod tip or crank ur reel one rotation quickly to turn the chatter back on. It drives'm crazy and they nail it when the vibration starts again. If they want lots of noice=chatterbait. Less noise=spinnerbait. No noise=swim a jig back to you. And of course when all else fails, try something new. I've caught some of my best fish while bending down to tie my shoelace!

[Catt]

Let's dispel some misconceptions about the Texas Rig

1. It is a target specific technique

Absolutely wrong, the Texas rig is an excellent choice for covering ares with various tpyes of cover. It can be cast out & worked all the back to the boat.

2. A Texas rig is to slow to get a reation bite

Ya really think a plastic lure seductively falling through the water column will not cause a reaction?

3. Texas rigs are a shallow water technique

Texas rigs can be fished at any depth

4. Texas rigs must be fished slow

Texas rigs can be fish at any speed

Shall I continue?

[Nitrofreak]

This may be a silly question but have any of you guys fished a whole season without using soft plastics? In other words, using only spinnerbait or crankbait type baits, and did you have decent success or is it limiting too much to one type of fishing. I know some of us lack patience to fish soft plastics and some days I think I lack the patience big time especially when I have been skunked a time or two and am eager to catch something to get my spirits up. Thanks

A whole season? No, When I first joined this forum plastics were a weakness for me, along with a lot of other baits, There is not a day that goes by when I am on the water that plastics don't play a part of.

I have however learned that it generally takes more thinking than anything else in this sport, the plastics in case and point weren't the problem, it was the where and when to use the plastics then it was getting the techniques down while using the plastics.

In order for you to enjoy plastics, or anyone for that matter, has to have a few things happen first.

A: You need to be able to locate fish first, fish bodies of water that have an abundance of fish, some local ponds or bodies of water may not be able to offer that to you even though you think it looks good and should hold fish does not mean that is does.

B: Be ready for anything, a few general colors is really all you need to build confidence, to use a bait such as plastic takes patience and understanding of the conditions you are faced with, water color, sunshine and wind are the three most important to me.

C: Once you get good at locating fish and understanding the conditions that the fish are most active in or at least should be active in, it's time to work on confidence with all of your baits, the T-rigged worm is where I would start, this rig with plastic worms,lizards are most likely going to yeild the best results, once you get that first bite, not necessarily your first fish, think about what you did to get that fish to at least bite at the bait, then think about what happend after that, did it strike at it once and leave it alone, did it pick it up and hold onto it, am I on a primary point with rocks or secondary point with lay downs, if the fish just quickly tapped the bait and left it alone, often times all you need to do is change the color of the bait just a little, if you are on a primary point with rocks, you know to locate other places that share the same type of landscape, basically you are starting to establish a pattern.

There are days when I know a bait should work and I still don't throw them, why? because I do not have the confidence in them that I should, the way I fix that is to simply put everything else away and fish the crap out of that bait until I find what makes that bait work, I may not catch another fish the rest of the day, but I will come off the water knowing I have enough information for this forum to ask why I failed, I always get a responce that makes sence to me and try again the next time I get in that same situation and usually end up being confident.

[smalljaw67]

This may be a silly question but have any of you guys fished a whole season without using soft plastics? In other words, using only spinnerbait or crankbait type baits, and did you have decent success or is it limiting too much to one type of fishing. I know some of us lack patience to fish soft plastics and some days I think I lack the patience big time especially when I have been skunked a time or two and am eager to catch something to get my spirits up. Thanks

I never have done that as presentations vary a lot between seasons but I can tell you I fished a specific body of water about 20 times in a season and not once did I use a soft plastic bait. 2008 I got a late start to the season as I was undergoing cancer treatment for quite some time and by the time I was well enough to fish it was mid spring and the jerkbait bite was on, after that it was post spawn and during that time the fish are spread out so you almost have no choice but to use moving baits as the only way to find fish is by covering water. Once the summer hit I fished the river most of the time and found a lot of rain made the water dark so it was single blade spinnerbaits slow rolled on the bottom and it stayed like that right through the fall and it was back to jerkbaits, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. On small bodies of water you can do that very easily and what will happen is you will start to see patterns of where you're getting bit and where you aren't, you'll also find cover you didn't know was there as it is submerged and then you can slow down when you find those spots. I know you think you need that c-rig to search but thruth be told, it is slow going because even though the bait is moving, it is doing so by means of a slow drag followed by a pause and another slow drag. It will help you find fish but not nearly as fast as a spinnerbait or crankbait will and don't forget topwater, buzzbaits draw a lot of fish to the top and while you may not ccatch all that hit, it will give you a clue as to the location of the fish.

[Pete-K]

For me C Rig and never had the issues of gut hooking a fish, and I do feel the fish without moving the bait. Been fishing it for 30 years and would rather fish it any day over the T rig. But thats me.

Pete