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Gone to Carolina (Rigs that is)- by Rob Brewer |
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| Now is a prime time to resort to a Carolina rig. The dog days of summer, combined with low water levels tend to send the bass deep for a good portion of the day. Still beat the shallows with a topwater if you get out early enough. But as the sun climbs and the temperature along with it, consider probing the depths as part of your game plan. While a crankbait may be more fun to fish, a Carolina rig will usually catch more fish. First, it stays in the strike zone longer, and secondly, it possesses that same subtle factor that worms and jigs do. If you’re not familiar with a Carolina rig, its nothing more than a worm weight (or egg sinker) threaded in front of a glass (or plastic) bead threaded on the line before swivel. After the swivel comes a length of monofilament leader (usually 14” to 24”), then a worm hook loaded with your favorite soft plastic bait. Some guys actually rig crankbaits on Carolina rigs. I’ve never did it though. I think the bait would spend too much time sitting vertical against the leader. A variety of lures will work for Carolina rigs. I favor the Riverside air series of baits. These are manufactured with a series of bubbles or air pockets in them, making them very buoyant. Ideal for Carolina rigs. You can be certain of keeping any bait off the bottom, simply by threading a foam earplug on your leader just before you tie on a hook. My Carolina rigging outfit consists of a 6 ½’ Shakespeare IM7 Intrepid rod with a Daiwa procaster reel. It is spooled up with 24lb braided line. This is the only application where I use braided line. Since a Carolina rig is usually fished on a longer line than Texas rigs, the braid eliminates all the springy stretch associated with mono on the hookset. Plus, it holds up better against abrasion while dragging that sinker all over the lake bottom. The mono leader serves a threefold purpose. 1) It keeps the bait up off the bottom. 2) It acts as a shock absorber. 3) It hides the fact that there is actually a line attached to that piece of plastic Mr. Bass is about to ingest. Always use a heavy sinker when Carolina rigging. The key is to stay in contact with the bottom at all times. I usually use a ½ ounce sinker, but will up the weight to as much as 1 ounce depending on wind, depth fishing and other conditions. Another key is fishing on a hard bottom. Bass seem to like hard bottoms; also you can feel what is taking place on the business end of your line. A mucky bottom “swallows” the weight and makes it hard to feel what is going on. If you are fishing a hard bottom and suddenly it turns to muck, set the hook, that’s a fish! Like Texas rigs, you fish the Carolina rig with your rod tip. Sweep your rod along horizontal to the water in 6” to 12” increments and wait for the “tap-tap” bite that you get when worm fishing. Fishing a Carolina rig is a different feel, but one you’ll adjust to after a few casts. When you do get a strike, take up all your slack and set the hook with a long sweeping motion. Accept the fact that you will lose some fish due to the very nature of this rig. I find the lost fish are directly proportionate to the length of the leader! The weight so far forward of the hook aids the bass in getting rid of it. Also consider the numerous angles involved with the actual hookset. Keep in mind when have a tight line, it’s only tight against the sinker. The bass could be between you and the sinker as much as the length of your leader. This is the reason for the long sweeping hookset. As a rule of thumb, try to sweep your hookset at least twice the length of your leader. That’s about the only “secret” to Carolina rigs. Fish the rig along points, creek channels, humps and any other “bassy” structure. Basically the same places you wanted to throw that crankbait. Try probing the 8’ to 12’ depths when things don’t pan out shallow. For some reason unknown to me, Carolina rigs are good limit catchers but not a “big fish” catcher. I have never caught a bass over 4lbs on a Carolina rig and that wasn’t the norm. Once the bite slows on the Carolina rig, go ahead and throw that crankbait you were considering to pick up that “kicker” fish. Lastly, pay attention to your sinker. Don’t reel it up too close to your rod tip. Remember that the reel to rodtip length is shorter on any rod that is bent or loaded up. If the fish comes unbuttoned at the last minute, you could break your rod tip. When the weathers hot and the fishing’s not, go to Carolina! Fishing is life. Rob Brewer |
