|
Carolina Rig: A popular versatile tool for all fishermen to try |
|
Tuesday, November 18 2008 |
Hello fishermen this week I thought I would finish the plastic worm series with one more tried and true method for you to try.
This will be the Carolina Rig which has become one of the many tools that bass fisherman can use to coax a largemouth, smallmouth or spotted bass into biting. The Carolina Rig has been around for quite a number of years. This rig consists of a 1/4 to 1 oz. bullet or egg sinker, a bead to protect the knot and a swivel tied onto the main line. Then a two to six foot leader, normally a lighter pound test, is attached to the open end of the swivel. A 2/0 to 5/0 hook then completes the setup. Just add your favorite soft plastic bait.
I began throwing the Carolina Rig on Texas lakes in the spring of 1991 and it quickly became my favorite technique for catching bass. I was able to keep my soft plastic baits in the strike zone for longer periods of time thus improving my strike to cast ratio. I also started using it as search bait. I was able to cover large areas such as extensive flats or long extended points in search of actively feeding fish. I began to realize how versatile a tool it could be. I have thrown this rig in as little as six inches of water and as deep as fifty feet and caught good fish at both those depths and every depth in between. Shortly after I started fishing the Carolina Rig,. I could fish this rig almost anywhere and catch fish. The smooth bottom lakes of Texas were perfect for working a Carolina Rig
Lets talk a little about equipment and tackle. For my rod I still use a 7'6" medium-heavy made by Pro Angler. I like the stiffer heavy rod for long hook-sets and extra fighting power. If you haven’t picked a rod yet you will have to experiment to find what rod feels best for you. For line I recommend using sixteen to twenty pound test on your main line.
Next you need a variety of weights. I use egg sinkers and bullet weights ranging from 1/4 oz to 1 oz. I like the egg sinkers for soft bottoms like clay or sand, and bullet weights for rocks and around trees or bushes. I use the º1/4 oz when fishing up to ten feet deep, 1/2 - 3/4 oz from ten feet to forty feet, and the 1oz any deeper than forty feet. In the fall you will fish deeper than forty feet for the better fish. Next goes a glass or plastic bead (to protect the knot)(I recommend an improved cinch knot) and then a #4 or #6 swivel. The leader comes next. The leader is the most important part of the rig. The length and diameter will affect how many strikes you get. Sometimes the fish like a short leader, sometimes they like it longer. Sometime dropping to a lighter leader will get more action. I cannot tell you how many times I have fished side by side with friends and the only difference in our rigs was the length of the leader and one would out produce the other 2 to 1 or more on bites, just because of the length of the leader. I always start with either 8 lb Stren clear or 12 lb Berkley Vanish and make the leader four feet. I let the fish tell me after that if I need to shorten up if the fish are active or make it longer when the bite is tough. And last but not least, the hook. After trying most of them, I use Owner hooks with the Cutting Point technology. They are just plain sharp. The long hook-set needed when fishing the Carolina rig forces your hook to do most of the work. It has to be super sharp and able to penetrate easily. I use either the 3/0 or 4/0 for most applications depending on the size of the bait
Where to fish the Carolina Rig? My answer would be: anywhere there is water. Seriously though, if I had to pick only one rig to catch fish, this would be it. I like to start off using the rig as a search tool. I will start on long extended points and work both sides of the point and then throw across it moving from shallow to deep water. After working several points this way I will move to the flats and cover the flat from deep to shallow working parallel with the shoreline. I almost always pick up fish when working one of these two areas. I think this is one of the simplest ways to catch fish for a new bass fisherman as its not difficult to work or feel the bites. Try this with your favorite plastic bait and see if you don’t become a believer like I did. So now until next week keep what you will eat and please release the rest
|
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, November 19 2008 )
|
