Nothing Could Be Finer Than To Fish the Carolina (Rig, that is)
Picture this... you’re standing in your boat, chunking
and winding until your arm about falls off. Meanwhile in the back of the
boat, your buddy is lobbing this big hunk of metal with a couple of feet of
line and lure after it – and bringing in fish after fish! Your buddy has
gone to Carolina... rig, that is.
Your basic Carolina rig (or C-rig) consists of a large
slip sinker, followed by one or more glass beads, which are placed ahead of
a swivel. On the other side of the swivel is a two foot (or longer) leader
with a hook and bait. It gives the impression that something is stirring up
the bottom and creating a clacking sound (the beads hitting the sinker).
This ruckus is intended to peak the curiosity of Mr. (or Mrs.) Line Sides,
who will opportunistically investigate.
When the bass swims over, it will discover something
bumping along the bottom, followed by something else (just the right size
and shape for a meal) which appears to be stalking the first thing. The
bass will join in the parade until the opportune moment for carpe baitum
(seize the bait, loosely translated). The strange thing about this strike
is that while it might be fairly vicious on the bass’ part, you (typically)
barely feel the fish take the bait.
The key to a Carolina rig is the weight. It has to keep
the rig on the bottom over all types of cover and terrain. Generally the
heavier the weight, the faster you can work it (or the better you can work
it in fast current). Adjust your weight with the season, down sizing in cold
water to force you to slow down to the fish's speed. C-rig weights have a
dubious talent for hanging up. If you’re fishing vegetation, wood, or rock,
a cone shaped sinker (used for Texas rigs), rigged point first, will
generally work through the cover.
Noise is important when C-rigging, especially when
throwing a crawfish imitator. Brass sinkers are best suited for making
noise. Take a glass bead, tap it on a brass weight, and you get a distinct
ticking noise, remarkably similar to a crawfish crawling across the bottom.
But how many beads should you use? Generally, one is sufficient. Want
more noise? Add more beads. Use a good-quality ball bearing barrel swivel
and you should have pretty good luck. I prefer small swivels since they tend
to hang up less. I prefer a Palomar knot. It’s strong, quick and easy to
tie and works on most braided lines. Just remember to tie the leader to the
swivel BEFORE you tie it to the main line.
When you’re C-rigging, take an outfit with some
backbone. I personally use a 6’ 8” CastAway Carolina Honey Rod matched with
a Quantum Energy PT reel. If ever a technique was tailored made for braided
line and a high-speed reel, a Carolina rig is it! When you set the hook,
you've got not only the normal slack in the line, but the leader length as
well. If the fish happens to be headed towards the boat, you will have to
get that extra line in pronto before you get to the hook setting part.
That’s where a 6.3:1 reel like the PT is invaluable. The added sensitivity
of braid helps to detect those mush bites and helps keep the sinker on the
bottom.
If you are concerned that braid will result in shy fish
and fewer bites, just use a mono leader. It’s the best of both worlds. I
prefer a mono leader for several reasons. A clear mono leader looks more
natural in the water than either new or faded braid. The mono also acts as a
shock absorber on the hook set, and, if the bait hangs up, the leader will
break before the main line, (hopefully) saving my brass/glass rig and some
retying.
Now, about leader length... Theoretically, if you want
your bait floating off the bottom, you’ll need a longer (more than two feet)
leader. Otherwise, shorten your leader to keep the bait a little closer to
the bottom and slow down your presentation. For hooks, if you want to
bottom bump, use a standard 4/0 hook. Otherwise, a 2/0 or 3/0 thin wire
hook will help get the bait off the bottom. Either way, get the sharpest,
widest gapped hooks you can find.
Casting a C-rig with a long leader can look
intimidating. I lob the bait out using a two-handed side arm motion – just
look out for your partner and cast to the opposite side. Some anglers swear
the only thing you can tie on the end of a C-rig is a lizard. Buy you can
probably C-rig nearly every bait in your box. If you think it will work,
give it a try, it probably will.
The most popular way to fish a Carolina rig is with a
slow steady retrieve that is constantly bumping off the bottom. This will
let you cover lots of water quickly. You'll be surprised at how few times
you actually feel the fish bite. Most times, it will just have a "mushy"
feeling, very similar to getting caught in the grass. Experience will let
you tell the difference, but it is easiest to just reel in slightly with a
touch of pressure. If you feel a little difference in the amount of pressure
when you reel in, set the hook.
Carolina rigs are as fun and they can be effective.
There is no wrong way to fish one and they can catch fish when few other
options will work, regardless of the experience level of the angler. If
you're not fishing Carolina rigs now, give them a try.