ALL DAY. EVERY DAY.
ALL DAY. EVERY DAY.
The Carolina rig is actually very similar to the Texas rig in terms of how the plastic bait is rigged onto the hook, the main difference between the two is the weight; by definition, a Carolina rig must use some sort of weight (Texas rigs can be fished weightless) and the position of the weight is always somewhere on the leader between 3 and 18 inches above the hook/plastic - it is never pegged right to the hook.
By keeping the weight above the lure, the rig produces an entirely different action than a Texas rig, creating more of a circular swimming motion as the lure descends through the water column or is retrieved along or near the bottom back to the angler.
Another notable difference between Texas and Carolina rigs related to weight is size. Unless punching through cover, many situations where you fish a Texas rig only require weights between 1/16 ounce and 1/2 ounce (or no weight at all). While Carolina rigs will typically use at least a 3/8 ounce weight, and sometimes as heavy as 2 ounces or more depending on what species you are targeting and water conditions.
For soft baits, there a wide range of options that pair well with Carolina rigging - ribbontail worms, stick baits, soft jekbaits, lizards, creatures, and craws are all good choices for this rig. This means you can pair whatever size and profile bait is best for the given situation.
To your mainline add a sinker using an egg, bullet, or cylindrical-shaped weight. Behind that add a bead then tie to a swivel. Decide on a leader both in type and length. At the end of your leader tie on a worm hook or EWG worm hook big enough to accommodate whatever size plastic you have chosen.
The Carolina rig is typically fished by casting then dragging the rig across your target area along or near the bottom. To properly drag the rig, you want to position your rod parallel to the surface of the water and use a sweeping motion to move the lure over the target area you are fishing. No need to jerk the rig, just a nice smooth sweep will work.
How to Rig and Fish the Carolina Rig
How to Fish the Carolina Rig
The Perfect Carolina Rig Combo
4.83 / 5.0
36 Reviews
Features: The 13 Fishing Joy Stick Ultra Thin is a finesse soft plastic worm with 13 Fishing's Rabbit Ear appendages. Super-delicate body that off...
View full details4.86 / 5.0
22 Reviews
Features: The Z-Man StreakZ are Fluke-style soft plastic jerkbaits. Outlasts other fluke-style baits thanks to 10X Tough ElaZtech construction. Ex...
View full detailsFeatures: The Gary Yamamoto Senko is the original soft plastic bass fishing stickbait. Design that popularized the incredibly effective soft plast...
View full details4.96 / 5.0
24 Reviews
Features: The Strike Rage Bug is a 4 inch soft plastic creature bait. Entices fish with its Coffee Scent Technology that masks human scents and oi...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
10 Reviews
Features: The Berkley Gulp! Saltwater Grub is ideal on jigs or as a trailer. Favorite for all inshore saltwater species when targeting big fish. ...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
14 Reviews
Features: The Gary Yamamoto Senko is the original soft plastic bass fishing stickbait. Design that popularized the incredibly effective soft plast...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
19 Reviews
Features: The Z-Man StreakZ Curly TailZ are durable 4 inch curly tail grubs that can be fished in variety of manners. 10X Tough ElaZtech construct...
View full details4.79 / 5.0
14 Reviews
Features: The Gary Yamamoto Senko is the original soft plastic bass fishing stickbait. Design that popularized the incredibly effective soft plast...
View full details4.5 / 5.0
10 Reviews
Features: The Berkley Gulp! Saltwater Mullet is a soft plastic swimming grub with a baitfish profile body. Made from bio-degradable plastic materi...
View full details4.88 / 5.0
16 Reviews
Features: The Strike King Twin Tail Rage Menace is a 3.5 inch dual tail soft plastic grub. Strike King's patented Rage Flange technology for incr...
View full details4.74 / 5.0
19 Reviews
Features: The Z-Man StreakZ Curly TailZ are 5 inch soft plastic curly tail grubs. 10x Tough ElaZtech construction makes for extreme durability, ev...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
14 Reviews
Features: The SPRO Power Swivel is a black, barrel-style swivel that comes in a variety of sizes and strengths. Helps prevent frustrating line tan...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
14 Reviews
Features: The Zoom Super Fluke is the original soft plastic darting shad imitator can't be beaten around grass and laydowns, where its tempting fa...
View full details4.78 / 5.0
27 Reviews
Features: The Strike King Rage Craw is a 4 inch soft plastic craw. Employs Strike King's "Rage Claw" technology. With the slightest movement of th...
View full details4.92 / 5.0
13 Reviews
Features: The Berkley PowerBait Power Worms feature the Ribbontail design swims naturally on the fall with twitches and short hops. Soft, but fir...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
20 Reviews
Looking for a splash of color? Check out the Gamakatsu Red EWG Offset Worm Hook. Features: Gamakatsu's most popular and versatile hook, the legend...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
11 Reviews
Features: The Strike King Rage Cut-R Worm is Strike King's take on a "cut tail" style soft plastic worm/stickbait. Soft body construction that fea...
View full details4.92 / 5.0
13 Reviews
Features: The Z-Man TRD SpinZ Tail Spinners is a soft plastic add-on blade to add some flash to your ElaZtech baits. Molded plastic dual-prong kee...
View full details4.86 / 5.0
7 Reviews
Features: The Gary Yamamoto Flappin' Hog is a creature bait designed for pitching and flipping. With three types of appendages and redesigned flap...
View full details4.75 / 5.0
4 Reviews
Features: The Gary Yamamoto D-Shad is a 5 inch soft plastic jerk bait. It has a streamlined body designed to give that side-to-side twitching acti...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
18 Reviews
Features: The Z-Man GOAT is a new 3 3/4 inch multi-purpose ElaZtech finesse grub with loads of fish-catching potential. Twin action tails provide ...
View full details4.89 / 5.0
9 Reviews
Features: The Berkley PowerBait The General is a classic "Senko-style" soft stickbait laced with Berkley's proprietary PowerBait attractant. Class...
View full details4.67 / 5.0
3 Reviews
Features: The VMC Tungsten Worm Weight is a lead-free bullet weight for worms to reach deeper water. Made of tungsten, it has a more compact profi...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
5 Reviews
Features: The Gambler Flapp'n Shad is a soft plastic jerkbait with a Fluke-style body and large, vibrating paddle tail. Wide range of applications...
View full details4.0 / 5.0
4 Reviews
Features: The Berkley PowerBait Power Worms feature the Ribbontail design swims naturally on the fall with twitches and short hops. Soft but firm...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
8 Reviews
Features: The Zoom Lizard is the most versatile soft plastic in your boat, from ultra-shallow to super-deep. Size = 6 inches. Creature Shape: Liz...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
9 Reviews
*Note: do not store ElazTech soft plastics in the same containers as standard plastisol-based soft plastic baits, chemical interaction will melt th...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
10 Reviews
Features: The Berkley Fusion19 Offset EWG Hook is one of the most popular and versatile hooks for soft baits and covers a variety of bait types an...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
14 Reviews
Features: The Z-Man Billy GOAT is a new 4 1/4 inch multi-purpose ElaZtech grub with loads of fish-catching potential. Twin action tails provide si...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
2 Reviews
Features: The Strike King Game Hawg is a 4 inch "Brush Hog-style" soft plastic creature bait. Excels in heavy cover because its body shape makes s...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
9 Reviews
Features: The Gary Yamamoto Cowboy is a 4 inch, curly-appendage soft plastic creature bait. J-shaped legs produce a prominent kicking action, like...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
11 Reviews
Features: The Ultra Vibe Tail gives off an acoustic footprint unlike that of any other worm on the market, making it deadly on pressured bass look...
View full details4.75 / 5.0
4 Reviews
Features: The Yamamoto Baits Kreature is a classic, 4 inch, action creature bait. Equipped with flappy swimming "wings" and a tentacle skirt, the ...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
2 Reviews
Features: The big worm by which all other big worms are judged, the Ol' Monster is deadly from Florida to California and everywhere in between. 10...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
4 Reviews
Features: The Reaction Innovations Man Bear Pig is a 5 inch soft plastic creature bait with a design similar to the classic Zoom Brush Hog. Forwar...
View full details4.7 / 5.0
10 Reviews
Features: Z-Man LizardZ are 6 inch soft plastic lizard-shaped baits made of 10X Tough ElaZtech plastic, so they won't tear up easily like other li...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
9 Reviews
Features: The Big Bite Baits Fighting Frog is a 4 inch, frog soft plastic-inspired soft plastic creature bait. Like soft plastic frog, but designe...
View full details4.78 / 5.0
9 Reviews
Features: 4 inch length. Downsized version of the classic soft plastic creature bait. Solid body with multiple appendages to move water. Salt-impr...
View full details4.7 / 5.0
10 Reviews
Features: The Gary Yamamoto Psycho Dad is a 4 inch soft plastic craw bait. Oversized claws that "swim" during retrieve. Chamber large enough to ho...
View full details4.6 / 5.0
5 Reviews
Features: This modern take on the original ring worm can be pitched into holes in the grass or around laydowns to tempt even the wariest bass Size...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
6 Reviews
Features: The Gambler Burner Worm is a larger profile soft plastic, cut tail style worm. Wide profile perfect for attracting and catching big bass...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
4 Reviews
Offering the performance Bassmaster Elite Series veteran pros Kevin Van Dam and Shaw Grigsby need to compete at the highest levels of professional ...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
4 Reviews
Features: The Gambler Stinger is a soft plastic creature-bait with a Beaver-like profile that's perfect for pitching and flipping. Ribs that produc...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
2 Reviews
Features: The Big Bite Baits Pro Lizard is a 6 inch soft plastic lizard bait. Same lizard design bass anglers have been using to slay bass for dec...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
6 Reviews
Features: The Zoom Magnum Ultra-Vibe Speed Worm is a 7 inch soft plastic worm with an "Ultra-Vibe" cut tail. Bulky, salt-impregnated segmented bod...
View full details4.83 / 5.0
6 Reviews
Features: The Zoom Tiny Fluke is a 3 inch soft jerkbait made from salt-impregnated soft plastic. Smallest member of the Zoom Fluke family. deep be...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
1 Review
Features: The Gary Yamamoto Double Tail Grub is a classic, 5 inch twin curl tail soft plastic grub. Added disturbance generated by dual curl tails...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
4 Reviews
Features: The Bomber Saltwater Grade Paradise Popper X-Treme is a saltwater fishing popping cork. Allows you to throw Carolina rigs near the surfa...
View full detailsGreat bait !!! Catches bass !!! I pair it up with a Green Pumpkin Strike King Baby Menace as a trainer and it becomes a bass magnet !!!
These lure wraps are a must have to keep baits concealed and from your baits grabbing into things and tangling. I’ve probably own 30 of these and they last a long time. So highly recommend you pick them up!