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
5.0 / 5.0
6 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 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
6 Reviews
Features: Gambler Brass Rat'lin Weights are bullet shape brass sinkers that generate a boisterous clacking noise as they move through the water. Pa...
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
2 Reviews
Features: Gambler Ribbon Tail Worms are large soft plastic worms with a classic ribbon tail design Enticing swimming tail action at any retrieve sp...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
2 Reviews
Features: The Gambler Super Stud is a 5 inch Fluke-style soft jerkbait with a shad profile body and a thin, forked tail. Super-flat back allows th...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
1 Review
Features: The Gambler Flappy Daddy is an extremely versatile 4 1/4 inch soft craw/worm hybrid. Solid body that accommodates a large hook for casti...
View full details5.0 / 5.0
2 Reviews
Features: The Gambler Hollow Point Plastic Screw Keeper is a weightless solution for keeping soft plastics pinned when fishing cover. Prevents the ...
View full details5 star weights at an amazing price!
This bait chatters at super slow speeds and it catches fish. Great for stained water. My son has out fished me with this bait as I have been using a different chattering bait. 2 to one better results while he fished out of the back of the boat.
I little heavy to throw but retrieves nicely, best action is straight retrieve. It skips under cover real well. Gets very aggressive strikes from large snook and tarpon
I ordered these for Gulp Jerk Shad and find they tear too easily.
Kalin's Lunker Grub Soft Plastic Grub 10 pack