You have planned a fishing trip this weekend with your friends. You love eating Bass, but the sad part of the story is you do not know how to catch it. Being a beginner, you do not want to indulge yourself in a complicated rig trial.
So, what will work best for you is the C-rig. Well! If you have just heard the name and know nothing beyond that. You do not have to worry. In this article, we will tell you about the Carolina rig from scratch. Just get hold of the basic knowledge, follow the steps of making one for yourself, and here you are, ready to boast a big catch in front of your friends!
What is a Carolina rig?
A Carolina rig is also known as C-rig. It is one of the most exciting and popular baits. It has been in use for ages. Both beginners and professionals experience it. Though it is time-consuming, the result is worth waiting for, so I guarantee you will never regret using it.
You will mostly find it in plastic material since plastic decreases weight but enhances its efficiency, so people mostly prefer it over other heavier ones. Anglers love it more because it tends to lure the bass under deep waters. It is also handy in the winter season. Cloudy, windy weather will move the bass more and attract them towards your Carolina rig.
It weights the form of some metal piece with two holes at both ends for the lead to pass through it. This bait has the potential of luring the deepwater fish with its circular motion and crackling sound.
Besides, it’s used as fishing bait. It has often been used as an essential guide to assessing the water depth. The weight attached helps to hold it down. As you drag it along the water bottom, you can roughly guess the nature of the water bottom. It can be solid hard, rocky, or full of vegetation.
Thus, C-ring is both a guide and a bait.
How to make a Carolina rig for fishing?
It is as simple as taking a thread and beading it to make a necklace. Please don’t take me wrong, but it is the threading and tying of different parts in steps and sequences described below.
Making a rig is simple. The important thing is learning which materials you need and which is available or required in what weight. To make a rig, you first have to collect its supplies. Based on the experience, I will make sure that you get the best supplies for the best results.
What do you need for a Carolina rig?
For the convenience of learning, a Carolina rig can be divided into two parts, along with the fishing rod. One consists of the fishing rod, its unwinding knob for the lead, and the lead itself. The second part holds the fundamental mechanical working element. Let us go through them methodically.
Fishing rod:
Anglers usually prefer medium to heavyweight fishing rods. Usually, they are much longer than the routine ones. Ideally, it should be seven feet and six inches long. I would suggest you use a soft tip one. Thus, the length helps you reach the depth conveniently, and the soft tip helps you control the lead better.
Baitcasting reel:
Well, it has to be super speedy. This is that though Bass is a fish that likes to be lazy, it tends to smell and a bit of analyzing the lure before it finally bites it. So, you have very little reaction time. Thus baitcasting reel should be quick in rewinding the line once your favorite dinner is trapped! Take a 6:1 or 6:3:1 spinning reel. You will love the experience.
Lead:
Talking about its manufacturing materials, you will find a lot of options. Some are monofilament; others are poly filament. But out of all the variety, you should prefer fluorocarbon ones over others. This is because they have a shock-absorbing quality, and that too comes at a fast speed. It should be 15-20 pounds in weight and about 15-18 inches in length.
Sinker or weight:
It has a vital role in the whole of the Carolina rig. These sinkers or weights are responsible for keeping the bait down and provide the essential dragging and rubbing force.
Tungsten weights are the best in working. Their water-resistant quality and performance through the thick and thin deep waters will convince you to spend the extra bucks compared to other counter products. The sinkers in bullet shape are the most common in demand. The pointed side is kept downwards.
Beads:
Usually, plastic beads are preferred over glass ones. This is due to the durability and non-fragile nature of the plastic. They hold the knot in place. They also prevent the sinkers from getting directly on or beyond the knot. Some clacker products are also consumed to produce a crackling sound for attracting the Bass or other fish towards it.
Swivel or Carolina keepers:
Carolina keepers are best to provide tensile strength to your rig. Nevertheless, you may use barrel-shaped or any other swivel to hold the things in place.
Hook: A hook is a metallic C or U-shaped piece to hold the leaders.
Leaders:
They are available in a variety of colors and shapes. The most popular ones are plastic-made wriggly worms, crab fish, etc. They are also made in fluorocarbon. Those usually weigh about 12-14 pounds. They should be resistant to abrasions since they have to pass through the roughs of the water base.
How does a Carolina rig work?
Working on a Carolina rig is very simple. You should know how to use your tool, the nature of your prey, and how to lure it.
A Carolina rig is first tied to the components of the Carolina kit in sequence. Then, you drop it in the waters. Since it has a weight-bearing end, so it stays in the bottom. Now the leader has to be both beautiful and good-smelling to attract the lazy and choosy Bass. It would help if you did not sway your rig too quickly. Just move it in a slow to and fro motion. The slower, the better. This circular motion and the gradual swishing sound of surrounding waters attract the fish like mad.
Since fish varieties may like to swim around the lure before they finally grab it, so, you may feel a minor hit but don’t start rearing up the reel. Wait for the final feel and gulp!
You can enjoy a lot of deepwater fish like Bass, catfish, flounder, etc. A few things to keep in mind using them are avoiding areas with vegetation, small and large rocks as they may trap the rig in them.
How to tie a Carolina rig?
Carolina rig is usually tied as follows. Take the lead-free end, pass it through the holes in the sinkers. Then comes the turn of the beads. After the beads, you will tie the swivel or Carolina keepers. Fix a hook to it. Then comes the fixing of the leaders to it. This is the final step. Make sure the knots are tied securely and do not slip.
Conclusion:
We have a happy ending waiting for you after tedious and patient work. Carolina rig is very simple and easy to use. You need its kit to get all things in one place. Or you may collect them individually. Now tie them. It would be best if you were very smooth and slow in movement. You may have to wait for hours before you get hold of your mouth-watering catch.