I forgot what this rig is called:  you use a sinker slipper and attach a onto that.  The bait slides freely and the catfish or fish doesn't feel any resistants.  Could any one tell me the name of this rig?  Also i was wondering why it works so well>  Thanks

Sliding sinker rig? with the snap.  So changing weights is easy as snap. (pun intended)

ya thats it. thanks:p

it's called a carolina rig

I think what Joel is talking about is not a carolina rig, but what I call a slider rig. You place a sliding snap on your main line and attatch your sinker to the snap. BPS item # 21-424-186-00 and there are other variations on this. Tom

Slip sinker rig.  I think it works well because it gives a very natural presentation, there is not much hardware near the hook and the fish starts swimming before it feels any resistance and once it does its too late because its momentum drives the hook in.

This is the rig i'm talking about, if it shows up

The only difference is that the egg sinker is a slide.

yes and that is a carolina rig

This is the rig i'm talking about, if it shows up

my bad you are right about the sliding sinker

Here's the Carolina Rig and the Slip Sinker rig side by side:

looks like the same thing but with different weights

I think that they are pretty much the same thing, but, if you look to the left of the pyramid weight, you will see a little blabk thing. That is the sinker slider. I'v never seen a sinker slider like that one. But, they are pretty much the same conept.

Pretty much the same concept if you just look at hook, line, and sinker.  However the reason to use one over the other varies with bottom content and even water currents.  The selection for different shape sinkers do very different jobs.  Sometimes you want your bait and sinker to be picked off the bottom, at other times you want the sinker to stay anchored so you feel the pull on your line better.

The slip sinker functions in a similar manner to a carolina rig, the biggest difference is that the slip rig allows you to change weight without a retie. Tom

What if you added a small peg float an inch below the bait on the leader then it would be a santee cooper rig right ?

How big should the egg sinker be and what size swivel or barrel swivel ??

How big should the egg sinker be and what size swivel or barrel swivel ??

Weight and swivel sizes depend on the size fish you're targeting. I use 1/2 to 1 ounce for channels, 4 ounce for flatheads and swivel sizes matched to the line weight test.

Sinker size also depends on the fishing conditions. If you fish rivers, you will have to adjust how much weight you use depending on the speed of the current so your bait stays put where you want it. Sinker shape is also a consideration. You dont want to use pyramid sinkers in a real snag-prone area unless you want to keep re-tying your rig due to snags. A real cheap slider rig uses a simple barrel snap swivel on the line that you attach a bell (dipsy) sinker too. Be sure to use a plastic bead on the line under the snap.