A Carolina-rig is a great technique for anglers to use to target deep water structure that is holding bass. A C-Rig as it is commonly referred to is also a great way to determine what the bottom content is and what structure is available on the bottom of the lake, which is why tossing a Carolina rig is a great way to dredge the depths of any body of water.
Some of the offshore structure that a C-Rig shines around is underwater humps, wood, points and breaks. Over the past several seasons I have played around with this technique and employed it day in and day out on the water and it has now become a key part of my arsenal. By adapting the components that make up a Carolina-rig, an angler can employ this technique in situations on their local body of water, whether it is a deep lake or a shallow river. Another benefit of using a C-Rig is that it is an effective lure to cover water a vast amount of water in a short amount of time.
Here is what components and gear my Carolina-rig consists of:
Line: For my main line, I use 15 lb. Seaguar TATSU Fluorocarbon and for my leader I’ll use 12 or 15 lb. test Seaguar Inviz X, the length of my leader is usually 18 to 24 inches.
Little Things: A premium ball bearing swivel is the key connection between the main line and the leader. This will help prevent line twist and ensure that a hook set ensures a bass on the end of your line. I’ll also put two beads in between the sinker and the swivel to make more noise and protect the knot from damage.
Weight: I’ll use a brass sinker, because of the noise it makes in the water and depending on the depth and current, it will be between 3/8 and ¾ oz.
Hook: Lazer Trokar EWG hook in 3/0, allows me to get a solid hook up every time.
Plastic Baits: There are countless plastic bait options on the market that an angler can choose to rig on their Carolina rig. I commonly rely on small creature baits or lizards on mine.
Rod: Wright & McGill Tessera Series 7’6”, because of its extra length I can make long casts and then quickly pick up the slack after a bass has hit. An extra soft tip will ensure that you can feel everything that your C-Rig is being drug over on the bottom of the lake.
Reel: Picking up the slack is very important especially when you get bit on the initial fall or drag of the rig and you have a lot of line out. The Wright & McGill Victory Reel has a 7.0:1 gear ratio so you can quickly pick up the slack of the line.
To fish a Carolina-rig you just need to cast it out and drag it across the bottom. But there are several things that I have learned that you can do to alter your retrieve and things that you can focus on to help improve your catch.
• Readily used retrieve is to move my rig along the bottom by sweeping the rod in a sideways motion. This keeps the sinker in constant contact with the bottom and allows it to disturb the sand or mud. This could resemble a crawfish or shad fleeing from a predator and attract the bass to your lure.
• When fishing around rocks, I have noticed that your sinker will get hung up less if you move the Carolina-rig by lifting your rod tip up, instead of sweeping it to the side.
• Pay close watch to when you get your strikes. Many times a strike will occur when your sinker bangs off a large rock or when your bait is ripped through the vegetation. If this is the case, be sure you have visuals on shore or a marker buoy in the water to help you keep your boat in position so you can repeat that cast and hit the cover in the same way.
As you prepare for your next fishing trip, be sure to have a Carolina rig ready to go to help you dredge the depths for big bass!
Glenn has been fishing tournaments for over ten years, spreading his passion and knowledge of the sport via articles and videos, for more information check out
fishglenn.com.