Carolina rig

[biteme]

As odd as it sounds Ive never Crigged before. Ive been fishing for years and just never tried it. This year Im trying to open my mind and learn more. What suggestions do you guys have for me Criggin? Thanks for the help! Steve

[jimmy87]

what body of water are you going to fish?

[biteme]

Not really sure yet. Right now I just know I want to learn it. Ill try it at Folsom this week. Thats the next spot Im going. After that it will be CL.

[biteme]

Also what Powell rod do you think fits the bill for Criggin?

[Doug Hodel]

I took me a long time to try the CRig, but did one day out of desperation. We were fishing a tournament and I just couldn't get a bite, so I said what the hell. I boated a limit in 10 casts, don't know if it was just timing or if I just wasn't fishing slow enough and the CRig forced me to slow down a bit.

You won't be sorry.

I like using a heavy mono for my main line and fluorocarbon as a leader. I use pretty stiff rod as well.

[BassManDan]

Quitter's Rig!!! If I can't catch the same fish on some other technique I got no business fishing!

Really though, to me it just is just not an efficient technique, obviously there are times when any one technique will out fish another side by side, but I can usually find something better. But if your on a lake draggin a jig and coming up dry, take a stab with the C rig just to change things up, you never know.

By know you've figured I;m no C rig expert, but fluoro leaders are pretty much the gold standard by now. You could easily get away with any 4 to 6 power rod for fishing C rigs, just pretty much depends what test your leader is.

BassManDan

[g-man]

C-rigs catch fish. When times are tuff the c-rig can really come through.
It works great at Folsom. It works great in all spot lakes, CL, and the Delta! You just gotta know where to toss it at CL, and the Delta. 3/4 weight, 6inch zoom lizard green pumpkin. I prefer not to use a swivel, and use the c-rig keeper. Dude your missing out on an old, and still great set-up.....

[biteme]

C-rigs catch fish. When times are tuff the c-rig can really come through.
It works great at Folsom. It works great in all spot lakes, CL, and the Delta! You just gotta know where to toss it at CL, and the Delta. 3/4 weight, 6inch zoom lizard green pumpkin. I prefer not to use a swivel, and use the c-rig keeper. Dude your missing out on an old, and still great set-up.....

I know bro thats why Im going to learn it. Its always good to learn new stuff! Cant wait to toss it with a 9in worm,lol. Im stuck on this big worm thing right now.

[big bass beckstrom]

Also what Powell rod do you think fits the bill for Criggin?

Powell 734

[Cooch]

I use a Caronlina rig as a pure reaction bait technique, and it'll catch fish everywhere, any time of year.

I keep it real simple 6" Zoom or Yamamoto, watermelon or Green punkin lizards, 16# fluoro end to end, swivel, two beads and a 1/2oz egg sinker. Leader length will vary, and can sometimes be the key to getting bit or not. I'll start off with about a 28" leader and then begin to shorten it up as I git more bites and find that preferred length.

There's no finesse dragging, driftin' or deep water soakin' fer me with this rig. It's an aggressive, chuck and wind over flat, hard bottoms from 3-14 feet near deep water. Keep that rig moving all the time, cover as much water as possible, more often than not, it's the most violent strike you'll ever git on a bottom bouncin bait and the fish will like ta yank that 7' MH fast actioned rod right outa yer hands!!

[Sacto John]

I love c-rigging Folsom and other spotted bass lakes. I use a Powell 734 with 12-17 pound floro main line and 8-15 pound floro leader depending on cover and water clarity. For baits I use 4 inch green pumpkin Zoom lizards and baby brush hogs. One suggestion I can make is buy yourself some Mojo Rockhopper weights. They do not get hung up near as often so you spend more time fishing and less time re-riging.

[wccjanel]

All of the above info is good stuff. You should have some good ground work to jump with.

Just go for it.

Take 3-5 rods, all rigged a little differently; weight size, bait style, leader lengths. Don't worry about having the "perfect rod" at this point, just go experimenting. Don't throw anything else. Spend a whole day Carolina Rigging. Try slow; fast, jerking, sliding, dead sticking, swimming. Then go out and do it again. Two trips in a row of fishing like this, and you'll be ready to add it to your bag of tricks.

If you know someone who is good at it, pay his way on the lake to show you some of his tricks.

Also, don't forget; split shotting is technically much like C-rigging.

Have Fun,
James

www.thefishicon.com

[DanO]

Hey biteme,

A Powell 734 will work, I prefer a 764, but John Murray woked with Keith to come up with the 763 with foregrip specifically for the Carolina rig. A lot of the the guys at Diamond Valley love this rod for that.

I like a longer rod for sweeping up the line on a hookset, remember that heavy sinker will help you make longer casts, and you'll need the leverage for hooksetting.

764 is my choice

DanO

[ash]

One suggestion I can make is buy yourself some Mojo Rockhopper weights. They do not get hung up near as often so you spend more time fishing and less time re-riging.

John, said it these Mojo Rockhoppers for structure lakes that like to eat up rigs is Excellent! I do prefer a regular bullet weight when fishing around grass etc...

As for baits the above posted baits are classic baits that work, I also like the Hula Grub, Senko, and 3.5" Zipper Grub - the zipper grub is my Go-To bait for the Rig. I use the Rig as a search bait when I want to cover water quickly and look for subtle changes that I can go back and fish with my jig...

[Johnny C]

I think this is the best way to go. In the mother lode I use tungsten barrel weights ranging from 1/4 to 5/8 of an once. Then a tru tungsten force bead. Tungstan weight will crack glass. Then I put on a McCoy carolina keeper. With these you have zero knots. The keeper can be easily adjusted to change leader lenghts. I use 10 to 12 pound Gamma Edge. Having leaders much lighter than your main line " will " cause break offs. At night or colored water condition you can use heavier line. If I need to go lighter than split shottin is a better way to go. C rigs are deadly. Remember not to take to long to set the hook because the fish will usually have it already in his gut.

[biteme]

Thanks guys. Cant wait to give this a try!