Carolina Rig Fishing 101: What You Need To Know

The Carolina Rig (also known as the "C-Rig") is one of the all-time classic bass fishing rigs. The Carolina Rig can be used by anglers of any skill levels and you can fish it both from the bank and on a boat. The Carolina is a bottom fishing technique and is often used by shore anglers to feel out bottom composition and depth since they don't have electronic depth finders.The idea behind why a C-Rig is effective is simple: It holds your bait on or near the bottom perfectly, and can cover tons of water at a quick pace. The sinker both allows you to cast deeper and keep your presentation near the bottom. If bass are along the floor of the lake looking for a snack and you want to cover water quickly to find them, set up your C-Rig and hold on!

Carolina Rig Components

The Carolina Rig consists of a sinker, bead, swivel, hook, and soft plastic. Some anglers also use a clacker for added noise While you can purchase these components separately, we recommend going with a Carolina Rig Kit to save time and ensure you have all the right components.

Carolina Rig Kit

Tying A Carolina Rig

This video shows you how to rig and arrange the components:

Your first step is so thread your line through your sinker. Bullet head sinkers work best, as the bead and swivel attach to them the easiest. Once you've threaded the sinker onto your line, before you tie the knot, add your bead, and slide it right on to your line and into the sinker. Then, tie your swivel onto the line. These 3 components, put together in that order, are what make up a Carolina Rig.

Best Carolina Rig Baits

There are so many options when it comes to baits on a Carolina Rig. Some classics include lizards, craws, creature baits, or flukes. But one of our personal favorites is the GameChanger Lures Eeliminator. This bait was specifically designed to be fished on a Carolina Rig. The body profile allows it to rise up behind the weight and the specially designed tail gives it a seductive action and body rotation that big fish can't resist!

GameChanger Lures Eeliminator

Setup

For the main line 15-20lb fluorocarbon is the most popular option, but 30-50 lb braid test for my main line for the increased sensitivity the line provides for fishing in deep water and its abrasion resistance when I am dragging the rig along rocky bottoms.Your leader will usually 12- to 14-pound fluorocarbon which also has great sensitivity and good abrasion resistance. Leader length can range from 18 inches to 3 feet, depending on how high off the bottom you want your bait. Some anglers who frequently fish aquatic vegetation extend their leaders to 5 to 6 feet so their lures will stay above the weeds while dragging the rig.A 6:3:1 or 7:3:1 baitcaster is the most popular option and any jiggin'/wormin' rod will work just fine.