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Fish-hunting is only a great and exciting adventure when you enjoy progress by making some catches. The whole experience is always fun until you’ve exhausted all your tricks, and you’re no longer able to make any more catch. It’s always a discouraging sight when you think you have prepared well for the fish-hunt only to find out that the fish have become smarter than you imagined.
If you’re on a boat and the shore, but you’re not making as enough catches as you had planned or wanted, then maybe you have to switch tactics and try the Carolina Rig option. If you don’t know how to go about it, do not worry, as this article will teach you all you need to know about setting up a Carolina rig.
See the different types of fishing reels
How Do I Setup A Carolina Rig?
To make a Carolina Rig, you would need to get a line, a bead, and a slip sinker ready. You also need a swivel to complete the setup.
To begin, you would put the bead on the line and then set it before your swivel. The slip sinker should also be put on the line before it is placed before the swivel. You know you’re ready to go when your bait is connected to the leader.
The best worms used in making a Carolina Rig are soft plastic lures and not the common live baits. One of the major advantages of setting up a Carolina Rig is that it can blend the rig appropriately, depending on whatever equipment is available at that time. During the setup, if you find out that the line you’re using is already bad, a fixed bead can curb it. The line damage can also be stopped by a neoprene stop that is connected to the swivel.
Although it is not necessary or compulsory, it is always recommended that you go for a 3-foot leader for all situations. Whenever you’re operating (fishing) in waters that are more shallow, a leader that is short in length will also prove to be very useful. Again, even if you’re fishing in deeper waters, you can’t go wrong with the 3-foot leader.
An essential element of the rig is a rotating swivel. The bait will be kept from spinning as normal if the swivel snags. You might encounter some difficulties when trying to tie a spinning swivel ring; that’s why it is recommended to use Palomar knots as you would be able to hold everything together. Palomar knots are very easy to set up because they take just a few minutes. This is one of the reasons why the rig is a popular one.
Why Carolina Rigs Work So Well
There are two different feeding options that bass has. You either opt for the aggressive or the opportunistic option. The fish will launch an immediate attack on anything that appears like food when in aggressive mode. Also, when in this mode, the rig will become extra effective, but on the other hand, in the other feeding option (opportunistic feeding option), the rig becomes shiny.
The opportunistic feeding mode will make the bass remain rooted to one spot and also show signs of laziness even when searching for what to eat when hunger strikes.
The Carolina lure makes it very easy for you to tease the fish with your bait. You will be able to flash the bait across the face of the fish till it you get its attention. The fish then decides whether it not it wants to go for the bait.
In a situation where the fish decides against going for the bait, the circular motion kicks in and does its job. The circular motion here is just one of the handy features of the Carolina rig. It helps regain the attention of the fish even if you lost it earlier. How this happens is that it brings the bait back around the fish, luring it into taking a bite.
The job of a sliding sinker is to make sure that the rig is kept low in the water such that it becomes more likely for the bass to want to take a bite. Many professionals use this method to discover the fish’s location before deciding whether to strike immediately or change to another rig. However, using the sliding sinker is not always the best option available.
Read about fishing lines
When To Use A Carolina Rig
Even though the Carolina Rig has good adaptability skills, it works to its fullest capacity in some particular circumstances. Bass tend to find their way toward the bottom of the water, mostly during winter months — the best time to make use of Carolina rigs.
When the weather is windy, the bass would actively engage in more swims than sunny. You can use the rig on occasions like this if you want to make use of its ability to work in larger areas. In this situation, the heavy sinker will commence activity. The heavy sinker will ensure that the rig takes the right spot in the bottom of the water, making it easier to get the bait in the path of the fish.
How To Use A Carolina Rig
If you want to make the best use of this rig, you should use a 7-foot (or longer) stiff rod. Also, by recommendation, you should use a baitcasting reel that has a wealth of high speed. Using a good casting rod is great, too, because it will help remove the slack from the line and activate the hook as soon as the bass bites.
Once you’re done casting, hold your rod to the water and move it from one position to another but in slow motion. Continuing to do this will make the bait move in the same direction and motion as you, capturing the fish’s attention till you’re able to lure it.
What Makes The Carolina Rig Unique?
The Texas Rig and the Carolina Rig are quite similar. They both make use of a bead and a sliding sinker, but they also have a difference; while the Carolina Rig uses a swivel and a leader, the Texas Rig does not. What this means is that the hook on the Texas Rig sinks to the bottom by itself. To use this rig, you would need to have first mastered the art of hook placement.
The Carolina and the Texas Rigs operate quite differently. While the former takes advantage of water spins to attract and lure the fish, the latter uses the swim-through technique. This is so because there is no circular movement, and the lure would not cover as much area as the Carolina Rig would.
When Should I Not Use The Carolina Rig?
Although you can use the Carolina Rig in most cases, there are some cases where you should not try to use it. Don’t use the rig in any thick vegetation because it will hit a snag due to how long the leader is.
How To Make The Rig Better
The recommended weight to use with the rig is the tungsten weights.
Instead of using glass beads, make use of plastic. If you want to change your leader line, use a fluorocarbon line.
Final Words
While the Texas Rig can also be an option, you will always find the Carolina Rig more useful and effective. Hence, you first need to get yourself acquainted with the steps to make a Carolina Rig, as it is a decision you won’t regret.
Also, read about differences between wetsuits and drysuits‘.
