The Dog Days of Summer:
The C-Rig Season
by Bruce Callis Jr
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Bass fishing is more than just a hobby. You can go out and do it at any time from the bank or hop into a kayak, a canoe, a jonboat, or a fancy bass boat and fish as long as you want. You can wade a river and try your luck while staying cool. But no matter how we do it, we are always trying to improve and become better skilled at it. It doesn’t matter how old you are, what sex you are, or what color your skin is, we are all on the journey of catching that bigger bass each time we go. I know, I have been doing it nearly all my life, and as my kids use to tell me, I am older than dirt, so it has been a long time.
We all start with the basic ways to fish. A Texas rigged worm, a spinnerbait, a bobber and nightcrawler, all the simple ways to catch a bass. One of those simple ways is a Carolina rig. With all the new techniques, it has been one that we often forget, or overlook, when we are fishing. But it is a great way to fish during the dog days of summer and during the coldest days of winter. It just needs a little practice and a lot of patience.
What is a Carolina rig? To put it simply, it is a weight dragged along the bottom with a leader to a soft plastic bait that is allowed to work it’s magic bouncing and swimming around behind the weight. The secret is making sure you have it set up correctly. Let’s start off with the rod. A good medium heavy rod that is at least 7 feet long, but in general, no longer than 7’5” long with a moderate-fast tip. The longer rod helps in setting the hook as you use a long sweeping hookset unlike a jaw cracking hookset from fishing laydowns and grass. The moderate to fast tip allows the rod to load up so that we can make better casts. You also need a reel that has a good pick up of line, so at least a 7:1 gear ratio is desired. As to line, everyone has their preference. Some prefer braided line with a fluorocarbon leader, while most will go with straight fluorocarbon. In general, 14 to 20 lb test is probably the normal and it varies depending on depth and bottom composition.
The business end of the set up requires the following items: a sinker, a bead, a swivel, an offset worm hook with a wide gap, and your choice of soft plastic. Some will opt for a clacker bead also to help produce a better sound as you drag it across the bottom. For the sinker, there are many choices. Personally, I prefer a Woo Tungeston barrel weight because of it’s ability to transmit back through the line a clearer understanding of what I am bumping into. But a cylinder style seems to work better, while some still prefer an egg shaped sinker. In general, some opt for a 1/2 ounce weight, while others will always throw an ounce. Then some will use as little as a 1/4 ounce for a more finesse approach. A clacker bead adds an extra amount of noise as it bangs against the weight. A glass or plastic bead is next to help protect the knot. This is a matter of preference, as everyone has a theory which is better. Glass will provide better sound, but at the same time, glass breaks easier, which could cause a sharp place to cut your line. Plastic may not make as much noise, but it is safer. Next is the swivel. I prefer an 80 pound swivel size 6 from SPRO, it is strong enough to handle anything we can dish out and then some. And for a hook, I prefer the Gamakatsu G-Finesse Hybrid Worm hook, but an offset worm hook with a wide gap is the main thing. Size depends on the soft plastic you choose. And you will need a length of leader line to tie from the swivel to the hook. You can go with the same line size as your main line or you can go down in size. I would go with about 3 feet of line before starting to tie it all together.
How to tie it together is next. Once you have everything laying out in front of you, start by threading the sinker onto the main line, followed by a clacker, then the bead. Now to tie it to one end of the swivel. The San Diego or a single Uni knot will work great. Once you have it tied to the main line, attach the leader line. Now to determine the length of the leader, some prefer 12-24 inches, others opt for shoulder width length as a general rule. The clearer the water, the longer you may want your leader. The dirtier the water, the shorter the leader. Let the fish tell you if you are fishing too long a leader. And next is the hook. Thread your bait onto the hook and make sure the knot is in the head of the bait. And it’s that simple.
But what soft plastic do you want to use and what works better? There are many choices indeed, ranging from a small worm to a big 12 inch worm, and different creature baits. The Missile Baits Baby Destroyer is a good medium size choice that works great. Or a Quiver in either 4.5 or 6.5 for a simple, less active enticement. But don’t let it fool you. The tail can be just active enough to drive the bass crazy. The truth be told, you can use just about anything, but you may have to experiment to see what the bass want on that day.
I always found that the biggest challenge is casting since you have a fair amount of line already out before starting. The overhead cast should be avoided the most, as your line is long enough to cause it to hit you in the head or worse, set the hook into yourself. A side arm cast is best, since it keeps the dangerous part away from you and your body.
Now that you have everything set up and have made your cast, it is time to work it back. Here is where you need to pay close attention to detail and you can finesse it across the bottom. Lets say you have an 18” leader. The trick is to know how far you are dragging the weight each time you pull it with your rod. If you hit a rock or piece of wood with your sinker, you know you want your bait to come forward just far enough so that is settles on that piece of cover. Some will us marks on the boat that allows them to move the rod just that distance, giving them more control over the bait and where it lands. We know that bass relate to cover, so you don’t want to drag your soft plastic 3 feet and miss the cover totally. It takes time and practice, but the rewards can be huge, even personal best.
We are all use to getting bit, but the bite on a Carolina rig is totally different, Rarely is it like when we flip to cover, instead, it can just be a mushy feeling. Other times, we may just feel their weight there. Either way, we need to reel down to the weight until we feel them and then with a side sweeping motion, set the hook. Then hold on!
The Carolina rig has been around for a long time, and has a proven track record for landing big bass. The pros still use it, some more than others, but when they are fishing pressured bass, it is a great way to slow down and find the big girls. And some will actually use it up shallow. Don’t just try it for a little bit and stop, make it a fish catcher for you. Have fun and be safe. Remember to wear your PFD, especially if the big motor is engaged. Live to fish another day!