Hey to all! 
 

I’m really trying to get into Bass fishing. So far I haven’t caught anything and I’m hoping that a Carolina Rig will help me. I’m trying to figure out what I need for the set up. I’m interested in ANY size bass. Small bass is completely fine with me.  I just want to catch some. 
 

Here is what (I think) I know so far.  Flouro - main line, mono leader (various lengths so maybe I can start out with a 24” leader.) I know I need some type of egg/bullet sinker and apparently some beads. I saw a video about a person using Carolina keepers instead of a swivel. That sounds good, but not sure. 

 

I have a spinner rod and a couple of Zebco spin cast rods for now. I’ll be fishing from the bank at a Lake that looks like a large river to me.  I have included a picture of the lake to show you what I mean if that even makes a difference on the Carolina Rig.  

 

Sinker > bead > barrel swivel (without the snap) > leader > hook . Also if you’ve never caught anything, Carolina rig might not be the best thing to start with. It’s a little odd trying to get used to it at first. 

I’ve tried a two hook black and silver rip stop rapala, weightless wacky rigged worm, weightless Texas rigged worm,  and a white rooster tail. I thought the Carolina Rig would be a good next choice, but maybe not.  

34 minutes ago, TCB said:

I’ve tried a two hook black and silver rip stop rapala, weightless wacky rigged worm, weightless Texas rigged worm,  and a white rooster tail. I thought the Carolina Rig would be a good next choice, but maybe not.  

Couldn’t hurt, give it a whirl! Just use a heavy sinker that maintains constant bottom contact and use a sweeping hook set to the side 

So on the main flouro line, place sinker, bead, barrel swivel, then, mono leader and lastly the hook? Is that the correct order? 
 

What kind of bead? Does sporting goods stores sell beads just for the Carolina Rig? Is there a specific size or color bead to use? 

What type hook? What about Gammy offset, extra wide gap?  

 

ALSO, just a regular bullet sinker that weighs around 1/2 ounce?

 

 

 

12 minutes ago, TCB said:

So on the main flouro line, place sinker, bead, barrel swivel, then, mono leader and lastly the hook? Is that the correct order? 

Yep

 

12 minutes ago, TCB said:

What kind of bead? Does sporting goods stores sell beads just for the Carolina Rig? Is there a specific size or color bead to use? 

Even a craft-bead will work...I raided the wife's craft hoard for a selection. I use 4mm-9mm silver or 4mm-8mm octagonal cut red depending.

 

Ya, you can get them even from Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-Claw-A8BEAD20R-Plastic-Beads/dp/B0084EGEYK/ref=sr_1_25?crid=1FFYE7XACHILK&dchild=1&keywords=fishing+beads+freshwater&qid=1614779080&sprefix=fishing+beads%2Caps%2C202&sr=8-25

 

17 minutes ago, TCB said:

What type hook? What about Gammy offset, extra wide gap?

If you're tossing worms, straight-shank offset, if you're tossing bulky baits like a Beaver then go with the EWG

 

18 minutes ago, TCB said:

ALSO, just a regular bullet sinker that weighs around 1/2 ounce?

1/2oz would be the lightest I'd use for a C-Rig...I've also got 3/4 and 1oz weights.

I want you to master the c-rig and any and all techniques you want to try. You will get as good as you want to with any of them. 
 

But I’d like to see you nail that first bass and get that over with. Certainly doing it easier and what I feel more effective at first. I truly believe you can do that by tying on a 1/0 or 2/0 worm hook, pinch on a #7 or a #5 round split shot 8-12” above the hook. Use a 4” PowerWorm or something like a GY 5” kit tail worm and pop and hop it on the bottom. I feel that strongly that this presentation will catch bass. 

So I’m assuming just one bead?

So it’s ok if both the sinker and bead freely move up and down the line?

4 minutes ago, TCB said:

So I’m assuming just one bead?

So it’s ok if both the sinker and bead freely move up and down the line?

 

Just one bead is fine. The primary reason for the bead is to protect to knot that secures the swivel to the main line from getting beat up by the sinker. The sinker and bead will both slide freely.

 

Here's a handy diagram:

 

[rod]------------[sinker][bead]--[swivel]------[hook/lure]

Is a 5 inch senko good for Carolina rigging? What lures do you recommend? 

Rage Tail Eeliminator, Craw, Rage Hawg and Lizard.

3 minutes ago, TCB said:

Is a 5 inch senko good for Carolina rigging? What lures do you recommend? 

Any Senko or clone (Zoom Zlinky, BPS Stik-O, etc), craws, bugs, lizards...pretty much any plastic can be used...just have to figure out what the bass want.

Does the color apply like watermelon red and green pumpkin as it applies to worms? I think the water is mostly clear. 
 

Is there a soft plastic kit I can purchase that will have a variety of soft plastic lures instead of me buying several different packs of lures? 

Edited March 3, 20215 yr by TCB

Carolina rig is simplicity itself. A hook, a sinker, and a swivel, maybe a bead or 2.

I would not recommend it as a way to catch your first bass. A lot of experience required to make it work well in varying situations. Also, I think there are better ways to fish more productively most of the time. But have at it, what's the worst that could happen. if you do I would recommend a mini version, or as the bass guys say, mojo or split shot.

So instead of the bullet sinker, use a split shot?

14 minutes ago, BassWhole! said:

I would not recommend it as a way to catch your first bass. A lot of experience required to make it work well in varying situations. Also, I think there are better ways to fish more productively most of the time.

A big issue even for experienced fisherman is casting this rig. 

7 minutes ago, TCB said:

So instead of the bullet sinker, use a split shot?

Yes. Bass guys like to separate the different ways they fish for bass into "techniques". But there is really no such thing. The 3 things I listed above function the same way and vary only in scale. ie one is a bigger version of the other or vise versa. 

1 minute ago, roadwarrior said:

A big issue even for experienced fisherman is casting this rig. 

yup, plus the feeling the bite thing, and setting the hook thing, and getting the length and diameter of the leader right thing, and picking the right bait and hook thing...

I'm surprised anyone ever catches fish with it...  

What I know is that the few guys I know who like & fish the Carolina rig REALLY like that rig and fish it most of the time.  That ain't me, but when I was fishing BFL as a co-angler, there were times when that rig was the one to fish, mostly because it is harder to get back- boated when that's what you're throwing.

 

What I finally ended up with for throwing Carolina rigs was spinning gear.    I had a 7' MH spinning rod (on the heavy side of MH) , a 3000 size reel filled with 20 or 30 lb braid.  I don't think I ever threw less than a half ounce weight, and 3/4 oz was what I usually threw.  The Carolina rig is an unwieldy rig to throw and I had issues throwing it with a bait caster, which is why I went with spinning gear.   I really didn't notice any difference in strike detection between bait casting & spinning gear, the only advice I have on that is to tighten up, then set the hook sideways, in the opposite direction from where the fish is swimming.  If the fish is swimming towards you, you probably aren't going to catch that fish, but still, try to tighten up & power set side ways, might as well power set to your strongest side.  Good luck.

4 hours ago, TCB said:

So instead of the bullet sinker, use a split shot?

No I was referring to you fishing a split shot rig vs. the Carolina rig to get a few bass under your belt. But the split shot thing is my bad. The Carolina rig is great. But I don’t feel that it is the easiest way to start bass fishing. My bad. 

If you think a split shot rig is easier, I’m all ears. Of course I don’t know how to set it up or fish it. 

Try a swinging hardhead with a long shank work hook and drag it along the bottom. It looks and moves more natural give it try and see what works.

Is there a certain plastic to use on the swinging hardhead?

This might help:

 

Carolina Rigging with Castledine - Major League Fishing

The Carolina rig is one of the more difficult rigs to fish . Nothing wrong with throwing Beetle Spins  and they catch the heck out of bass . I did a lot of that last year .

Does a beetle spin tie directly to the line? Do I need a swivel?