I saw in a few other threads that people are wanting to learn how to jig and c-rig effectively.  I'm going to list a few quick tips that will hopefully help.

Jigs:

1.  For shallow jigging, use natural colors and light weights (1/8-3/8)

2.  For deeper jigging, use black/blue and heavier weights (3/8+)

3.  I call deep water 15ft or greater

4.  Use trailers that fit your style.  Action (curl tail) if you like to swim jigs like me or chunk/creature style if you like to hop/dead stick them.

5.  Maintain bottem contact with your jigs!!!!

6.  Always fish a jig on a semi-tight to tight line and watch your line carefully.  Many bites will be subtle strikes on the fall.  These are hard to detect

Carolina Rigs:

1.  Use a senko or tube as a starting trailer

2.  Maintain contact with the bottem

3.  Try to drag over dropoffs, down points, or near grasslines

4.  use lightest weight that is practical

Excellent Mr. Texan, while I have you attention on the subject of C-rigging might I ask you a simple question?

Do y'all drag your rig with a sideways motion or overhead motion  

Sideways sometimes I hop the weight. How do you guys do it?

I usually lift my rod straight up and drag the bait right at me.  I will drag, pause, drag, pause...etc.  I will also shake the rig in place a fe times.  This will cause some clatter with the clicker/bead/weight and will make the bait jump around in place.

Another thought to add.  Heavy jigs like 3/4 oz or 1 oz. football jigs with big trailers like Paca Craws are a good changeup for a Crig.  i fish them the exact same way as a Crig.  Sometimes, this rig works much better.  I have some friends that fish Barkley/KY Lake and really kill the fish this way.

Brad

Do y'all drag your rig with a sideways motion or overhead motion

Depends on the bottom.  Most of the time its a side drag.

Why do you ask Catt?  How do you fish yours?

When it comes to C-rigs I'm a total amateur and have always read that you should drag the rig with a sideways motion but when I watch the Pros on TV they all drag the rig with an overhead motion like a T-rig without the hopping.

This is one thing that I believe is all about bottom structure.  For me I have found with mudd, pee gravel, and llight weeds.  more of a side pull works better.  Say 8-9oclock pull.  But if I'm fishing bigger rocks more of a trig stye.  other wise you get hung alot.  Atleast I do.

...otherwise you get hung alot.

Well, if you're not getting hung up, you're probably not fishing the right places!

I NEVER have to sharpen single hooks!    :

have always read that you should drag the rig with a sideways motion but when I watch the Pros on TV they all drag the rig with an overhead motion like a T-rig without the hopping.

Catt-

The vertical drag is a natural thing for us T-riggers.  ...lol  It's the way we are used to feeling and is our comfort zone. (and "in-line" with our hooksets)  The reason they say to sweep sideways with the c-rig is to keep the line "in-line" with how it is during your hookset.  That will reduce a little of the slack or bow in your line at the set point and keep you in position until you need to set.

Ok let me see if I'm getting this right?

I'll always heard you should keep the rod tip low in the 8-9 o'clock position, sweep horizontal to the  water, & set hook with the same horizontal motion. The idea is that this keeps you from lifting the weight off the bottom. Yet when I've watched the Pro during tournaments they are dragging the C-rig vertically like a T-rig.

With the horizontal drag is that every thing is fine as long as I'm casting directly over the bow or directly behind the boat, turn my body sideways and start the sweep. The problem I run into is directly over the bow or directly behind the boat aint always where I want to cast. If I cast perpendicular to the boat, start sweeping then there is trolling motors, consoles with wind shields or outboards in the way. Keep in mind on Toledo Bend C-rigs with lizards are killer but you gonna be all up in the buck brush.

So I guess my point is it doesn't matter if I sweep vertically as long as I compensate by shorting the sweep keeping the weight on the bottom.

Make any sense to anybody?  

there is trolling motors, consoles with wind shields or outboards in the way

Stand up and be over them.  ...lol

I don't think your weight stays on the bottom, regardless of your technique....  unless you have a HUGE weight.  The whole sideways sweep makes up for the leader which can be coming back towards you when a fish has it.  

Picture this, on a t-rig hookset the rod tip may go (for me) 4-6 feet on the snap. (give or take)  Plenty to load the rod, take up any bow in the line plus drive the hook through plastic and fish.

I can get 1.5 times (or more) the rod tip distance on a sweep.  Now if you had a 2-3 foot leader on a c-rig you could need to move the weight 2-3 feet towards you before the "setting" portion of the hookset even started, if the fish were moving towards you.  And if the fish had moved some line through the weight you may need even more than the original leader's length.

I'm not great at the sweep so my crutch is to c-rig with shorter leaders than most and that kind of evens things up for me.

Hope all that made sense.

Thanks guys, now who fishes C-rigs shallow; 10' or less

I do. I throw them a lot when fishing the open area between docks also.

Thanks guys, now who fishes C-rigs shallow; 10' or less

Me too...  I'll throw it on the bank (on purpose) and crawl it back in sometimes...  when the fish are up hunting craws there are no rules.  ...lol  Also on banks that have a nice little drop or ledge up tight, or even stairsteps I won't shy away.  Also when fish are skiddish and don't like the t-rig, I'll pitch the c-rig up to and sometimes under docks.  

The bulk of the time I'm c-rigging deeper.  I just wanted to say that sometimes it pays to c-rig shallow.  A light leader can also do wonders at times.

i think another good thing for someone to learn about fishing either a c-rig or jig is to know that all fish will not hit the same. Sometimes a fish will hit aggressively and tap the line hard other times they may only grab hold the bait and hold it in place. Know how you bait is acting when coming over the bottom will help you detect bites that may normally miss.

I use a 1 oz weight for all c-rigging, shallow or deep. I also always use the side sweep, tip down retrieve. This insures that my weight is always on the bottom banging into stuff and kicking up that little mud trail that helps the fish find my bait.

And if the fish start picking up my weight (as happens sometimes with the c-rig) I'll just put on a heavy jig to use as my weight.

And Catt, with all the offshore stuff you fish, I'm real surprised that you havent used the c-rig much. Once you get the hang of it, you'll have a whole new weapon to fire at 'em.

I fish it like a t-rig without the short hops. its a very slow sweeping motion. I always use a 3/4oz. weight because its not too heavy that it gets clugged up w/ grass yet ain't too light in that it takes forever to get to the bottom. As for jigs it depends. If its a football jig i drag it, if its a regular jig i hop it.

I fish a C-rig but not enough to be proficient with it but that'll change in 08