I was at my fishing pond of choice this weekend and the water was clear.  I was only passively fishing, more like experimenting and I rigged up a C-rig.  I thought I'd pull it through the shallow water where I could see it and get a feel for the movement and how it will work under water.  

I had a 1/2 oz weight and about  18 inches of leader out.  I had a 4 inch plastic Zoom something or other.

I pulled it slowly about 2 feet at a time and all it did was drag the bottom.  I was thinking it would get up into the water and not settle so fast.  Didn't look very appetizing.  I tried to put on my best fish thinking cap too.   the only way to get it up in the water was to bob it as I dragged it and then it would sink quickly to the bottom, then drag some more.  Am I missing something here?  

I got a little action by doing my pulls in a diagonal up and back pulling motion, but this is not how I read to work this rig.

Will it have better action as the water gets deeper?    thats the only thing I can think of, due to the relative density between the plastic and the water pressure at depth the worm would seem lighter and have more of a responsive reaction off the bottom.  but I could just be way over thinking this whole thing.  

HELP!!! :-?

You might want to try a plastic that floats. Some plastics float by default while others do not. It seems that you might have been using a worm that does not float.

The front of the package will usually tell you. I know for sure that Roboworms float.  The height that the plastic will float is dictated by the length of the leader generally speaking. Gotta to go back to Trigonometry.

Funny that you mention this. The first time I tried a C-rig as a Green newbie was with a 5" senko, and let me tell you, that sucker doesn't float.  ;D

Floating? :-? :-[    dont I feel like a freaking idiot.  

Thanks.... I'll go get some this week.

try the roboworm pitchin craw, its done pretty well on the C-rig for me.

well let me tell ya something too..not all "floating" plastics 'float'..maybe by themselves with no hook in em- but then how ya gonna catch the fish?  what i use for trying to keep it somewhat afloat for soft bottom lakes is i put a rattle in the plastic bait. the air tight rattle seems to at least keep it boyant while adding some more sound (like a tube ). ...on hard bottom lake just let it drag.

Any of the 3X products will float on a Crig.  I like the Zulu soft jerkbait, but you gotta keep them cool and away from your other plastics.  Bad things happen  

Some times I drag it, especially in an area i'm not familiar with. It helps me determine whats on the bottom. Plus when the weight hits something it clicks against the bead.

If i know there are some vegitation, I might just lift the tip of the rod slowly, then drop it reel the slack, and repeat.

I usually use a power worm or some sort of beaver/craw. senkos are heavy and are meant to sink with a nice wiggle on the way down. If your dragging your c-rig the heavy senko will do the same.

With the spawn coming up please try your C-rig with a 6 inch lizzard but...place the hook on the SIDE of the lizzard.

It gives the bait another way to move that the fish do not see very often.

3X's are good but as said, keep them away from your other plastics.

Great suggestion about the foam earplug in a tube.

You may also want to try a Creature bait, too.

Just experiment to see what they are interested in eating that day.

thanks for the input  guys.....I may learn how to do this yet. 8-)

I have heard of the ear plug in the tube bait before. The results were pretty good according to my source. I myself have not tried it, yet. And the reason I have not tried it is because I stick to spinners, lipped and lipless, And a small assortment of plastic worms and lizards on drop shot.

I pulled it slowly about 2 feet at a time and all it did was drag the bottom.  I was thinking it would get up into the water and not settle so fast.  Didn't look very appetizing.

Think about a real lizard or craw... before they see a predator, they just ease along.  They are walking, not swiming.

On occasion, I'll float one over grass but even in thick grass I prefer to let them ride the grass top.  I usually just use a lighter weight so it doesn't dig in as far.