I have just started using a carolina rig this year. I have had more than 10 hits on it, but have only hooked one fish. I am using a 6'6" MH rod with 12lb test and a 10lb. leader. When I feel the hit I try to sweep my rod to the side, but I have had no success. Should I be letting some slack in the line b/f the hookset? Any tips on how to hook these fish would be great.

others may do it differently, but i will let the fish take all the slack and get the line taught... then i will pull my rod with a quick jerk opposite of the way the fish is going (if its running).. otherwise, if it hits it and just keeps biting it, i'll wait, make sure i have all the slack out of the line and then pull the rod into my chest to complete the hook set...

one thing that i do different than you, i use 1 line, without leaders, swivels and all that....

i put a bead on the line, get my weight, tie a palomer knot with atleast 2' of line hanging thru. then i just tie my hook on at the tag end of the line... less chances for the fish to get away and you dont have to worry about the slack between your swivel and hook

When I feel the fish, I reel down to remove the slack and use a long sweeping hookset cranking as I go. A longer rod would allow you to move more line. I use a 7' heavy rod and would use a longer one if I had one. A wide gap hook seems to increase my hook-up percentage.

Welcome to the forum.

I do about the same as K-Mac.  The sweeping hookset is one fast motion and keep reeling.  Sometimes I will set the hook a second time if I think the sweep did not hit the fish very hard.  Did I say sweep fast!!!

I use a 7'6" MH flippin stick for c-rigs.  The long rod is needed to take up slack between the swivel and hook on the sweep set.

keep at it! once you get the feel for it will be easy ;D

Indeed Russ010, very interesting concept.

I really like that thought.

If the rig is far enough out, at least 40 feet of line, I take up slack and side sweep the rod low to the water and reel non-stop until the bass is close to the surface, then rely on the drag to maintain just enough pressure to prevent a hard fight. I always use a lower weight leader, interested in getting that tungsten sinker back. The only times I've had the leader break is when using glass beads that broke (don't use them now) or when the bait gets hung up, recasting without retying.

Jim