I agree with most everything everyone else has said on how to rig the Carolina rig. This is my most productive way to fish. I use 17lb for both. I fish it pretty fast, just keeping the weight in contact with the bottom or anything else on the bottom. I have good success even fishing it through brush piles, and I seldom get snagged. Most of the time I have to retie because of nicks in the line not because of hang ups. I use a Palomar knot on all three knots. One thing you need to do is start out tying your leader to the swivel first, that way you don't have to run your rod and reel back through the loop.

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