carolina rig retrieive

[natebosox]

what kind of retrieve is best to use on a carolina rig. nice and slow or burn it like a crankbait.

[elnutsmalljaws]

Never heard of burning a C Rig like a crankbait. Slow sweep to the side, reel up the slack as you are bringing your rod tip back to the center position, then slow sweep to the side again, repeat, repeat. Set the hook the same sideways as you are sweeping to better your hookup ratio as well. You are trying to keep the sinker in contact with the bottom to stir it up plus you can feel the cover better and then along comes the lizard, worm or other soft plastic behind.

[coombro]

Never heard of burning a C Rig like a crankbait. Slow sweep to the side, reel up the slack as you are bringing your rod tip back to the center position, then slow sweep to the side again, repeat, repeat. Set the hook the same sideways as you are sweeping to better your hookup ratio as well. You are trying to keep the sinker in contact with the bottom to stir it up plus you can feel the cover better and then along comes the lizard, worm or other soft plastic behind.

well hush my mouth! I've always worked it like a texas rig. It worked but I wondered about it. Not that big of a bass fisherman, but I'll start working it to the side like you suggest thanks.

[MagikSmallie]

yup elnuts is right on I just want to echo what he said ...the sweeping and dragging slow is the way to go. and set your hook in a sweeping side motion too!

[Fishin is life]

Let the fish tell you how slow they want the bait worked.....if youre using a bait with good buoyancy leave it in the strike zone

[Col Forbin]

Let the fish tell you how slow they want the bait worked.....if youre using a bait with good buoyancy leave it in the strike zone

I have to agree with this. 99% of the time I fish them as slow as possible. Dragging 3 feet or so, and let it set for up to 30 seconds or more, sometimes longer, then repeat. Sometimes it takes me several minutes on each retrieve. The last tournament I fished, I was dragging a rig catching a few here and there, then I burnt it in to try another cast. Got nailed. Started burning it in like a crankbait, stopping every once in a while letting it set, then burn some more. Caught a fish on almost every cast for a couple of hours, won the club tournament, and would have finished in the top 5 of the BFL going on that day. However, I would say the slow technique on a typical day will produce much more.

[walkeraviator]

I have never fished a carolina rig... how do you feel a strike if there is a weight sitting on teh bottom between your lure and yoru rod tip????

[Col Forbin]

I reel up my slack, keep my rod down and pointed not at the bait, but about 20 degrees off. You will feel a tick or a tug and you are set to sweep the rod paralel to the water around you. It is best with as long of rod as you can manage - I use a 7'6". I catch at least 50% of my fish on Ky lake on a c-rig - but I fish it half the time.

[Fishin is life]

Because your line runs through the egg sinker or carolina weight its almost like there isn't a weight there.....Typically you will feel the fish bite but sometimes they will just be on there when you pick it up.....watching your line is very important in c rig fishin...and as with most baits, when in doubt, set the hook......Col Forbin you have PM

[Embrey]

ive tried that crap for a year and still aint got a bite. pretty much done with it

[Col Forbin]

ive tried that crap for a year and still aint got a bite. pretty much done with it

Embrey, if you make it down here any time from a couple of weeks from now to the end of July, I will make you a believer in the carolina rig. They are a must for ledge time here. If they aren't hitting a crankbait, I will drag a rig down a ledge and usually do pretty good. I will also get into them on jig or big worm, but the majority of my ledge fish come from a c-rig. I can't wait.

[slowride]

I 2nd the tech to catching 50% of my fish as well. Its a tried and true technique and super easy. However a guide told me once that women will out fish a man 2-1 on the c-rig, due to they fish it a lot slower. And floating plastics work better from my experience, and dont use fluro for your leader!