If I had to pick one way to present bait to bass it would be using a Carolina rig. Once I learned the nuances of this presentation it became my “go to” rig when I needed a kicker-fish to round out a tournament bag. The Carolina rig can be a deadly presentation for big bass.
One of the greatest things I like about a Carolina rig, is the bait does not have any depth limits. A crankbait for instance has a maximum depth that it can run. Typically I can get a big crankbait down to around 15 to17 feet and that’s about it. A Carolina rig can be fished in water depths of 30 feet or more and not miss a beat.
When fishing a Carolina rig, I like to use a 7½ -foot flippin’ stick teamed up with a matching reel spooled up with 15-lbs to 20-lbs test monofilament line. I tie a swivel at the end of the line and attach a Bullet Weight® Carolina Quick Rig. On the other end of the rig I tie a 12-pound section of line with a swivel and then tie on a 3/0 to 5/0 wide gap worm hook.
The length of the leader depends on water clarity. If the water is clear, I use a 4-to 6-foot long leader. If the water clarity is stained or dirty, I use a leader that is 2 to 4 foot long. Once I have the leader line rigged, I hook the swivel end to the Carolina rig and put my plastic offering onto the hook.
Many anglers, including myself, tend to pick a plastic lizard as their choice of lures for this rig. I even like to use the same color and size in most situations – a 6-inch plastic pumpkin-colored lizard with a chartreuse tail. Sometimes you would think that is the only color I have in my tackle box.
There are two important keys when fishing a Carolina rig: one is sound and the other is feel.
Sound is an important property of a Carolina rig because it serves as a fish attractor. When the rig is dragged through rocks for instance, fish become curious and want to check it out. In fact, this sound attraction is so strong I have had bass pick up the sinker and try to carry the weight away instead of my bait. Sound is what really sets the Bullet Weight Carolina Quick Rig apart from other traditional Carolina sinkers. The Quick Rig has a three-piece Ultra Steel® rattle chamber. Because of steel’s hard properties it creates a loud noise underwater that helps get the bass’s attention.
The second important point in using a Carolina rig is feel. During the summer months bass take up residence near deepwater rocks that have a food source, so it’s important to be able to get a feel of the bottom and know if there are rocks down there. I get this information with both my fishfinder and by feeling the sensitivity of the line. Since the Bullet Weights Quick Rig is made from Ultra Steel, it is much more sensitive to the bottom than traditional lead rigs. I am much more able to feel rocks and soil types by putting my fingers on the line as I drag the rig along the bottom.
I highly recommend trying the Bullet Weight Carolina Quick Rig when you are going to be using this type of presentation. You will soon find out why it is one of the go-to baits for bass anglers seeking big fish.