Going Weedless with the Carolina Rig

After my somewhat successful fishing trip to Lake Tulloch I realized that I had to add some techniques to my arsenal. While I was fishing in shallow water it occurred to me that I didn’t have anything really to throw into the weeds. I had grown so used to throwing jigs and crank baits that I forgot about one of fishing’s oldest techniques - The Carolina Rig.

During a fishing trip a couple of weeks ago with my brother he immediately went with a carolina rigged brush-hog. Needless to say, he was the first to bring a fish in the boat that day. That’s when we got to talking. He agreed that it was one of the best weed-less techniques out there and he said that the brush-hog is a bait that almost always produces strikes. I did some investigating when I got home. I looked at some photos online and how the brush hog sits on the bottom is a tell tale sign that it’s designed to draw attention.

The next morning I found myself at Coyote Bait shop loading up on beads, bullet weights, hooks, swivels, and some leader line. We were going fishing that afternoon and I thought it was time for me to give it a try. I used my Lamiglas XC705 with 15lb test fluorocarbon line. I tied on the bullet weight, bead, swivel, and then added an 18 inches of 8lb test fluorocarbon as my leader. I went with watermelon colored baby brush hogs and the typical off set hooks to make it look nice and pretty. This is by far one of the best weedless setups I’ve ever used. I spend less time taking weeds off my line and more time fishing.

That day I had more success than any other person on the boat. It was my first time using the carolina rig (remember - I’ve never claimed to be a pro at this ) and now I’ll use it when conditions call for it. I also learned that you have to let the fish take it. And then, try to get as much slack out of the line as possible before you set the hook. Also, if you set it too early you’ll come up empty handed. Be patient; give the fish some time to slurp it up and you’ll achieve great results.

More about the setup: If you have the choice, go with tungsten weights as they create more sound and are smaller in size. Thanks to my brother I also know why there are different colored beads. According to him, the beads (and their color) attract smaller fish which in turn create enough curiosity and action to get the fish into a frenzy.

Good luck out there and have fun.

Marce