I run a bullet in front of a swivel. I like ti run a swivel so hook weight will keep creature baits right side up.
I run a bullet in front of a swivel. I like ti run a swivel so hook weight will keep creature baits right side up.
Respect no wake zones, Evinrude guys need a place to race too ;)
I saw a video of some pro who fishes a Carolina rig a lot. he used two tungsten weights turned butt to butt which allows them to clack. Works great for me.
For what it may be worth never had line damaged due to lead weight. I use a glass bead either red or clear placed on main line between the knot at the barrel swivel and the weight. That said, been using a 3/8 oz barrel weight with 29" 10# leader line with a barrel swivel and tying on a 4/0-5/0 extra wide light wire hook. Using a trick style bait with NO Salt in the bait used. I do like the inserting of the shrink tube inside the weight to protect the knot at the barrel weight on a C-rig
I fish a Carolina Rig in deep rocks a lot. I have a slightly different setup than most people but it works great for me, I have won a lot with this rig. I use cheap 1oz steel weights, almost as hard as tungsten so you get a good feel of the bottom, and because steel is lighter than lead the weights are pretty big around so they are less likely to get stuck in cracks. I pre-rig my weights on a 6 inch section of steel leader material, with a loop at the front and a swivel at the back. If you pay attention when you are fishing a Carolina Rig in rocks the first inch or so of line in front of the weight gets chewed up and if you don’t retie often you will end up breaking the line right in front of the weight. The steel leader takes that problem away, I can fish the same rig all day without worrying about it breaking from a frayed line.
I never leave home without my Carolina Rig, I fish it on a 7’6” flipping stick with 50lb braid, I generally use a fairly long 10lb mono leader and my favorite bait is a 4 inch mini lizard, it ends up being a finesse presentation on the back of a heavy weight, strong line, and powerful rod.
The only problem I have with this setup is that the weight isn’t free to slide up the mainline. I don’t like that if I fish picks the bait up and runs off, he’ll feel the weight instantly. I like to have a free sliding weight so it minimizes the resistance felt by the fish. The already make these types of pre-rigged setups and I don’t use them for this reason.
On my rigs the weight can slide up 6-8 inches before it reaches the end of the steel leader, if a fish runs that far before you set the hook you never had a chance anyway. Besides when you are fishing 30ft deep with a 1oz weight there is so much tension on the line that it isn’t moving a bit once the fish bites no matter how you rig it.
"The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments
You should know that in bee tending if you don't shut your trap the bees will get out.
You could always try the steel egg sinkers thats what i used last year on my C-Rig. No fraying issues for me.
Dustin Davis
Fish the days no one else wants to!!
2009 Skeeter ZX225
225 Yamaha 4stroke
Minn Kota Ultrex
HDS Gen3 12/HDS Carbon 9
I just use an "Okie Rig." It has about a 6" tungsten wire. I have noticed any less fish when using one.
USN Retired
2020 Basscat Caracal
2020 Mercury 225 ProXS 4s
only Tungsten for me on a C-Rig
ive been using lead bullet weights for 20 years my dad made a mold so we pour our own 10z bullet weight i use plastic beads from walmart craft section. 50lb braid put a bead on then the sinker then 2 more beads then swivel then my leader most of the time a 4'-5' leader with a zoom speed crawl i fish this in water from 1' deep to 30' deep always done me right!!
Brass weights from BPS or regular lead egg sinkers but I do not use this rig a lot.
Allen
I only use steel egg weights for Carolina Rigging, I think they are better than tungsten for Carolina Rigging. They are hard enough that you get the good bottom contact feel, and because they are larger in diameter than tungsten or even lead they are less likely to get hung up in the cracks between rocks.
The fraying I was talking about wasn’t from the weight on my line, it is the first couple of inches in front of your weight getting frayed from being dragged through the rocks. If you are really working in heavy rocks and don’t have a little steel just in front of your weight you will need to retie constantly or risk breaking off.
I use the disk lead sinkers. They are flat with a brass wire to run the line thru. When they start pulling water these wont roll in the current like bullet or egg sinkers. I'm mainly fishing rocks and the disk wont snag in the rocks like the narrower sinkers. Look at walmart for them.
No matter what type weights you use, if you are having problems with your line fraying when fishing rocks, put a 6 inch piece of clear surgical tubing on your line before tying on your sinker. You can let it slide free, if you want. It will eliminate 95% of your line fraying problems.
"The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments
I fish C-Rig a lot and am interested in this setup. The steel leader....is this pre-made or something you modify? I know you mention a loop....do you tie directly to this loop? I go thru a ton of weights and hope this can be a solution I have been looking for.
Further details appreciated.
"The man of system is apt to be very wise in his own conceit; and is often so enamored with the supposed beauty of his own ideal plan of government that he cannot suffer the smallest deviation from any part of it…He seems to imagine that he can arrange the different members of a great society with as much ease as the hand arranges the different pieces upon a chessboard.” Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments