By : Mark Hicks
The Carolina rig doesn't get mentioned often, even as it produces fish for tournament anglers. Here's how to fish it, with advice from Shaw Grigsby.
The Carolina rig became popular with bass anglers decades ago and it has been a mainstay ever since. You don’t hear much about it these days on the pro bass circuits, but it continues to produce for anglers at every level, including Florida’s Shaw Grigsby, one of the most respected professional bass anglers in the country.
Grigsby always has the makings for a Carolina rig in his boat, as he may employ “the old ball and chain” in any season.
Grigsby assembles the basic Carolina rig by threading a 3/4- or 1-ounce sinker onto his main line, usually 17- or 20-pound fluorocarbon. Then he threads on a bead and knots the line to a swivel. The bead protects the knot and adds a clicking sound as it works against the sinker.
To other end of the swivel he attaches a 12- to 14-pound leader, which is fixed to a 5/0 EWG style hook. He goes with a 24-inch to 3-foot leader during the warm months. In cold water and when fishing submerged grass, he ups the leader length to 4 feet.
“I drag a Carolina rig most of the time,” Grigsby said. “That big weight stays in touch with the bottom and stirs up muck and shells on shell bars. The bass are attracted to that and find the bait just floating along.”
In summertime when the bass are most active, Grigsby also triggers bites by popping the Carolina rig off the bottom and letting it fall back.
Strike King’s Ocho, Rage Cut R Worm, Rage Lizard and Game Hawg comprise Grigsby’s most productive baits for Carolina rigging.
“The Ocho is tremendous,” Grigsby said. “The Cut R Worm has a lot of tail action. And you can’t ever forget about the Rage Lizard, a great bait that is overlooked. The regular Game Hawg and the Magnum Game Hawg are incredible baits, especially in Florida.”
The Carolina rig is used most often in summertime when bass move offshore and relate to ledges and drop-offs. It gets deep fast, stays deep and remains in the strike zone.
“I’ve also used it in the spring throwing it way up on flats for spawning bass,” Grigsby said. “Spawners are a lot more aggressive and easier to catch when you stay back.”
A Lew’s Custom Pro baitcasting reel handles Grigsby’s Carolina rigging chores. He claims the gear ratio is not as important as the rod. He relies on a 7-foot, 6-inch, Team Lew's Custom Pro Speed Stick Magnum Heavy Cover flipping stick.
This long, stout rod is needed to take up slack line because a bass sometimes swims toward the boat after nabbing the bait, Grigsby stressed.
“It’s critical that you reel in slack until you feel the bass before setting the hook,” Grigsby said.
However, he will drop down to a heavy action 7-foot, 3-inch Lew’s rod when fishing with a 12-pound leader to prevent breaking the leader on the hook set.