Carolina rig

The Carolina rig starts with a light wire hook and a Texas-rigged floating soft plastic, but instead of no weight or a free-sliding weight that rides at the head of the lure, a sliding weight (and often a bead or two to provide a “clacking” sound) is a foot or more in front of the lure. This rig allows the soft plastic bait to swim freely just above the bottom.

How It’s Done: Thread an sliding weight on the line, then a bead or two if you choose. Then, tie on a barrel swivel. The swivel will stop the weight from sliding all the way to the bait and will make a little noise as it’s slowly retrieved. A 1- to 4-foot length of Fluorocarbon line is tied to the other end of the swivel, and the hook tied to the tag end. Texas rig a soft plastic to the hook. Make long casts across points, cover and structure and allow it to sink to the bottom, then slowly retrieve with slow pulls and light twitches, or simply slowly reeled at a constant speed. Slow is the key word here.

Soft Plastics For Carolina Rigging: All soft plastics can be Carolina rigged, but most popular are lizards, worms, minnows and craws.

Different ways to rig soft pllastics

The Shaky Head Rig

Originally a Northern rig for smallmouth bass but largemouth and spotted bass anglers have discovered the Rig and are using it effectively. The Rig begins with a jighead with a longer-than-normal hook shank. The manufacturers make a special jig for this technique with a flat spot on the head of the jig to make the worm stand up. With money so tight I use a regular 3/8 to 1/2 oz. jig and grind a flat spot on the jig head so it lands on the bottom with the worm sticking up. Add a short (3 to 5”) straight, floating soft-plastic worm Texas-rigged.

How It’s Done: Tie on the jig and Texas rig a soft plastic worm. Cast and allow the lure to hit bottom, then with line taut, gently shake the rod tip to make the worm dance on bottom but not move along the bottom. After a few shakes without a bite pop the jig off of the bottom and start the process all over. The idea is as the name implies just shake it enough to make the worm wiggle in place. For our lake this technique works good around any brush, weeds and beds. They also can be used against vertical structure such as dam faces and bluff walls (which we don't have).

Soft Plastics For Rigs: Small 3 to 5” straight tailed floating worms.