TOURNAMENT GRADE TIPS AND TRICKS: A CAROLINA RIG TIP FROM PATRICK WALTERS

Off shore structure - including brush piles, grass, rocks, stumps, shellbars, and humps produce fish all over the country. If you find the right offshore structure, at the right time, you can catch lots of fish in a hurry - and BIG ones! One of most popular and proven ways to fish these types of structure is with a Carolina Rig, also known as a C-Rig.

The Carolina Rig typically consists of:

- 1/2oz-1oz sinker (though some fisherman may go as low as 1/4oz). The heavier weight helps you feel every bit of the structure and maintain bottom contact, while allowing you bait to remain off of the bottom.
- One or two beads to protect the knot (the beads need to be made of plastic - glass beads break easily with tungsten weights and rocks)
- Swivel to connect the mainline to the leader
- A leader - usually 1 to 3 foot long, although it can be shorter or longer depending on preference.
- Tied to the end of the leader is your choice of soft plastic, with a matching hook. Most fisherman avoid a heavy wire hook - the heavier gauge hook does not penetrate the fish's mouth as easily (most c-rig bites come in deeper water on long casts) and the heavier hook does not allow the bait to float as well.

When dragging your bait across brush, rocks, and shellbeds - your fishing line will take a beating. To avoid breaking your line and loosing fish, checking your line often and retying is a must.

The Carolina Rig is very effective and catches a lot of fish, but because it is made up of so many different components a common complainant is the time that it takes to re-rig.

To help with this issue, check out a tip that Bassmaster Elite Series Phantom Pro Patrick Walters does to save time on the water and become more efficient with re-rigging the Carolina Rig.

 Thanks for Watching!