When and how to use Carolina and Texas Rigs?

[Slyster]

OK.. I have used wacky rigged Senkos to death this summer.. I would like to try the other rigs I hear a lot about- Texas and Carolina rigs. Here are my questions:

1- When does one use a carolina rig?

2- How do you rig it? What plastics and how do you get them to float? What length of lines?

3- When does one use a Tx rig? (I think I know how to rig it.)

4- Should I even bother considering I am having good success with wacky rigs?

[TonkaBass]

First and foremost it is important to understand that you should never get too caught up on one way to catch fish!!!

Carolina rig: sinker (3/4-1oz. mostly), swivel, bead (plastic), leader (2'-3' I like most times, P-line flourocarbon), hook (whatever, EWG), soft plastic (whatever floats your boat, french fries, lizard, trickworm, meat-head worm, craw, even fluke). Fish them almost anywhere. I mostly fish them in deeper water (12'-19'). They are very effective on rock piles.

Texas rig (I like Florida rig for flip/pitch): simker (bullet), hook, plastic.

Wacky Rig: This is something that you should be happy to know well. I have fished with many who don't know how to effectivly fish this rig. Senkos have just recently become popular, old classics include trick worms and fries.

[Slyster]

Tx Tonkabass.

No one else has any insights?

Line lengths? How to get the worm to float? When to use each rig and NOT a wacky rig?

[Deitz Dittrich]

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1- When does one use a carolina rig?

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Generally-the carolina rig is for deep water. It can be used for shallow water but usually is not the best rig for fishing around weeds. A carolina rig is best suited for deep water rocks and sand flats out past the weed line. Its able to cover water faster than most rigs because of the extra weight of the sinker.

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2- How do you rig it? What plastics and how do you get them to float? What length of lines?

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A carolina rig consists of a Large sinker9usually a barrel sinker, a glass bead, a swivel, a leader and a hook.

The plastic you use is totally up to you, some use brush hog style baits, some use flukes, some use worms, craws, really you can use any plastic, I even rig wacky rig senko's on a carolina rig. As for getting it to float, that is not always the goal. I myself do not want the rig to float, I just want it to drag behind the weight. If I wanted the rig to float I would probably use a drop shot rig. However, if you were dead set against making a carolina rig float. I would use a tube as the plastic and insert a piece of swim noodle or ice buster bobber.

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3- When does one use a Tx rig? (I think I know how to rig it.)

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A texas rig is better for fishing around weedy cover or any other cover for that fact as the sinker will stay near the lure and come threw the weeds easier. Thats not to say that you cant use the texas rig out deep as I often do. A texas rig is meant to be fished slower than a carolina rig. You can peg a sinker on a texas rig to have it even better around heavy weeds.

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4- Should I even bother considering I am having good success with wacky rigs?

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That again is up to you. I myself am thinking... O.k. You are catching this many fish on a wacky rig, which is fun.. but how many could you catch if you were fishing another rig that was better suited for some areas....

The true key to fishing is knowing when and what to throw. Figuring otu what presentation is best for the area to maximise your time in the fishes strike zone.

[Slyster]

Good stuff! Tx again!

[Muddog]

I like to think of the C-rig as a lindy-rig with a worm hook. Drift it or cast it.

Find some clear water and check out the action. Pop it, lift it. reel, reel, reel, stop and drop it. Worm it or tube it.

In deep water it is hard to beat.