Bottom Fishing Rigging – Carolina Rigs

If you remember, the question was “what’s the best rig for bottom fishing?” And as I replied before, this question has two good answers: Carolina Rigs and Chicken Rigs. I explained Chicken Rigs, or Dropper Rigs, to everyone here in part one of Bottom Fishing Rigging.

So enough with Chicken Rigs, right now let’s talk about Carolina Rigs.

Carolina Rigs are easy to tie, and it is the rig I prefer to use when Grouper and Snapper fishing and also inshore for Redfish. All you need for a Carolina rig is a length of leader, an egg weight, hook, and swivel.

First, slide an egg weight onto the mainline. The size of the weight will depend on what you’re fishing for and how deep, currents, etc. Typically I use a 4 or 6 oz sinker inshore and a 16 oz and larger sinker offshore. But like I said, it also depends on the days conditions.

Now tie the swivel to the mainline, so the egg weight will fall to and stop at the end. I recommend a trilene knot when attaching line to swivels or hooks, as this knot is noted to have an 85 – 90% strength rating.

On the other end of the swivel, tie on your leader. Again, use that trilene knot.

To the end of the leader, attach your hook. Consider circle hooks unless you’re already required to use them.

Simple! Put a big Cigar Minnow on the hook and send it down to the bottom. When you feel the “kathunk” of the sinker hitting the bottom, reel some line back in so the bait down there will be swimming freely under the sinker. It will also keep your rig from getting hung in structure if you’re drifting through