Page 39 - ODUMar-Apr2019

best points are found just outside of a major spawning flat or pocket

and lead to and from the deeper water in the main creek channel or
tributary. Another consideration is that many of these points don’t
necessarily contain an abundance of cover. Instead, they may be
quite barren or have small scattered bushes or gravel that you can
feel with the Carolina rig as you drag it along bottom. These type
places are bass magnets and an angler can find large schools of bass
there because they use these flat points as feeding areas where bass
roam and hunt forage in packs before and after the spawn. Late in

the spring, bluegill and sunfish will spawn on these same flat points
and the bass will turn the tables on these nest robbers by feeding
heavily upon the spawning bluegill. As spring transitions to early
summer, the bass will start using the same types of points out toward
the main part of the lake. It’s also not uncommon to find late
spawning bass located along these flatter main lake points. These

late spawning fish will also eat a slow-moving Carolina rigged plastic as it nears their nest.

The technique for a Carolina rig is simple: drag and reel with the key of maintaining bottom contact with
the weight. As a rule of thumb, the shallower the water, the lighter the sinker. A ½ oz weight works
well in less than 5’ of water and a slow retrieve, but the ¾ oz is very versatile for faster retrieve speeds
and fishing depths out to 10-15’. Experiment with your retrieve speed to see if the bass are attracted to
a slow retrieve, or if they react to a much faster drag and reel approach. Also experiment with different
styles of soft plastics, from bulky to finesse. Soft plastic lizards are always a good choice, but also

consider the bigger profile of the creature style baits like a Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog (prior page). Yet,
consider that some of the biggest bass of the spring are often caught Carolina rigging the slender profile
of a 5-6” Senko (below) or even the very subtle 4” french fry style baits.

Experienced anglers seem to have strong opinions on leader length, with some preferring lengths up to
6’ long. Ultimately, the 24-36” length catches a lot of bass and is so much easier to cast than an
excessively long leader. Opinions also vary on how heavy a leader to use on the business end of the “C-

rig”; however, a fluorocarbon leader of 12-15 # test fits the vast majority of situations you encounter
with this technique.

Finally, when rigging up,
a longer rod certainly
helps when lobbing a
Carolina rig. A minimum
rod length of 7’ is

recommended, with
many anglers opting for 7’6” medium heavy action rod with plenty of backbone for long distance
hooksets. As an example, the 7’4” medium heavy Quantum Tour or Tour KVD rod paired with a Smoke
S3 reel in a 6:1 or 7:1 gear ratio handles the Carolina rig set up quite well.

This spring, if the shallow water bite starts to drop off with traditional spring lures, break out the
Carolina rig and start searching the nearby points for groups of hungry bass.