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Thread: Texas rig vs. Carolina rig

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    Default Texas rig vs. Carolina rig


    Right now I am setup for the Texas rig, but i am curious as to how different the the Carolina rig is. So i want some input, which has been more productive for you, Texas rig or Carolina rig?

    Can you add beads on to a Texas rig for added sound and visuals much like the Carolina rig except without the swivel. What does the swivel do to the bait on the Carolina rig that Texas rig doesn't do?

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    Default IMHO ..... (& JUST my opinion)

    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisCarter View Post
    Right now I am setup for the Texas rig, but i am curious as to how different the the Carolina rig is. So i want some input, which has been more productive for you, Texas rig or Carolina rig?

    Can you add beads on to a Texas rig for added sound and visuals much like the Carolina rig except without the swivel. What does the swivel do to the bait on the Carolina rig that Texas rig doesn't do?
    Chris ... I haven't done any "Carolina" rig fishing, but I have done a WHOLE BUNCH of "Texas" rig fishing Thumbs Up

    I haven't found it necessary to add a colored bead to a Texas rigged plastic critter ... but, I have used a "rattler" inserted into plastic craws, with great success.

    The swivel is there to stop your weight from coming in contact with the hook/bait, so as to allow the plastic bait to "swim" or "float up" above the bottom. Carolina rigs are meant to be "dragged" along the bottom, whereas the Texas rigs are meant to be more versatile .... dragged, hopped, etc. Texas rigs are efficient in shallow to moderate depths, while the Carolina rig is primarily a deep water setup. Texas rigs are better around cover, and sloping rocky banks .... Carolina rigs are better on fairly coverless bottoms.

    ... cp

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    Wait a min, so is the bullet weight suppose to move freely on the Texas rig?

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    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisCarter View Post
    Wait a min, so is the bullet weight suppose to move freely on the Texas rig?
    Yes, normally it is. But, it can also be "pegged" so that it doesn't slide on the line. When pegged, it's more like a jig (weight/plastic move together as one) ... and can be used that way when fishing heavy cover, like a brushpile or downed tree w/lots of limbs. But, generally it's rigged so that the "slip sinker" (bullet shaped sinker) will slide down the line as the rig sinks in the water, allowing the plastic critter to slowly sink to the bottom "after" the sinker has already landed. Remember ... T-rigs are meant to be used on fish that are on or close to the bottom, feeding on craws / worms / small fish that are normally found on or close to the bottom. Most hits will come just as the plastics nears or lands on the bottom. The slip sinker allows the plastics to be sucked in by the fish, without noticable resistance or weight .... and the line jump is the clear signal that the plastic has been sucked in.

    And when you see that line jump ... don't "go on point" and wait for more line movement (taps), or lift the rod up (taking up slack) to try & "feel" if the fish is still holding onto the bait Doh .......... SET THE HOOK !! Thumbs Up (that's why you're using a long, stiff rod & heavy line ... to take up the slack & take the shock of a solid hookup)

    When using a pegged slip sinker ... the sinker can be pegged right against the hook eye, & fished much like a jig ... or it can be pegged a distance away from the hook, to allow the plastic to flutter down (giving the fish a slower, more visible target). You can "peg" a slip sinker by pushing a toothpick into the center hole of the sinker, and breaking it off. This jams the line against the inside wall of the sinker hole, and keeps the sinker from sliding up/down the line. (NOTE: I've never actually used the pegging method, but have read about its use... and the main reason I've never used it, is because I prefer to "see" the bite, rather than "feel" it ... and T-rigging allows me to see the line jump/strike, at all stages of the rig falling thru the water column)

    I've Bass fished with the Texas rigged plastics, and crankbaits, for so long ... and with so much success ---- it's the main reason why I'm casting & slow retrieving (swimming) a Crappie jig, 95% of the time when fishing for Crappie !! I'm just so used to being a line watcher (T-rig plastics fishing), and casting my baits (crankbait fishing) ... that it's second nature for me.

    I've probably caught "more" Bass on a Texas rigged plastic worm (6"-7") ... but, I've caught "better" Bass on a Texas rigged 4" plastic craw.

    ... cp

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    Sounds like I have the wrong kind of bullet weights for the Texas rig. The ones I got have to be pegged on. I'd rather have the slip weight, instead.

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    Yeah, definitely !! Though, I wouldn't get rid of the pegged style sinkers ... they have a time & place. I would suggest, too, that when you get some slip sinkers ... don't make the rookie mistake of getting the real heavy ones. Some people do, and it's usually for two reasons ... one is they want to get the bait down fast, so as to speed up their fishing time, and another is to aid in being able to cast farther/easier. "Worm fishing" (as it's generally called) is not a speed method ... it's more of a finesse, slow motion type method. And, your reel should be set so that you can cast a 6" worm (w/o any sinker) as far as you need to ... then when the slip weight is added, it makes for easier casting, yet still doesn't drag your bait to the bottom at a high rate of speed.

    My setup for T-rig'd plastics :

    7' Kunnan Competitor Graphite - Medium Heavy action baitcasting rod
    Shimano Bantam Mag baitcasting reel w/ 17lb test BPS Excel mono
    3/16oz lead bullet weight (slip sinker)
    1/0 295JB Eagle Claw offset worm hook
    4" Gene Larew Salt Craw (main colorations used - browns or greens ... with orange claw tips)
    Insert rattler (hollow plastic spike with lead balls inside)

    (you can read my reply in this 2009 thread, for further info - http://www.crappie.com/crappie/bass-...rm-fishin.html )

    Now, I'm not suggesting that my setup is "THE" setup to have !! It's just a focal point for the idea that a slow presentation, with a light weight & small hook, can/will produce fish. If you learn this technique, starting off with heavy sinkers & large hooks .... there's a learning curve to go through, to get you to the point of using lighter tackle. But, if you start with the weight & hook size that's sufficient for the size fish you're most likely to encounter in your waters .... you become more skilled/efficient with the equipment, faster, because you don't have to go thru that learning curve (of changing sizes & weights to accomodate your fishing style, or the conditions you encounter on your waters).

    I use this particular setup of mine, in my local lakes, where a 8lb Bass is possible ... but, 4-6lb fish are more probable. I use it for fishing water depths of 0-20ft deep, on most occasions ... and mostly for fishing mud banks with timber (standing & fallen), and rock banks that 'stairstep' down. As I stated in the old thread .... I drag the bait a few inches at a time, then pause, and occasionally hop the bait several inches off the bottom. I've had Bass hit the bait at any & every point in the process ... but, most of the time, hits occur just as the bait hits bottom, or just before it does (whether that's on the initial fall or after I've "hopped" the bait). The second most point in which a hit occurs, is either right after the bait is dragged over a limb or dragged/hopped off the edge of a ledge (on stairstep rock banks). The slip sinker has slid down the line, being the heavier of the two components of this rig, and the plastics is left to follow ... slowly fluttering down behind the sinker. IMHO ... this action gives the impression of a "easy meal" of a stunned or crippled critter, or one that has been flushed out of hiding & is attempting to escape or go back into hiding. These are "triggers" to a Bass on the prowl, and "temptations" to those fish that may be in a more neutral mood.

    Remember too .... if it "just don't feel right" when you lift your rod back/up, if the line "moves" and you didn't make it move, or it suddenly goes slack and you know it hasn't had time to reach the bottom --- SET THE HOOK !! You're going to set the hook on phantom hits, Bluegill pecks, rocks & limbs that the bait bumps into, etc .... BUT - when you set the hook on an actual Bass hit, you will remember what it felt like/looked like, and you'll realize the differences !! As you keep on using this method of fishing, you'll gradually stop setting the hook on the "junk bites" and increase the number of times that you actually hook up with a fish.

    ... cp

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    Yesterday, I used the Texas pegged rig with a craw, then later a worm. Though the craw didn't produce hits Tue work produced 3 with some smallmouths. I found out that my weight wasn't heavy enough to drag the work to the bottom of the 20' pond. More than likely it was hitting the top of the weed bed and just staying there as I hopped it along the top. What should my rod motion be when I drag it along the bottom? Should it be pointed downward with a slow smooth retrieve?

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    Quote Originally Posted by ChrisCarter View Post
    Yesterday, I used the Texas pegged rig with a craw, then later a worm. Though the craw didn't produce hits Tue work produced 3 with some smallmouths. I found out that my weight wasn't heavy enough to drag the work to the bottom of the 20' pond. More than likely it was hitting the top of the weed bed and just staying there as I hopped it along the top. What should my rod motion be when I drag it along the bottom? Should it be pointed downward with a slow smooth retrieve?
    I use the same rod position for worm/craw fishing, as I do when I'm casting & slow retrieving a jig for Crappie. Rod is held at about the 10 o:clock position. Grip on rod handle is firm but not "crushing" .... you can actually feel the taps better, if you don't have a death grip on your rod handle (plus you won't wear yourself/hand/arm out).
    I don't "reel" in my worm/craw ... I lift & drop it, then reel only enough to take up the slack line, once the worm/craw has hit bottom again & the line goes slack. About every other lift, to around every 3rd or 4th lift, I will "hop" the bait off the bottom ... rather than lightly lift it off bottom, with the rod. I'm watching the line ... for those little jumps or sideways movement ... so I want the rod held high, so that the line is out in front of me & in plain view.

    When I see the line movement that indicates a fish has sucked the bait in ... I drop the rod down to about the 8-9 o:clock position (~ parallel with the water's surface) & quickly crank the reel handle about 2 or 3 turns, then snap the rod back up until it's above/behind my head ... if it will go that far Rofl
    If there's a fish holding onto that worm/craw ... chances are he'll be hooked, and the bend in the rod + his weight & resistance to being dragged thru the water, won't allow the rod to come back THAT far ... LOL !!

    ... cp

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    Finally got the right things for the Texas rig. Just posting a picture of what it looks like rigged. Hope its done right.


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    That'll work, Chris. Thumbs Up

    Just curious, though .... what are you fishing in/around that warrants the use of a swivel/leader for your T-rig ?? Weeds ??
    Reason I ask is ... my T-rigs are the slip sinker & a hook. No bead, no swivel. Then again, I'm mostly using a T-rigged worm/craw around rocks & wood, as there aren't many local lakes with weeds.

    Now ... the bead "can" be used to make a clicking sound, or to keep the sinker from crushing the knot (but, only if the hole in the bead is big enough for the knot to enter). When I want a "clicking sound" (crawfish sound) ... I usually put a rattle into the body of the plastic worm/craw ... but, a bead could be a cheaper alternative. You just won't get as much "rattle/click" with the bead. (but, that's not always a bad thing)

    ... cp

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