carolina rigging (split shotting)

zimeric · #1 09-07-2003, 11:10 PM

any one ever tried this technique using grubs ..

works really well with light presentations in flat areas - not so good where a more vertical presentation is needed such as the canning bridge pylons etc.

some people just use a couple of split shot crimped about 1-2 feet from the grub - hook (unweighted hook)
others prefer a swivel with a small 1/8" round or bullet weight in front of it and a stronger (1-2 foot leader to the hook, also unweighted)

used in a slow - stop/jerk retreive

point to make though is that its a good idea to make it weedless
demonstrated below....

panger · #2 10-07-2003, 07:15 PM

Zimeric,
I've only used the rig a couple of times, and I put the split shot closer to the hook because I was worried it would hamper bite detection. Only managed to get a small flattie on it, but then again it was a very slow day.

How have you found the hookup rate and bite detection on the rig?

Ravin · #3 10-07-2003, 09:03 PM

I use a similar rig a fair bit on the flats around weed beds & I find it pretty weedless & very effective. I often fish it through the weed at high tide using a floating plastic like a Tank S 2.5. With a slow retreive if theres little current the bait will float above the weed. If I'm mainly fishing in between weed beds when the current is running I use sinking plastic like Paramax grubs. I like a leader of no less than a meter myself for the area I fish. The rig doesn't cast as well as a standard jig but as the weight is away from the bait you can get away with heavier weights. If the fish are shy you often don't feel the initial touch & often when they are biting like that the first thing you feel is the fish taking of as its hooked itself. Usually though you feel a bump or 2 like "normal". The other rig with a weight running right down on to a worm hook is very effective & very snag free as well. Both have their uses & have produced fish for me. Most know these rigs as the "Carolina" & "Texas" rigs but seeing where not in the USA I just call them long & short running rigs. I think we have enough American buzz words around now.

panger · #4 10-07-2003, 09:19 PM

When using weedless rigging do you have to give the fish more time and slack before setting the hook. I thought you'd have to because there's no exposed hook, but the one and only fish (flathead) I've caught just hit and hooked up immediately.

Ravin · #5 10-07-2003, 09:31 PM

I just strike the at the same time I normally would when using a standard jig & get the same hook up rate.

panger · #6 10-07-2003, 09:52 PM

Thanks Ravin.
Now I'm thinking why am I still using a jighead if you can get the same hookup rate and avoid snags with a weedless hook. It's time to put those jigheads away for a while... well at least until I miss a hookup and my mate hooks one up on a jig head.

Panger

nifty · #7 11-07-2003, 12:45 AM

thanks guys, you have given me some ideas to try later today when the wind drops, I may be able to rig a softie with a small sinker a couple of feet above and a float to keep it above the weed which is a pain just now.

zimeric · #8 13-07-2003, 03:44 AM

this is a great way to fish very still conditions ie. no wind no tide

you actually pick up on the bites by the line movement on the water
striking is the same as you would on a jig head with an exposed hook

obviously its best used in shallow water and is dynamite in weed and slightly coloured water such as the swan.

its action is very different to a jig head because the hook is so much lighter - a short sharp jerk is really effective in giving action to the lure. although doing this sort of retreive you really have to be switched on to detect bites.