| This rig is good for fishing a lot of deep structure | | | | The trick worm, French fry, Senko, 4" worms, 5" |
| when searching for bass. You rig this worm as | | | | worms, and lizards are ideal for this type of |
| follows: Take a light wire hook (2/0 or 3/0 | | | | fishing. |
| depending on size of worm) and rig a worm weed | | | | Make long casts and give your sinker time to get |
| less. Tie a piece of lighter line from 18 inches to 3 | | | | to the bottom. Retrieve by slowly cranking the |
| feet in length to the worm. The length depends | | | | reel to keep the sinker in contact with the |
| on your preference and to a degree on the | | | | bottom. The only time you need to raise your rod |
| conditions. To the free end of the line, tie on a | | | | tip is to lift the sinker over an object. Just keep |
| barrel swivel. | | | | slowly cranking the reel throughout the retrieve. |
| To the free end of the line from your rod, add a | | | | When a fish does bite the worm, you might feel |
| weight. After assessing what type of structure | | | | only a heavy feeling on the line. Occasionally, you |
| and depth you are going to be fishing, decide how | | | | will feel a "tap" but as a general rule it will just feel |
| much weight you are going to need. The way to | | | | heavy. To set the hook, just sweep the rod to |
| look at it is, get away with the lightest weight | | | | the side and keep reeling. With the light wire hook, |
| possible; usually throw between a 3/8 to ½ | | | | this will be enough to set the hook. |
| oz weight for water less than 25 feet deep. Use | | | | If you use bigger 3/0 or 4/0 hooks, the sweep |
| a ¾ to 1 oz weight for deeper water. | | | | will have a tendency to tear the hook out of the |
| There is a variety of weights to use for this, egg | | | | mouth of the fish except when using larger |
| sinkers, bullet weights, weights with rattles in | | | | bodied worms. Remember, reel the worm in |
| them, and so on. They come in different | | | | during the retrieve at a pace slow enough to |
| composites, lead, brass and Tungsten. A bullet | | | | keep the sinker in contact with the bottom. Fish |
| weight is a more common weight for ease of | | | | these baits slowly to begin with and then vary the |
| getting through vegetation. Since many of the | | | | retrieve until the fish tell you which retrieve speed |
| states are getting away from lead, use the brass | | | | to use. |
| or non-lead weights. The heavier weights allow for | | | | Many guides and locals that regularly fished Lake |
| longer casts and the sinker maintains constant | | | | Ouachita near Hot Springs, Arkansas used the |
| contact with the bottom. As the sinker is pulled | | | | Carolina rig. They kept the technique very quiet. I |
| along the bottom it kicks up clouds of silt that | | | | fished several tournaments during this period and |
| arouse a fish's curiosity. | | | | kept noticing that the winners of these |
| The next component that goes onto the line | | | | tournaments were all winning with the same bait. |
| after the weight is the bead. Beads come in either | | | | The bait was called the "Green Weenie". Nobody |
| plastic or glass and in many different colors. | | | | would talk about it or tell you what it was. I drew |
| Personal choice dictates which type and color you | | | | Mark Davis, a lake guide at that time, in a draw |
| will use. Whether you use one or two beads, | | | | tournament. I finally managed to meet the Green |
| again is your personal choice. Some fishermen | | | | Weenie. The manufacturer is Kalin and it is a |
| advocate that two beads generate more noise. | | | | 4-inch worm in a green color. When fished on a |
| The sound generated by the clicking of the | | | | Carolina rig it yields astounding results. This |
| weight and bead is a representation of the clicking | | | | technique was a consistent producer of fish for |
| sounds a crawfish makes. | | | | several years. |
| Now tie the free end of the line to the barrel | | | | The baits are manufactured today and come in a |
| swivel. This is used to keep your line from | | | | variety of colors. I continue to use these baits |
| twisting. It also has a secondary purpose as an | | | | when fishing the Carolina rig. |
| equipment saver. When the rig hangs up, the | | | | I hope this article helps you put a few more fish |
| lighter leader should break first thus you only lose | | | | in your live well. |
| the worm and not the rest of the components. | | | | |