# Carolina rig



## hellothere2 (Jul 1, 2012)

How long do you all make the leader? Does it make a huge difference with shorter or longer? I've tried it at bob sikes a few times and can't seem to get anything on it - using pinfish and shrimp with circle hooks


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## Tobiwan (Apr 27, 2012)

18-24 inches


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## rweakley (Aug 23, 2012)

Bump

Second question? I got a few leaders made up closer to the 12-15 inch range for this weekend. Do I need to start all over?


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## Snagged Line (Sep 30, 2007)

Leader material is not really expensive compaired to your available time to fish....... I would remake them. ........ I like 24" - 36" length myself. I read somewhere up to six feet to give the bait room to swim around.........( give them too much freedom and they try to hide and hang you up on bottom??)


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## SteveFL (Aug 2, 2010)

Make sure the leader is at least long enough so the weight doesn't bump the fish as the bait is taken.


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Carolina Rig*

It all depends on what you're fishing for.

For 'normal' fishing for 'whatever', I will use a longer leader.

Howsomever; when fishing for redfish, I like a short leader.

Better still, tie a couple of teasers on a Carolina Rig and catch almost anything. Sweeten the teasers with a tad of fresh cut(don't cheat) market shrimp.

Make the bottom leader longer than the top one for best results using this 'tandem' rig. JMHO C2


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## Breeze (Mar 23, 2012)

Caught my reds on 36" steel leaders. Last week when I caught the two, I used frozen cigar minnows. This past weekend nobody had cigars, so I used frozen Northern Mackeral. They seemed to like them just as much as the cigars so I might just keep on using the mackeral..... Even when using live bait, I use the 36" leaders. Course now I got to get some more since the reds and the sting ray took my last three....


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## Scardog7 (Oct 11, 2011)

Charlie2 said:


> Better still, tie a couple of teasers on a Carolina Rig and catch almost anything. Sweeten the teasers with a tad of fresh cut(don't cheat) market shrimp.
> 
> Make the bottom leader longer than the top one for best results using this 'tandem' rig. JMHO C2


That's an interesting approach. Can you describe that a little more? I would enjoy learning from you on the design of that.


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Carolina Rig Variation*



Scardog7 said:


> That's an interesting approach. Can you describe that a little more? I would enjoy learning from you on the design of that.


I just run the line through an egg sinker, then a bead, then tie on a three way swivel. On one eye of the swivel, I tie a short leader; (about half the length of the 'long' bottom leader). On the other eye of the swivel, I tie a 'long' leader.

Tie teasers on both on loops, sweeten with a tad of fresh cut shrimp and hold on!. Retrieve slowly across bottom. Don't be surprised at what you hook up with! . JMHO C2


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## rweakley (Aug 23, 2012)

What do you mean by "tie teasers" and "sweeten?"


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## Charlie2 (Oct 2, 2007)

*Teasers and Sweetener*



rweakley said:


> What do you mean by "tie teasers" and "sweeten?"


Teasers are bucktail tied on a hook. You can also use tiny jigs as Teasers.

To sweeten is to put small pieces of fresh cut bait(usually shrimp) on the hook behind the hair, but can be squid or a piece of plastic(Gulp).

Hope this helps. C2


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