In the last blog post, we already discussed the structure of the rigs. The key difference between the Texas & Carolina rig lies in the distance between the lead and the bait. What are the areas of application and advantages of the two rigs? In this blog post, we would like to take a closer look at the choice of bait and the possible ways of leading Texas & Carolina rigs.
Areas of application for Texas & Carolina Rig?
The central difference between the rigs:
- The Carolina Rig has a fixed distance between the weight and the hook.
- With the Texas Rig, the distance is variable due to the free-running weight up to the hook.
A clear advantage of the Texas rig, also known as the T-rig, is the casting accuracy and the various presentation options. Due to the short distance between the lead and bait, the rig flies more stable than the Carolina rig. The T-rig is usually presented a little faster with short, powerful tugs. This causes the bait to tumble weightlessly a short distance back to the bottom after being animated. The fast action also allows large areas of water to be searched. If the Texas Rig is guided slowly, the contact or distance between the lead, glass bead and bait remains very direct. This method of guiding is similar to the lazy technique with a standard jig head.
Weeds, dead wood and other obstacles under water can be fished very effectively and almost hanger-free using the offset hook on the T-rig.
The first key advantage of the Carolina rig (C-rig) is the free choice of weight and the constant distance between bait and lead. Very heavy weights can be used to achieve more casts. Nevertheless, the lure sinks weightlessly back to the bottom without the influence of the heavy weight. The C-rig can be used extremely slowly and can also encourage sluggish winter predators to bite at long distances. An offset hook is also usually used with the C-rig and obstacles under water pose hardly any danger.
Choice of bait
Lures that are used with the Carolina Rig are also very likely to catch fish on the T-Rig. Popular lures are crayfish and worm imitations such as the SPRO Insta Craw, the SPRO Insta Hog or the SPRO Insta Worm. The lures are made from a buoyant rubber material and move seductively under water thanks to their small twister tail, even with the slightest tug. Imitating underwater small animals that live close to the bottom is very effective and can be done perfectly with C & T rigs.
To ensure that the fish hook solidly, it is important that the offset hook has a large arc and that the rubber compound of the bait used is soft. When biting, the soft rubber bait should be squeezed by the predator so that the offset hook tip is free and can grip the corner of the mouth. Whether Carolina or Texas rig, both rig variations harmonize perfectly with our entire Scent series from SPRO, which is made of a floating rubber material and equipped with the I.T.F (Instant Trigger Formula). This is an odorant that allows predators to keep the bait in their mouths for the crucial seconds until they strike.
But normal soft lures are also an excellent choice. Of course, small forage fish imitations such as our No Action Shad Iris-V Power should not be missing from the selection.
Bait guidance
There are also several approaches here. If the fish want more active bait, both rigs can be jigged by turning the crank or giving a small jerk with the rod tip. As the bites often come during the slow sinking phase, you should allow yourself slightly longer pauses between the jumps.
A particularly effective variant is dragging. The lead is slowly reeled in using the rod tip. The weight of the cartridge interacts with the glass bead to create noise and stir up the bottom. The drifting rubber bait catches the eye of the stingers and the longer pauses between the individual jigs give the predator enough time to collect the bait from the bottom. As is so often the case, trial and error and varied fishing is the key to success in every situation.
You can find more information about our Scent series and the Insta Craw here:
Catch perch effectively with the Scent series! Click here for the video:
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