How to Rig and Fish the Carolina Rig with Seth Feider

In this video, professional angler Seth Feider demonstrates the nuances of using a Carolina rig for deep-water fishing. From selecting the right equipment to mastering the technique, Feider provides a comprehensive guide to improving your fishing game.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT
Feider begins by walking through all his tackle components for optimized Carolina rig fishing. For deep-water fishing, he prefers a combined 3/4-ounce of weight created by pairing two 3/8-ounce sinkers back-to-back. His rationale is that the two weights create additional fish-attracting noise, which draws them to the setup. The use of a rubber bead is crucial to protect the knot from the heavy tungsten. Feider uses a VMC No. 6 swivel and ties a basic polymer knot for durability.

FEATURED PRODUCT (retail links)
CAROLINA RIG SETUP
• PLASTIC – Z-Man Big TRD, color – Yoga Pants: Buy at Bass Pro Shops https://bassproshops.vzck.net/Vmb6DE | Buy at Tackle Warehouse https://bit.ly/4cWbMot | Buy at Omnia https://omnia.direct/Q9bJk9
• HOOK – VMC RedLine Series Hybrid Worm Hook, 2/0: Buy at Bass Pro Shops https://bassproshops.vzck.net/VmNKBE | Buy at Tackle Warehouse https://bit.ly/3SqsKnt
• WEIGHT – VMC Tungsten Flippin Weight, two 3/8-ounce weights (back-to-back): Buy at Tackle Warehouse https://bit.ly/3PfQM2I | Buy at Omnia https://omnia.direct/dqQaqp
• RUBBER BEAD (to protect knot) – Ryugi Rubber Cushion Bead: Buy at Tackle Warehouse https://bit.ly/4fjAwZc
• SWIVEL – VMC Rolling Swivel, size 6: Buy at Bass Pro Shops https://bassproshops.vzck.net/vN29Gy | Buy at Tackle Warehouse https://bit.ly/4c6d2nv

MISC. ACCESSORIES
• TERMINAL BOX – Plano WaterProof StowAway 3440: Buy at Bass Pro Shops https://bassproshops.vzck.net/rQ6nbD | Buy at Tackle Warehouse https://bit.ly/4d32Dus
• SCISSORS – Rapala Elite Scissors 7″: Buy at Tackle Warehouse https://bit.ly/47Ia5HD

SETTING UP THE CAROLINA RIG
Setting up the Carolina rig involves a few essential steps:
1 Attach a rubber bead to protect the knot.
2 Use a short leader for better casting and fewer tangles.
3 Choose the right hook, with Feider recommending a round bend offset.
4 Use a longer rod in the 7’6″ to 8’0″ range for better casting distance, control, and hookset power.
FISHING TECHNIQUE
Feider’s fishing technique with the Carolina rig is straightforward:
• Make a long cast and let the rig fall to the bottom.
• Reel down and drag the bait slowly along the bottom.
• Feel the bottom structure to locate fish.
• Set the hook with a sweeping low-angle hookset to remove as much slack from the system as possible.
Feider emphasizes that the Carolina rig is highly effective on new waters, allowing you to cover a lot of ground and read the bottom composition.

WHY THE CAROLINA RIG WORKS
The Carolina rig excels in various conditions:
• It allows you to feel the bottom and identify different bottom compositions. Do they prefer muck, sand, gravel, or rock? If rock, are they holding around bigger boulders?
• It’s effective for both largemouth and smallmouth bass.
• The setup minimizes tangles and ensures the bait stays in the strike zone longer.
• Hooking and landing percentages are exceptional.

LANDING FISH WITH THE CAROLINA RIG
Feider explains that the Carolina rig offers a high landing percentage due to its simple yet effective setup. Heavy line and a solid hook set make bringing fish to the boat easier. He uses straight 20-pound fluorocarbon line and an 8:1 reel to ensure quick line retrieval, as removing slack is critical when using fluorocarbon on a long cast.

ROD SETUP
• ROD – Daiwa Rebellion Casting Rod, 7’6′ Heavy – Fast: Check out at Daiwa https://bit.ly/3ycpswu | Buy at Omnia https://omnia.direct/l9qJJG
• REEL – Daiwa Tatula Elite Casting Reel, 8.1:1: Buy at Bass Pro Shops https://bassproshops.vzck.net/6eA6Lr | Buy at Tackle Warehouse https://bit.ly/462nqtA | Buy at Omnia https://omnia.direct/EAEWE3
• LINE – Sufix Advance Fluorocarbon Line, 20-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops https://bassproshops.vzck.net/ZQrJn1 | Buy at Tackle Warehouse https://bit.ly/3s5w6RK | Buy at Omnia https://omnia.direct/GrjP9Q

BOAT SETUP
• FISH FINDER – HELIX 12 CHIRP MEGA DI+ GPS G4N: Buy at Bass Pro Shops https://bassproshops.vzck.net/ORG2xG
• 360 SONAR – Humminbird MEGA 360 Imaging Transducer – Ultrex: Buy at Bass Pro Shops https://bassproshops.vzck.net/RyJvVy
• TROLLING MOTOR – Minn Kota Ultrex QUEST, 112lb, 36V, 52″: Buy at Bass Pro Shops https://bit.ly/49npejB

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