Carolina rig
Rig · Last reviewed 2026-10-19
A sliding weight above a swivel and a leader, so a soft plastic lure follows the weight along the bottom and flutters down when it stops. Built for American bass, used in Britain for perch and zander and in light rock fishing.
A Carolina rig, with the weight sliding above the swivel
Rig · Reference linked — a canonical reference is named, the check is not signed off — reference: Angling Times: how to tie the Carolina rig; Planet Sea Fishing: how to tie a Carolina rig; Field & Stream: Carolina rig fishing for bass
A canonical reference for this drawing has been identified, but the stage-by-stage check has not been completed and signed off. Follow the written steps; treat the drawing as an aid.
Describe this diagram in words
A rig on the bottom, seen side on. The main line comes down from the rod at the upper left and runs through a bullet weight resting on the bottom, which slides on it. Beyond the weight are a bead and then a swivel, which the weight stops against. From the swivel a leader runs on and rises a little away from the bottom to a worm hook carrying a soft plastic lure, which trails behind and above the weight. A note says the weight and bead must go on the line before the swivel is tied.
How this drawing was produced
Drawn from three read accounts that agree on the order of parts: weight, bead, swivel, leader, hook. The leader is drawn rising because the lure trails above the bottom behind the weight; how far it rises depends on leader length and speed and is not given as a figure.
What it is for
To keep a soft plastic working close to the bottom while it is moved, over ground where a weighted lure on its own would bury or snag. The sliding weight finds the bottom; the leader lets the lure move more freely than a lure with the weight on its head, and the bead adds a click that the sources treat as a possible attraction.
Components, from rod to hook
- Main line, braid in the British guide.
- A sliding bullet, egg or barrel weight.
- A glass or metal bead, which protects the knot and clicks against the weight.
- A small swivel, the stop for weight and bead.
- A leader of fluorocarbon or nylon: about 24 in, 300–600 mm, or 2–3 ft in the three sources read.
- An offset or wide-gap worm hook, with the point laid flat against the bait so it is largely weedless.
- A soft plastic: worm, creature or similar.
How to put it together
- Slide the weight onto the main line.
- Slide the bead on below it.
- Tie the main line to one eye of the swivel.
- Tie the leader to the other eye: about 24 in, or 300–600 mm, or 2–3 ft, depending on how slowly the lure should fall.
- Tie the hook to the end of the leader.
- Thread the hook a short way into the nose of the soft plastic, bring it out, turn it, and push the point back into the body so it lies flat and the lure hangs straight.
Built differently
- Angling Times builds the leader first — hook on one end, swivel on the other — and then threads weight and bead onto the braid and ties it to the swivel. The order on the line is the same.
- A short piece of silicone tubing between the bead and the swivel knot protects the knot.
What experienced anglers do — why, and the sources (3)
Widely and independently recommended by experienced anglers and specialist sources. This is real angling knowledge, not proof: controlled evidence for it is limited, and FishingHQ records it as convention rather than as a demonstrated effect.
- Angling Times: how to tie the Carolina rig — Angling Times, 2026 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Components, order, weed and snags, and its use for perch and zander.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- Planet Sea Fishing: how to tie a Carolina rig — Planet Sea Fishing, 2013 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Components, order, and leader length setting the sink rate.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- Field & Stream: Carolina rig fishing for bass — Field & Stream, 2026 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Components, order, weights by depth, ground, and reading bites.States this directlyPassage read and verified
How these steps were checked: checked against documented sources — each step compared with 3 published sources on 2026-10-20, an editorial comparison rather than an expert’s certification. Nothing in the order of assembly is left unresolved.
What it does in the water
The weight is on the bottom and the lure is behind it on the leader. Drawn slowly, the weight drags or hops and the lure follows above it; when the weight stops, the lure keeps sinking for a moment on its own. Bites are often felt as the line going slack or heavy rather than as a knock, because the fish can pick up the lure without moving the weight.
When to use it
For fish feeding on or near the bottom that want a lure moved slowly: black bass in American guides, perch and zander in the British one. It works best over clean flats, points and ledges; over cluttered ground it snags more, though a weedless hook reduces it. One guide gives about 1/4 oz in 2 ft of water up to 1 oz in 25 ft or more — heavier if the bottom cannot be felt, lighter if it keeps snagging.
Common mistakes
- Tying the swivel on before threading the weight and bead, which means starting again.
- Leaving out the bead, so the weight hammers the knot.
- A weight too light to feel the bottom, or so heavy it snags and hides bites.
- Striking hard upwards; the American guide advises reeling down and sweeping the rod sideways when the line goes slack.
How this rig behaves, and where it goes wrong
A Carolina rig puts the weight on the main line and the lure on a separate leader below a swivel. The weight drags or hops along the bottom, the bead clicks against it, and the lure trails behind and above, sinking slowly back down whenever the weight stops. A longer leader means a slower fall.
It was developed by American bass anglers, and British guides now describe it for perch and zander and for light rock fishing in the sea.
Where to go next
What it is made of
- Soft plasticsThe Carolina rig exists to drag a soft plastic along the bottom behind a sliding weight.
More rigs
Not related to this page — just the rest of the section. There is little else joined to this subject yet, and a short page should still lead somewhere.
Sources and evidence
- Angling Times: how to tie the Carolina rig — Angling Times, 2026 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Components, order, weed and snags, and its use for perch and zander.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- Planet Sea Fishing: how to tie a Carolina rig — Planet Sea Fishing, 2013 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Components, order, and leader length setting the sink rate.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- Field & Stream: Carolina rig fishing for bass — Field & Stream, 2026 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Components, order, weights by depth, ground, and reading bites.States this directlyPassage read and verified
Why the 1 connections on this page are here, and the sources
What it is made of
What experienced anglers do — 1 connection
Widely and independently recommended by experienced anglers and specialist sources. This is real angling knowledge, not proof: controlled evidence for it is limited, and FishingHQ records it as convention rather than as a demonstrated effect.
Soft plastics
A lure family joined to a rig every source builds for it.
- Angling Times: how to tie the Carolina rig — Angling Times, 2026 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: A creature bait on an offset hook, behind a bullet weight.States this directlyPassage read and verified
- Field & Stream: Carolina rig fishing for bass — Field & Stream, 2026 (Specialist angling publication)Relied on for: Worms, lizards and creature baits on the rig.States this directlyPassage read and verified
How FishingHQ labels evidence is explained in the evidence policy.