Carolina Rig Instructions For Speckled Trout, Redfish & Flounder

The Carolina Rig is a proven winner for catching fish not just on Louisiana's coast, but across the world. While I specialize in catching speckled trout, redfish and other inshore species, you'll find the instructions below to universally apply to all disciplines of fishing. 

In this guide you'll find a simple parts list so you know what to buy and easy-to-follow instructions so you can put it all together. After that, I share some additional tips and tricks for the Carolina Rig, another rig that I use instead and what really matters when you're trying to catch fish.

Carolina Rig Parts List

The very first thing you are going to need are all the necessary pieces of tackle.

After all, any rig is only as good as the parts used to tie it and the person tying them together, right?

So, let's get started with a list of good tackle you can use:

• 20lb test monofilament leader line
• size 5 barrel swivel
• 1/0 kahle hook
• 3/8 oz lead egg sinker
• 8mm glass bead

20lb Test Mono Leader Line

You really want to use monofilament as a leader line – and not fluorocarbon – because it tends to float (or is neutral buoyant). Fluorocarbon is heavier and tends to sink, which would (in theory) make your Carolina rig less attractive because the bait wouldn't be floating up off the bottom, where it is more easily seen and eaten by fish. Yes, there are exceptions — there always are — but for now we are keeping it simple, right?

The guide at this link reveals more about the differences between the two line types. As for name brands, there are many good manufacturers of monofilament fishing line out there, but I've used Stren and Trilene for years.

Size 5 Barrel Swivel

Look, it's a barrel swivel, not a nuclear reactor. Sure, the "recommended" size listed is a size 5, but if all you have is a six or eight then that is fine, too. All you need is something not obnoxiously large (or small).

1/0 Kahle Hook

The hook type and size will change with your style of fishing and individual needs, but for all-purpose inshore fishing you will find that a 1/0 kahle hook will serve your needs well. Not sure what all this 1/0 talk is about? This guide breaks down hook sizes.

3/8oz Lead Egg Sinker

Just like with hooks, sinkers can vary and tend to change with your specific fishing needs. For the sake of simplicity, it's recommended you use a 3/8oz egg sinker. It's not too light, not too heavy and does a good job of keeping your bait glued to the bottom. Above all, they are cheap and readily had anywhere fishing tackle is sold!

With that said, you should have the following weights ready in your tackle box:

• 1/8oz
• 1/4oz
• 3/8oz
• 1/2oz
• 3/4oz
• 1oz

8mm Glass Bead

You want to use a glass bead to not only protect your knot from the sliding weight, but to also protect the weight from the swivel. Lead is soft, and will form itself around the swivel over time, causing it to get stuck and ultimately ruining the action of the Carolina rig. Your main line must slide freely through the sinker!

Instructions For Properly Tying The Carolina Rig

Take a minute to co-locate all your tackle in one spot so everything is easily in reach.

1. Cut a length of leader line that is 24 inches long.
2. Tie your barrel swivel to one end of the leader line and your hook to the other.
3. Slide the egg sinker over your main line, followed by the bead.
4. Finally, tie your main line to the remaining side of the barrel swivel.

Congratulations!

You now have a bonafide Carolina rig to catch speckled trout, redfish, bass, flounder and more with. Continue reading for other tips to include the best knot to use, bait selection and more.

Extra Tips & Tricks For Tying The Carolina Rig

While writing this guide I thought of some extra things that you may want to know, so I decided to put them here. They're not absolute deal-breakers, but definitely good to be aware of. Finally, don't forget about my alternative recommendation and point on what really matters when you go fishing.

Which knot is best?

The one you are good at tying. I am proficient at tying an Improved Clinch, so that is what I use for pretty much everything. If you're better at tying a Palomar knot, then tie a Palomar knot. Otherwise, I don't think there is much use in stressing over knots because they play such a small role in finding and catching fish. Don't get sucked into the black hole of "knot nerdery".

Beef It Up For Bull Reds

Bull redfish are tackle breakers! If you want to land them successfully you'll want to toughen up your tackle, to include parts used to tie your Carolina rigs. For this I recommend a size larger barrel swivel, 30lb test monofilament and – very important – a 3/0 extra strength kahle hook.

Do you really need the bead?

No, not really. I find myself re-tying so often that the lead sinker never really gets a chance to deform. The bead can be extra tackle that gets in the way, but before you take it off consider what else there is to know about beads and Carolina rigs below:

Glass vs Plastic Bead

Some beads you'd use for a Carolina rig are plastic and others are glass. So, why glass? Glass is denser and tends to "clack" louder against the sinker, which is a great way to attract fish.

Brass Clackers & Tickers

Speaking of ways to use noise to grab fish's attention, inserting a brass clacker between the bead and sinker is a great way to make extra noise. Remember how sheepshead and black drum feed: they use their teeth to crunch on barnacles and oysters.

Tungsten vs Brass vs Lead

Lead is a go-to for inshore anglers because it's cheap and widely available, but you should know that there are other options as well. Tungsten is harder than lead and tends to be louder when dragged across oysters or used in conjunction with a glass bead or brass clacker.  The downside is that it is more expensive and that's why some anglers use brass instead. 

When should you change sinker weight?

Choosing the correct sinker weight depends on how deep you are fishing and how fast the current is moving. This is a real problem to consider, because if your Carolina rig is not heavy enough it will never reach the bottom of the water.Instead, it will be swept up and over the heads of biting fish and they'll never see it in the first place!

Go too heavy and you'll leave your bait stuck on the bottom, instead of flowing with the current to the waiting mouths of hungry fish. So which weight is best? It depends and that's why I created this free video course detailing how to effectively fish each spot you cast a line, so you never miss biting fish. No registration or anything like that is required, just enjoy it at the above link.

Best Main Line To Use With A Carolina Rig

This is a good question and years of experience have proven that 20lb test braided fishing line is the best to fish with a Carolina rig for inshore species. Consider moving up to 30lb or 40lb for bigger bull redfish. A good brand to consider is Daiwa J-Braid.

Recommended Rod & Reel Setup For Saltwater Carolina Rig

Spinning tackle is recommended! To make this easier, I've written this guide about my favorite spinning combo that you should consider for inshore fishing.

Best Baits To Use

Live shrimp will be your best all-around live bait to use. Use these tips to keep them alive. Cracked blue crab is a great choice for bull redfish and big black drum. Live cocahoe minnows tend to work better for flounder, and live croakers are excellent for targeting big speckled trout.

If you've kept up with my brand over the years, you know that I don't recommend live bait for these 11 reasons. Instead I recommend using artificial baits like Berkley Gulp shrimp, or swap out the khale hook for an offset wide gap hook and rig a fluke, or rig a 1/16oz jighead with Matrix Shad instead. Ditching the bare hook for a Berkley Rattle Shrimp or DOA Shrimp is also a good choice.

Storing Carolina Rigs For Future Use

These handmade rigs are great because they are easily stored in ziplock bags, where they can be tucked away and kept tangle-free for future use.

What about pre-rigged carolina rigs?

I don't see the point in these other than having something else for tackle stores to sell.

It's far more economical to tie your own, especially seeing that tying them is not difficult or time consuming at all.

Sometimes less is more, and that is why I don't fish with pre-rigged carolina rigs. That and these won't allow the line to flow as freely through the sinker because the sinker is restrained to the wire. So, you're better off tying your own.

Now that we have those extra tips out of the way, let's address something very important:

There's a glaring problem I have with fishing the Carolina Rig!

I don't fish with it. I don't fish with it because I have found the Heavy Drop Shot to be a much better choice. It snags less, gets better presentations, sets the hook better and easily fishes the most challenging scenario an inshore angler can face: deep, fast moving water. Learn how to tie the Heavy Drop shot in this guide.

It's also worth noting that in select scenarios — such as fishing Lake Pontchartrain's famed Trestles — I prefer to fish with a jig. To learn how I do that, please consider my Ultimate Guide to Jigging.

Finally, here's the most important thing you need to know...

Ultimately it doesn't matter what you have tied on so long as there's a hook on it and you can get it in front of the fish. The most important thing you can do on any fishing trip is find biting fish to begin with. If you can find where the water is boiling with feeding fish then you won't have any problems catching them.

Being able to find fish from scratch is what I specialize in. While there's a lot of good content on this site that will serve you to that end (I recommend scrolling the blog roll and using the search function) you will find me absolute best fishing knowledge compiled in one spot: LAFB Elite.

LAFB Elite is my membership granting access to courses like Inshore Fishing 101. I also have other courses for each season of the year, advanced tackle & fishing techniques, sight fishing, and more.

What do you think?

While the guide here for tying a Carolina rig is pretty detailed, it cannot possibly cover every tip and trick used for fishing in every part of the world.

So, if you have your own special way of tying a Carolina rig, or something you'd like to add, then please mention it below in the comments.

If you'd like to be notified for more fishing tips geared for south Louisiana, then please consider subscribing to my newsletter.

Tight lines, y'all!