Fishing the Carolina Rig on Lake Martin

            Summer fishing on Lake Martin in 2007 – it’s better than ever!  I’ve had reports this week from anglers who are catching more fish than they ever have in the summer and they attribute this to the water being down. One of these bass anglers was using White Spinner bait with Silver and Gold Tandem Blades and a Watermelon Seed Finesse worm on a Shaker head.  He also had luck using a Black and White Jitterbug. 

            One of the local guides was in to see me this week and said he was having luck early morning using shallow running crank baits fishing off rocky ledges and working the points out.  As the day wears on, the bass are going deeper.  He is using Shakey head worms fishing brush piles and having luck picking up spotted bass up into the heat of the day.

            One of the tried and true techniques that bass fisherman have been using on Lake Martin for years is the Carolina rig.   This type of rig took the fishing world by storm in the early 1970’s.  A Carolina rig separates the hook and worm from the lead with a leader.  To tie one on, slip a lead on your line, follow it with a bead and then tie on a barrel swivel.  Tie a leader onto the swivel and tie a hook to the leader.  Your hook size is determined by the size of bait you use.  A good rule of thumb is to use a half ounce sinker and a two foot leader.  Lake Martin’s clear water most time calls for a longer leader and heavier lead.  That also holds true fishing in deeper water.     

            Look for long gravel or rocky points to try your rig out.  You can find the bass quickly by covering lots of water making long casts with this type of rig.  Also use these rigs on brush piles.  Work the lead to the brush pile and stop it.  Let your worm or lizard fall slowly and draw the bass out of the brush pile.  If that doesn’t work, pull the lead over the brush and let it fall to the bottom.  Then stop it.  The worm will sink slowly and that will really draw them out!  You might also try a floating worm.  Imagine the worm floating up instead of falling to the bottom.   This will drive the bass wild!  They can’t resist!   And you’ll come home with a nice catch!

            You can contact me by email at dduck821@windstream.net with your latest best fishing story or any hints you would like to pass along.  I would like to hear your opinions about Carolina versus Texas rigs, and also Shakey head rigs.  I would also like to know if you are interested in any particular area of the Lake or have specific techniques you would like to have discussed.  This is your article and I want it to be informative and entertaining for you!   I would also love to get photos of your biggest catches to post on our website.  Together we’ll fish Lake Martin bringing in those big catches and telling even bigger stories!