When doing a carolina rig for redfish, how long of a leader should you tie between the hook and barrel swivel? Doing inshore fishing in the channels and by docks with cut mullet or live muds/mullet
I go fairly short; 8-12" of 30#. I find it is less likely to hang in the oysters and get broken off. Longer leaders allow the fish to pick up the bait, mouth it and figure out they don’t like food with hooks and line in them without feeling the weight of the rest of the line. With a short leader they pick up the bait and then feel the weight of the main line causing them to move before figuring out it is what they just ate. With a circle hook this make the fish hook itself immediately.
Iain Pelto
Sea Hunt Triton 160 w/ 90 ETEC “JB3”
Native Manta Ray 14
I already tied my rigs. I did a 15" just to be in between, also on a circle hooks.
To keep from gut hooking the larger ones, short leader is recommended. As short as 6".
6-8"
xHCFCx
Here’s my 10 cents, my 2 cents is free
How much weight do you normally use with the Carolina rig?
I use a 1/2 or even 3/4 egg sinker. if the current gets worse than that then you need a pyramid weight. But. In the current sometimes your egg sinker will roll around a bit down current on the bottom, but that’s not always bad, it may help you locate the fish.
I’m a high class redneck.
Fishing is a delusion entirely surrounded by liars in pfgs and buffs.
Great! Thanks for the tip. I’m hitting it tomorrow and will post a report of hopefully, success!!