How is a free rig different than a Carolina rig with a really short leader?
I don't think I understand what a free rig is, how to fish it, or what it's supposed to be doing under the water. I'm not even sure how to know I have a bite.
Free Rig vs Carolina Rig
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Great question! Truthfully, they are very similar. A free rig - the weight will generally not have as much distance from your hook when you are dragging. A carolina rig you can have a super long distance between your weight and your bait. The way I put it, I use the free rig for shallow cover and vegetation - carolina rig for deeper water, dragging points, rocks, etc.
Here are two good seminars to watch: https://www.bassuniversity.com/videos/fundamentals-of-the-free-rig-mike-iaconelli
https://www.bassuniversity.com/videos/carolina-rig-bass-fishing-greg-dipalma
Hope this helps!
While I am familiar with both, I have to say that I love free rigging! I got into it hard last summer in August/September when I swapped my approach from jigs and cranks to a finesse pattern. I used a ML rod and 8lb braid with a fluoro leader. With the free rig, I liked having baits that have a lot of drag so they sink slowly- something with appendages so that it falls through the water slower and there becomes more distance between the bait and the sliding weight. Having distance between the hook and the sinker is important, so when casting I will try and throw some extra line to it and let it fall on almost semi-slack line. In the retrieve, I would feel the weight on the bottom and feel for when the bait connects to it. When I feel that, I pop the rod up vertically so it hops, and immediately drop the rod down quickly in a pointing action to allow give it slack. I free rig working specific areas and cover for bass. When you are reeling and pulling on the bait during the retrieve, you will feel them pick up the bait.
When it comes to Carolina rigging, most of my experience comes with dragging it in current on Great Lakes river systems (Detroit/SCR). The leader is fixed, while the free rig is "free" because it slides anywhere above the hook. The coolest thing about fishing a Carolina rig like this is detecting what is on bottom and anticipating your bait to get picked up. If I am on the river, flowing with the current or dragging in out on the lake, a Carolina rig will let me know if I'm pulling the bait through sand/muck/rock/etc. At the end of the day I can say that I got those bites where it felt like it transitioned from clay to shale.
Both are awesome techniques that have their time and place. Hope you catch a big one!
Thank you for taking the time to explain. Still not sure I fully understand what the free rig is doing under the water (or what it's supposed to be doing). Is there like 20 feet of line between the weight and the bait if you throw it in deep water? Am I working the bait toward the weight? You just pop it off the bottom or reel it way up and drop the weight? Any problems with the bell sinker fraying your line?
I just can't see how to fish it differently than I would a Carolina rig, a dropshot or even a Tokyo rig.
Thanks again.
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I am happy to help. halfway through the cast, throw some extra line at it, this way it assures the weight to slide down on a slack line. the sinker will distance itself from the bait, but probably not 20'. you will feel the sinker make contact then you are working the bait towards the sinker. when you feel it, you lift up high and let it crash down on a slack line so that the sinker can distance itself from the bait. I use a bass casting or pencil sinker with a brass eyelet and haven't had any problems with it fraying my line. I know Fuji has a special Japanese slider for free rigging, but I don't think its a necessity. I do it really small, like a 3/16 oz at most. a pencil weight goes through grass really well. free rigging is great when fish are suspended or hunkered down on the bottom. as the weight is sliding down the line, the bait has a really slow fall that gives them a chance to look at it. floating baits have a lot of hang time too. I use the Gee Crack cue bomb or imo kemushi bug when I am doing this. the skirted limbs slow the bait down and the material is bouyant. when bass are sitting on the bottom, they are tempted with a super finessey bait that has minimal flaws to scare them off. its not big and bold like a jig or bangin a crank. while the Tokyo rig and drop shot and Carolina rigs are awesome, they're different where the presentation is glued to the bottom- they each have their own time and place depending where you are fishing. I like the free rig when fish are pressured and I have to slow down and really work for bites. it is not a method for covering water, try it out in spots where you are targeting contour change, cover, etc. I hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing. I will have to get some bell sinkers and try it out.