Here are the best Carolina rig baits after seeing, trying, and hearing about so many different types of baits for Carolina rigging. This is a list of Carolina rig baits that have caught bass for me. Hopefully, this can help you in your bait selections when you bust out the tried and true Carolina Rig to start “Kraken” Bass!
The Carolina rig is a classic set up that works year round for catching bass. I’ve been making it a staple in my arsenal whenever I hit the water. I use it when I need to make sure the bait is banging the bottom where those bass are hanging. Here are the best Carolina rig baits that have caught me bass over the years.
If you haven’t used a Carolina Rig, check out one of my additional posts about how to get it set up: Carolina Rigging.
The Jackall Sasuteki Craw
is my favorite bait to use on a Carolina Rig. It glides incredibly well through the water, and the claws have a nice subtle flap that bass seem to eat up. I rig it weedless on a 3/0 gamakatsu hook, and have found it can go through any type of cover. I like to use a “hopping” style retrieve with this bait on the rig. I feel like it makes the Sasuteki craw pop up off the bottom and glide subtly back down. The subtle glide down prompts those bass to strike. My favorite two colors of the Sastuteki craw are green pumpkin, and green shrimp.
My favorite Roboworm for Carolina rigging is the 6-Inch fat straight tail worm 
. It writhes and twitches really well on a Carolina rig set up. I’ll use more of a drag style retrieve with this bait, and fish it on a lighter finesse hook. I’ll usually use a 2/0 offset worm hook and place the worm on the hook in the classic texas style. Texas rigging the worm makes this bait super weedless, and can drag through almost anything. My favorite color roboworm is aaron’s morning dawn. It’s an awesome color to draw fish from a long way off.
The Gary Yamamoto D-Shad
is a soft jerkbait, fluke style, bait. I love using this fluke on a Carolina rig. Whenever you want a natural bait fish imitation down deep, this is the bait to put on.I typically texas rig it on with a 4/0 offset gamakatsu hook. My favorite color to use is olive shad. It’s one of the most natural colors for a fluke I’ve seen. I will alternate my retrieve with some dragging and hoping when fishing this bait. You can hone in on what the bass seem to like if you try different retrieves.
Never underestimate the power of the Senko. My Senko of choice for a Carolina rig is the 5-Inch dark green pumpkin amber laminate
. This color works everywhere, and this subtle stick bait gliding along the bottom of a Carolina rig can’t be beat. I usually texas rig the bait with a 3/0 offset hook. I’ve also heard of people using it on the end of a Carolina rig with a hook through the center of the bait in the “wacky” style. Senko’s flat out catch bass, and it’s no different when used on a Carolina rig.
As you can tell from the pictures, I do a lot of Carolina rig fishing when my boy is around. It catches bass. I Hope this post will help you get a good idea of some of the best Carolina Rig baits. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog for more posts on bait suggestions to use on different rigs. Also, leave a comment about what you thought of this post, and let me know what your best Carolina rig baits are. I’d love to hear what else you have found success with.
As always,
Stay Stoked!
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8 Responses
I haven’t really been a big fan of using fluke baits on a Carolina rig. All the other ones though I’ve had some good luck with. Awesome post man!
Good article. I have had good luck with a fluke on a Mojo rig when a slightly lighter set up is need in a Carolina rig style.
Thanks dudes! I’ve got stuff for a mojo rig, but haven’t fished it much. I will have to give it another try.
Love those two boys! Nice work!
I use 20 lb yellow Power Pro braid as a main line, with a lighter fluoro leader. Can’t afford to lose those expensive tungsten weights. Color the braid with a waterproof marker if you think the bright line will scare the fish. Most of the bass lakes in Idaho/Utah aren’t that clear, so I doubt if it matters. I want all the help I can get detecting strikes.
That’s a good tip.