# Don't Overlook Secondary Points!



## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Sitting here today, iced in, not going anywhere, so I figured I would do a bit about fishing secondary points, those often tiny places that hold fish when the bigger, more obvious points do not.
For example, these areas often hold big bass that are staging before the spawn, and are excellent ambush points that bass use in pursuit of baitfish.
Many anglers tend to fish the main lake points only, and simply do not put in the time to try these smaller, less attractive spots.
One of my favorite lakes here is an 80 year old watershed on the Deep River, and has lots of good cover for bass. Many points, secondary and main lake alike.
My son Matt and I fished a tournament there a few years back in June. It was a muggy day with light winds and a few clouds. We had pre-fished the lake the week before, and had wore them out on floating worms. The lake is ringed by grass beds, and the bass were using that for cover, and were really mashing those worms.
But the day of the tournament, they were not on that pattern. We saw a few bass taken on Texas rigged worms, so we turned to that around ten o'clock. After fishing many downed trees, we had one 15 incher and two fruitless bites for our trouble.
We fished a main lake point with no success, then headed to a small, stumpy point near the back of the bay.
I figured it was time to pull out what I call my "heavy artillery", my trusty Carolina rigged Zoom Speedcraw.
On my first cast, a nice three pound fish smashed it, and as I swung her into the boat, Matt got hooked up with a nice one, and I had to net this one for him, she was just a hair over five pounds.
To make a long story short, we sat on that secondary point til weigh in time, caught 23 bass, our best five went 22 pounds, with a six pound kicker fish.
No one else had a limit, and we won that thing by nearly 12 pounds.
The little point had won the day for us.
Another time in March, we rolled up on that point, and put four fish over six pounds in the boat on Rattlin Rogue jerkbaits, they were staging there prespawn, evidently.
Since then, that little point and others similar have put lots of bass in my livewell.
Secondary points can be a real boon to your fishing, so don't overlook them.


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## claytonhaske (Apr 16, 2010)

Great write up! I would love to see more informative write ups/articles written by fellow fishermen. I think it could vastly improve the learning curve for some of us(me especially).


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Thanks, glad you liked it. I may do more on other aspects of bass fishing, since that's my arena of expertise, so to say, lol. And since this weather sucks, it gives me something to do.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Some nice secondary point fish.


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## Mr. Basskisser (Oct 18, 2005)

I have tried carolina rigging a few times. But I find that I have a hard time casting with the slip sinker flying up the line. Should I be pegging that thing or what? I have seen you write about that zoom speed craw c-rigged more than once on here. Sounds like it is effective and I wanna learn hoe to catch em with it.


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## MassillonBuckeye (May 3, 2010)

What exactly is a "secondary point" and how do you identify one?


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

What size weight are you using? I use a 3/4 oz egg sinker, that usually eliminates the weight slipping up the line.
The ultravibe speedcraw is a small critter bait by Zoom that has flat, recurved pincers that really flutter when you raise your rod tip imparting movement.
http://zoombait.com/wp-content/gallery/ultra-vibe-speed-craw/thumbs/thumbs_090429_cox__365.jpg
If you are still having problems, it's ok to peg the weight.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

MassillonBuckeye said:


> What exactly is a "secondary point" and how do you identify one?


Secondary points are usually smallish points off of the main lake. Normally, they are located near coves, or bays, usually near or adjacent to main lake points.
They often are found close by river or creek channels. There is one I love on my home lake, for example, that is just around a main point back in a cove. Its visible part juts out less than ten feet from shore, but the point itself runs nearly 100 feet into the lake, where it terminates at the creek channel.
It is littered with stumps, which is also a common structure on secondary points.
Look at your shoreline. Look for a rise or small hill that extends to the water's edge. Chances are excellent that there is a small point extending out from there into the water. Structure = bass. There are no better places to catch bass than points. They can be Carolina or Texas rigged, even crankbaits are deadly, just choose a bait that will contact the structure.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Mr. Basskisser said:


> I have tried carolina rigging a few times. But I find that I have a hard time casting with the slip sinker flying up the line. Should I be pegging that thing or what? I have seen you write about that zoom speed craw c-rigged more than once on here. Sounds like it is effective and I wanna learn hoe to catch em with it.


NCbassattack is right. If you use a 3/4 oz weight you won't have much trouble with the weight separating too far from the barrel swivel. But, I don't normally use a sinker that weighs more than a 1/2oz for Carolina rigging, and more often than not, I use 3/8 oz. Not heavy by any means, but I always use two glass beads with something called a clicker between them. That adds about an 1/8 oz to the total weight. 

To alleviate the problem of the sinker sliding way up the line I use a rubber bobber stop, or as they're also called, a pegging stop. I put it on the main line before I put anything else on. When I'm casting the rig I keep the stop about 1' up the line from the weight. You cast, the weight slides up to the stop and stops. The stop will eventually work its way further up the line, but all you have to do is slide it back down the line. 

You do NOT want to peg the weight on a Carolina rig. Part of the rigs effectiveness comes from the lines ability to slide without feeling any of the weight of the sinker. Whatever you do, don't waste your money on any of the pre rigged Carolina rig contraptions they have. They don't slide easily enough, and they restrict how far the line can move before the weight starts being pulled. 

It only takes maybe 30 seconds longer to tie a normal Carolina rig. Why someone would spend money on the pre rigged ones is a mystery to me


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

One thing is, the rig gets hung on stumps sometimes. Don't keep tugging, move your boat just past where you're hung up and gently tug, it will usually come free. If your bait is hooked up, chances are good you can at least get your weight back and only have to do another terminal line instead of doing the entire thing.
While pegging is not ideal,and I never do it, I have seen guys do it with few problems, but I don't recommend it either.
My rig is simple:
First, I put on a clear glass bead, then the 3/4 oz egg sinker.
Then, another glass bead. Then, I tie on a barrel swivel, then the terminal line and hook.
I have found a terminal line of around 2 and a half feet is best, but you can go longer, or even as short as 20 inches.
My main line is 14 pound flourocarbon, my terminal line is 12 pound mono.
Check these frequently for fraying, as pulling through cover damages the line.
Here are some baits I have found very effective on a Carolina rig:

Zoom Ultravibe Speedcraw
Zoom six inch lizard
Zoom Trick worm
Paca Craw
Berkley Power Worm
These are just my favorites, especially the speedcraw, but there are a variety of plastics that work on this application.


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## Govbarney (Jan 3, 2011)

If your a visual learner check out this site: http://www.bassfishingandcatching.com/contour-maps.html

I learned how to read a contour map in the army, but when I got big into fishing even I had issues distinguishing between things like what a flat, and secondary point was.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

One thing about your beads. I have found that clear glass or plastic works best because using colored beads sometimes attracts panfish that will peck on them, making you think you're getting bit when you're not.
Also, everyone has their own ideas on Carolina rigging a point.
I will usually position my boat on the nose of the point, fan cast it, then move in about a half cast, fan cast again. Sometimes fish will be closer, other times near the end of a point.
I once watched two guys that had beaten me to a point clobber the close in stuff, and saw them catch a few small dink bass. When they left, we eased over and began fishing the end of the point where the cover was more sparse.
We caught four keepers on the end of the point between three to five pounds.


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## Mr. Basskisser (Oct 18, 2005)

Those bobber stops sound like the ticket. I figured pegging the slip sinker would cut down on the noise of the sinker hitting the beads. Thanks for the tips guys. Now all we need is some warm weather. I am recovering from knee surgery stuck in the house going nuts. Usually I can run my bird dog this time of year waiting on spring. But not this year. It shouldnt be too much longer should it?


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

Actually you want the beads to click, it attracts the bass, they say.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Mr Basskisser, like NC said. you want the noise of the ticking bead. I did a post about Carolina rigging a couple of years ago. Here's the link to it if you're interested in reading it. http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=199630&highlight=carolina+rigging+101 It's pretty basic and I certainly wouldn't consider it to be the last word on the subject, by any means. Just some basics that may help you out.

Also, in it I said I don't use braided line for the main line of a Carolina rig. Reason being, I'm not a huge fan of braid. HOWEVER .... I have started using braid as my main line, on occasion. Mostly because I can up the strength of my leader. Plus if you've used braid you know just how sensitive that stuff is. When I do use braid as the main line, I use 50# test Power Pro, and 17# or 20# test fluorocarbon. It's nice being able to really lean on a fish with that heavy of line.


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## Mr. Basskisser (Oct 18, 2005)

Bassbme, very informative thread. Thanks. Hopefully I can have some sucess this year on the Carolina rig. Sounds like both of you guys have a lot of confidence in it.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

I've fished around 200 bass tournaments, won 27. And I promise you the Carolina rig had a big hand in many, if not most, of them.
It's a great way to find those big, finicky bass that will take a subtle bait when they are not chasing or very active.


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## CudaJohn (Aug 26, 2014)

Mr. Basskisser said:


> Bassbme, very informative thread. Thanks. Hopefully I can have some sucess this year on the Carolina rig. Sounds like both of you guys have a lot of confidence in it.


+1

I'm definitely going to try a Carolina rig this year.


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

It's certainly a main part of my "weapons of bass destruction."
At Randleman Regional Reservoir last summer, Matt and I caught 27 bass off of a hump in 50 minutes on c rigged speedcraws, including two seven pound fish. The hump was around 50 feet by 10 feet, was surrounded by 15 foot water, and rose to a depth of six feet on the top of the hump. Stumps and rocks all over it. Perfect for the Carolina rig.


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## young-gun21 (Mar 14, 2006)

Good thread guys...I hope everyone who reads this spends more time C-Rigging and less time sharing water for the flippin' bite! I have a hard time draggin' the old ball and chain but it certainly has it's fair share of loyal fans.


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## polebender (Oct 29, 2011)

For me, the Carolina rig is the best foul weather bait there is! When the winds blowing and the boats rocking making it hard to cast cranks or keep contact and feel with jigs, worms or other bottom bouncing baits, and your line has a large bow from the wind, the Carolina rig fills the bill. With its heavy weight it casts easily in the winds, and with a slow steady retrieve you can always maintain contact with the bottom and the bait, and it works itself without having to impart any extra action. It's just the perfect system for these types of conditions.


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## Bassbme (Mar 11, 2012)

Amen to what Polebender said. There are a lot of places that a Carolina rig can call home, but it really shines off shore where there's nothing blocking the wind, and waves can really get rolling.

There's one thing I wanted to mention, that I haven't seen mentioned here yet, and that I didn't mention in the post that I linked previously in this thread. When I get a hit on a Carolina rig I get my rod in the proper position for a hook set, and then I'll feel for the fish. There's no problem doing that, but I will caution you. Don't wait too long. Waiting too long can result in gut hooked fish. 

One of the things about fishing a Carolina rig with its heavier weight is that sometimes it may feel like the weight is glued to the bottom, so you have to give it a pretty good pull to get it freed and moving again. That means the bait is going to quickly accelerate. Which at times is a good thing, because that quick burst of speed can trigger a bass that may be watching your bait, to strike. But it can also have a negative effect in that when your weight comes to a stop, your bait is still moving. Your bait being still moving can put quite a bit of slack in your leader. And as I said in the post I linked, a lot of times when I get a hit on a Carolina rig, the fish just sits there unless there are other fish in its immediate area that would cause it to move. Slack in your leader and a stationary fish that just ate your salt or flavor impregnated bait is going to swallow your bait. 

So as I said earlier, when you get a hit on a Carolina rig it's ok to wait a second or two, but don't wait much longer than that. Hook sets are free. And like I just said a minute ago. A sudden burst of speed can trigger a bass that may have picked up your bait and spit it out, to pick it back up again and eat it.

NCbassattack? Since there are some guys new to Carolina rigging reading this post, I hope you don't mind if I link another post I did a few years ago, about learning to fish off shore?

If so, I'll gladly remove the link. I feel I may have already hi jacked your thread a little. I certainly don't want to continue doing so, without your consent.

For those that may be interested, here's the link to that post. 

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=202548&highlight=carolina+rigging+101


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## NCbassattack (May 5, 2014)

That's fine, no problem. I like what you said about the two second hook set, which is something I was going to mention. Sometimes, if you roll up against some cover, and it feels distinctly "mushy", chances are a fish has the bait.Raise the rod tip and watch for a second or two. If it saws off left or right, tighten up and bust her! But never use an over the head set, sweep it left or right, you'll miss fewer fish that way.


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