Since this is my weakness, do I spool the reel with braid then put a flouro leader or go straight braid ? Or do you spool up with all mono or flouro?

Braid, tungsten weight, glass bead, brass ticker, Palomar knot, swivel. I usually don’t throw tungsten because of the cost but if you hang this rig up you’ll usually get all this back. Then flouro leaders for stuff like brush hogs and craws or mono for worms, swimbaits, and flukes.

Nothing wrong with braid to a flouro leader, but everyone has their own take. Plenty of fish have been caught on mono Carolina rigs before there were all the options we have today.

Ok thanks guys, that's what I was thinking!

This is my set up, but use 15# mono for all baits.

I prefer 30 lb Braid with 15 lb. Fluorocarbon leader.

Fluorocarbon mainline with mono leader to give more buoyancy

What he said!

50# braid main line, 20# Floro or mono leader

Interesting. How significant is that buoyancy? Can you measure it?

not at all.

I think its completely insignificant. Every movement of the weight subsequently drags the lure to the bottom and keeps it there. If you have a floating lure, the weight's movement draws the plastic bait to the bottom, but it will ascend slowly if its buoyancy can overcome the weight of the hook and line. I just use 20lb flouro as the main line, and 12-15 pound flouro as the leader and it works great day in and day out. Creatures and flukes work really well for me. The keitech swimbaits are also really deadly because the plastic formula allows it to keel and swim properly without spinning on the C-rig.

I strongly recommend you experiment with it because its so versatile and effective. I've done it on spinning tackle with 1/4oz weights and flukes and absolutely smashed. I've seen my friend use a casting rod, 12 pound main line, and 6lb mono leader, nose hook a havok sick fish on a mosquito hook, and catch a 6lb smallmouth in 60FOW with the carolina rig. There are so many possibilities...

I use the light c-rig. Super easy to rig and adjust. Posted this setup before.

15# mean green co-polymer, 1/2 once tungsten weight, one Carolina keeper, Owner #2 rig n' hook.

Mostly use baby ring fry and baby brush hogs on this rig. Flat type baits tend to cause line twist.

Small baits as to not overload the hook. Sometimes change to the #1 hook for slightly larger baits.

Use two Carolina keepers for larger weights.

"one Carolina keeper........."............Use them on all my Carolina rigs, They're adjustable, less ties and knots, more sensitivity, etc.

Straight 20lb mono