During this situation, a finesse version of the Carolina rig works best for me, especially in clear to stained water. The finesse Carolina rig is better known as the Mojo Rig, which is thrown on lighter line with spinning tackle.
The Mojo Rig has quickly become my favorite finesse fishing technique. The Carolina rig with a heavy sinker is great for fishing deeper than 10 feet but it becomes too awkward for me to fish when bass are shallower yet still want a lure close to the bottom.
Some anglers set up their Mojo rigs with a small barrel sinker followed by a small swivel with a leader line of about 1 to 2 feet attached to the swivel. Tied to the leader is a light wire 1/0 or 2/0 hook. I prefer setting up my Mojo rig with a faster and easier method. I use a Mojo rig kit which allows me to slip my main line of 10-pound fluorocarbon through a 1/16- or 1/8-ounce cylinder-shaped sinker pegged with rubber strands.
The kit has a special Mojo rig tool for pulling the rubber strands through the sinker to peg the weight. Attached to the end of my line about 12 inches away from the sinker is a 3/0 worm hook that I stick into a 6-inch plastic lizard.
Another way to set up a quick-and-easy Mojo rig is pinching one or two bb split shots on your main line about 1 foot above a soft plastic bait.
Several soft plastic lures in smaller sizes work on the Mojo rig. I know Table Rock Lake guides favor Mojo rigging with do-nothing worms such as the Centipede or French fry.
Other ideal lures to use on Mojo rigs include 4- or 6-inch finesse worms, 4-inch plastic craws or Senkos and 3- or 4-inch swimbaits.
River smallmouth can be easily fooled by this finesse rig .
The Mojo rig produces for me in the spring when bass are spawning or cruising the shallows. I started throwing the rig when I noticed my jigs and other lures I like to drag along the bottom were bogging down in the moss-covered rocks.
The Mojo rig solved this problem as my cylinder weight pulled through the moss easier and the trailing plastic lizard rode above the rocks to prevent the lure from snagging the slime. I retrieve the Mojo rig by sweeping my rod similar to retrieving a Carolina rig and then pausing the bait for a couple of seconds before the next sweep.
