| Carolina Keepers may be a godsend. If | | | | banging against each other knocks them |
| you're like me and don't like to spend | | | | loose to aid in avoiding snags in the |
| your valuable fishing time tying knots, | | | | brush or in rocks.Line twists with |
| these are for you.If you use Carolina | | | | Carolina Keepers is almost non-existent |
| Rigs, you are going to love these | | | | and you can feel much more confident |
| babies. They make the rigging process so | | | | with your rig by not having a couple of |
| much faster and you can change leader | | | | more knots on a swivel. I like the idea |
| lengths on the fly. They can also be | | | | of being tied directly to the hook and |
| used for catfishing and using live bait. | | | | not needing to "feel" through the |
| My preference is plastics.Rather than | | | | swivel.One thing to be careful of is |
| having to tie to a swivel, then tie a | | | | what happens when you hang up. For |
| leader to a swivel, then tie the leader | | | | instance, if your weights become hung on |
| to the hook (already I'm getting tired), | | | | the bottom between rocks and you pull |
| you simple tie to the hook. Here's how | | | | hard on the line to free it, the Keepers |
| it works...To put a Carolina Keeper on | | | | might slide down the line. If this |
| your line you simply squeeze the | | | | happens, you might want to move them up |
| Carolina Keeper with needle-nose pliers. | | | | the line, cut off some line and retie |
| It has a slit that opens when squeezed | | | | the hook. This is because when the |
| and you place the line through the hole | | | | Keepers slide on the line, they can |
| and release the pliers. Use the same | | | | scrape and damage the line. Just be |
| method to adjust the leader length. | | | | careful and check your line often.I have |
| Pretty tough, huh?The Carolina Keeper is | | | | never been the best at tying knots (or |
| great for use with sliding sinkers | | | | wanting to) and these eliminate that. I |
| because it eliminates the need for split | | | | hardly ever get hung up anymore. If I |
| shot or swivels to keep your sinker | | | | do, popping the weights up and down will |
| above the bait. The Keeper can be easily | | | | dislodge them almost every time, and |
| adjusted up or down the line to change | | | | this method seems to go through grass |
| your leader length. You can easily make | | | | real well.You can find Carolina Keepers |
| adjustments without having to change the | | | | in your favorite sporting goods store or |
| whole rig. If it slips or if you are | | | | by searching online. Have fun.---- |
| using a larger weight, adding a second | | | | By Bobby IvieBobby Ivie is an avid |
| keeper will keep the weight in place.One | | | | fishman and owner of He makes the |
| good idea is to use two Carolina Keepers | | | | biggest part of his living on the |
| on the hook side below two lighter | | | | Internet, NetBizWorkshop.netThis article |
| weights. This will cause the weights to | | | | may be reprinted as long as this source |
| make a noise, especially if you shake | | | | box is added and the source box |
| them in brush piles (even more so with | | | | hyperlinks are kept intact. |
| tungsten weights). Also, the weights | | | | |