What is the best way to fish the Ned rig? I have been trying it to no avail. Any help with presentation would be really helpful. I just can't seem to get a bite on this. Thanks.

i have had no success with it either..i'll stick with the dropshot

Ahhh grasshopper... You don't fish the Ned rig... It fishes you!

I continue to be amazed at how well the little deal catches fish.. We had 22 on it in a couple hours on Table Rock yesterday morning... The best advice I can give is that you can't fish it too slow.

 I pretty much dead stick it.. or drag it a few inches and let it soak. . I've had days were they would bite it on the hop like a jig, but for me the majority of bites come with it on the bottom.

I just ordered some more heads, and I'll be getting some weedless ones at BP in a few weeks, so I'm looking forward to getting back into it. 

There's several retrieve techniques for fishing the Ned rig. Personally, I like either the deadstick or swim-shake-glide retrieve. More information from the man himself.

Step 1: Cast it out there

Step 2: Wait

I haven't used it. For one, it's a very weedy bottom over 90% of the reservoir I fish most of the time. I feel it would be buried in the weeds. Second, it's not weedless. I guess it would be OK to use it on a light shaky-head jig hook to help with the weeds. But to keep it from being fouled with weeds, I'd probably have to use a steady retrieve.

I haven't used it. For one, it's a very weedy bottom over 90% of the reservoir I fish most of the time. I feel it would be buried in the weeds. Second, it's not weedless. I guess it would be OK to use it on a light shaky-head jig hook to help with the weeds. But to keep it from being fouled with weeds, I'd probably have to use a steady retrieve.

steady retrieve is one of the retrieves often used, even a few inches below the surface. They're surprisingly resistant to snags, even with an open hook if you use the recommended gear. It's the guys that try to use a bigger hook or heavier head that end up snagged all the time. 

While using it, I toss it out, short casts, let it sink and jiggle your rod tip, sometimes for minutes.

I haven't used it. For one, it's a very weedy bottom over 90% of the reservoir I fish most of the time. I feel it would be buried in the weeds. Second, it's not weedless. I guess it would be OK to use it on a light shaky-head jig hook to help with the weeds. But to keep it from being fouled with weeds, I'd probably have to use a steady retrieve.

Almost 100% of my fishing this summer has been over weedy bottoms. The ned will hang if you throw it in really thick stuff, and it does get caught here and there in lighter weeds, but usually It's so light it doesn't dig in and a quick shake gets it out. I have actually been impressed by how little it hangs in moderate submerged weed growth. It's wood and rocks that have been my real nemesis. I can get the hook to bend out of wood, but I've had the hook break when I try to bend it back.  

steady retrieve is one of the retrieves often used, even a few inches below the surface. They're surprisingly resistant to snags, even with an open hook if you use the recommended gear. It's the guys that try to use a bigger hook or heavier head that end up snagged all the time. 

What weight/size jig head/hook do you use?

Success with the ned rig is very similar to fishing with the old school Charlie Brewer Sliders, i.e. you have to commit to it.  It needs to be your first choice and it will be the bait that you throw the vast majority of the time.  You'll learn to work it through all kinds of stuff, mostly you will learn how to wait while it sinks.  My most consistently retrieve was what Charlie Brewer called "polishing the rocks,"  What this meant was as slow and steady  as you could, fish your bait as close to the bottom as you could without touching.   It took a while to learn and took even longer to get comfortable with it, but results were very similar to what the Ned rig guys say they are getting.

 

I've got a decent ned rig outfit, but I still find it tiresome, waiting for that 1/10 or 1/16 oz jig to sink.