Those of you that have attended any bass seminars know flat out that with touring Pros they will do their damnedest to catch fish on a sponsors bait but will use any thing in the boat that will keep their weight up and keep their sponsors name in the public eye and the tourney sponsors name on a nice check after the weigh in. We had a chance the fall before last to follow the MLF folks on local waters up here in Maine and yes it became a dink fest on waters where generally it is going to take 18-20+ pounds  in a one day 5 fish format. A couple of the guys did swing for the fence and were so close to having it figured out that it could have changed dramatically but in the end the guys fishing for numbers prevailed. I will give the Ned a go this summer just for those days when getting a limit can be a big issue. Once one has a limit they can go and try to up grade. But again those tourneys will be of standard 5 fish format. Looks to me like another tool.

5 hours ago, herruberraschen said:

I think Brent Chapman literally said "I even tried a Ned rig. Still haven't caught any" to a fellow competitor on MLF today.

There you go, that answers that.

6 hours ago, herruberraschen said:

I think Brent Chapman literally said "I even tried a Ned rig. Still haven't caught any" to a fellow competitor on MLF today.

Chapman also hates fishing a Ned rig and isn't afraid to admit it. Not many people I know are good with a bait they hate fishing. 

I fish with a club of retirees on lake fork here in tx. And it's a catch and release deal just like MLF, anything over 10" gets measured and tossed back. Well lately from all the rain they have been opening the gates and when they do the fish get lock jaw. Out of 26 guys last wk 3 fish were caught, one being mine on a jig. I have never fished the Ned rig and now wondering if I should give it a shot? Only thing that worries me is there is a ton of wood and stumps in the resivoure and don't know how well that would fish meaning getting snagged every cast? Any thoughts?

Just now, TxHawgs said:

I fish with a club of retirees on lake fork here in tx. And it's a catch and release deal just like MLF, anything over 10" gets measured and tossed back. Well lately from all the rain they have been opening the gates and when they do the fish get lock jaw. Out of 26 guys last wk 3 fish were caught, one being mine on a jig. I have never fished the Ned rig and now wondering if I should give it a shot? Only thing that worries me is there is a ton of wood and stumps in the resivoure and don't know how well that would fish meaning getting snagged every cast? Any thoughts?

If the water is muddy, then I probably wouldn't. Otherwise you can give it a shot. I fish them around stumps and wood all the time. Just finesse them through the cover and they hang up surprisingly little and are easy to retrieve if you can reach them. 

1 minute ago, Bluebasser86 said:

If the water is muddy, then I probably wouldn't. Otherwise you can give it a shot. I fish them around stumps and wood all the time. Just finesse them through the cover and they hang up surprisingly little and are easy to retrieve if you can reach them. 

I fish with a club of retirees on lake fork here in tx. And it's a catch and release deal just like MLF, anything over 10" gets measured and tossed back. Well lately from all the rain they have been opening the gates and when they do the fish get lock jaw. Out of 26 guys last wk 3 fish were caught, one being mine on a jig. I have never fished the Ned rig and now wondering if I should give it a shot? Only thing that worries me is there is a ton of wood and stumps in the resivoure and don't know how well that would fish meaning getting snagged every cast? Any thoughts?

 

No the water has been pretty clear, usually is.

I'd give it a shot, doesn't sound like it could be worse than what you're already doing. Anywhere that the fish hold on rocks or around docks they really shine. 

Wow! Much ado about what the Pros use!! 

I suppose since I don't fish tournaments I'm a small minority that could not care less what they use or don't use. These people are NOT the "Oracles" that people make them out to be. 

  Some of us are chug-a-lugging the koolaid!!LOL!

Since I don't consult the pros I must indeed be very lucky to have caught so many fish in my lifetime.  People like us actually come up with a technique or 2 by ourselves  

( as mentioned, the "NedRig" was used 60 years ago in False River, New Roads , Louisiana!)

and even then, it didn't catch fish all the time.  A "Notched River Runt" was popular.  

Anyone heard of that trick?  

1 hour ago, Silas said:

Wow! Much ado about what the Pros use!! 

I suppose since I don't fish tournaments I'm a small minority that could not care less what they use or don't use. These people are NOT the "Oracles" that people make them out to be. 

  Some of us are chug-a-lugging the koolaid!!LOL!

Since I don't consult the pros I must indeed be very lucky to have caught so many fish in my lifetime.  People like us actually come up with a technique or 2 by ourselves  

( as mentioned, the "NedRig" was used 60 years ago in False River, New Roads , Louisiana!)

and even then, it didn't catch fish all the time.  A "Notched River Runt" was popular.  

Anyone heard of that trick?  

 

Sorry y'all I had 2 friend pass away within a hour of each other!

I've had several friends relentlessly trying to convince me to return to tournament fishing. Three want me to fish this trail and the rest want me to fish the BFL. Which is why I confused the two, I don't want to fish either.

I have made a commit to coach PE at a small private school. The 10 boys I'm coaching have had difficulties in public & other private schools but are making hugh strides at VBS. while the competitive juices still burn I would have to quit coaching & I refuse to do that...I just can not do that!

Later Y'all.

Life is too short to waste on things that don't mater.

Tom

notched river runt, that's an old trick - that's when we learned you could crank a bait fast as you could and catch fish - I believe Heddon developed the sonic from that idea.

It just may not be someone's fishing style. I refuse to throw a shakey head ned rig or a drop shot. If at all possible I have a flipping stick in my hands picking apart cover. The closest I get to a finesse fishing is a 3/8 war eagle finesse jig. Even then it's still a decent size bait