How about combining two very hot soft plastic techniques : The Ned Rig + The Neko Rig = "The Ned Niko" ! Basically a ZMan TRD , Strike King Ned Ocho , Robo Worm Ned Worm , Missile Baits Ned Bomb , etc. the add a small O-Ring a little less than halfway up , insert a small nail weight (1/16th oz. ~ 3/32nd  oz. ) in the nose of the soft plastic and then finally add a Gamakatsu #1 size Split Shot / Drop Shot Hook under the O-ring as you would a Neko Rig catching a small amount of soft plastic under the hook for retention . To work the "Ned Neko" just drag and occasionally hop a as you would a Neko rig - except drop down to a finesse ML-F spinning set up (finesse Braid + FC leader or straight FC)  ... The beauty of fishing a Ned Rig this way  is you do not get hung up quite as much as you would using a standard exposed hook Ned Rig Jig Head - yet the hook ups are just fine . Lastly , you will need to downsize the O-ring (depending on which Ned type stick worm you are using) - if it helps,  I am finding the VMC Cross Over Rings in sizes #5mm & #6mm are about right in size (again , depending on your Ned stick worm diameter) ... Good luck !

So a neko rig... ?

while i definitely agree with the idea (my uncle actually does something extremely similar and kills in the winter), i would still consider it a Neko rig, just downsized

 

now if we put a ned head with the hook tip cut off on the bottom of that lure...

Some people slow swim a Ned, would be difficult to duplicate hooked Neko.

Plus your combining 2 techniques making it 1 which would make the bait monkey pucker. Lol

I guess I’ll be the one to state the obvious here, this is the Nedko rig.

 Let it be written!

A little too complicated for my taste, but I bet it would catch ‘em! 

*Yes , basically a down sized Neko Rig using a finesse TRD set up (lol) . Due to being slightly larger / longer than a TRD , I would target using a SK Ned Ocho or Robo Worm Ned Worm as they are not quite as buoyant to begin with as the ZMan Elaztec soft plastics. I also would consider the Ned Neko rig to be a close cousin to the "Tiny Child Rig" .

I've been buying some different gear this winter to try this exact thing come spring time. I've got a bunch of 1/32 nail weights and some size 4 G-Finesse Neko hooks that will work. I haven't found my ideal worm for this yet though, and the closest I have come yet are some floating trout worms. I would just use the short roboworms, but I prefer a floating worm for my Neko rigs. Hopefully I will be able to find the perfect worm by ice out so I can give this a good test. 

4 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

*Yes , basically a down sized Neko Rig using a finesse TRD set up (lol) . Due to being slightly larger / longer than a TRD , I would target using a SK Ned Ocho or Robo Worm Ned Worm as they are not quite as buoyant to begin with as the ZMan Elaztec soft plastics. I also would consider the Ned Neko rig to be a close cousin to the "Tiny Child Rig" .

Yes, the Tiny Child Rig. That's what I was thinking of while reading the description of this one. I've been wanting to try that but haven't had a chance yet. 

On 1/26/2022 at 12:25 PM, walleyecrazy said:

I've been buying some different gear this winter to try this exact thing come spring time. I've got a bunch of 1/32 nail weights and some size 4 G-Finesse Neko hooks that will work. I haven't found my ideal worm for this yet though, and the closest I have come yet are some floating trout worms. I would just use the short roboworms, but I prefer a floating worm for my Neko rigs. Hopefully I will be able to find the perfect worm by ice out so I can give this a good test. 

The Z-Man Elaztec 4" finesse worm (and SK 3X finesse 4" worm licensed from Z-Man) could possibly work - but the head is small , so a small nail weight is the norm here .