River guys - did the Ned Rig open your eyes to how many giant, less active Smallmouth you were missing and now it is your go to?

[TnRiver46]

4 minutes ago, LrgmouthShad said:

I don’t know about no Ned rig but I’m very new to river smallie fishing, literally only done it about 3-4 times and right now, a jig head worm is about the only thing I’ll throw. I learned how to let current drift your bait where you want it and otherwise just used my techniques for LMB in stiller water. 

A jig head worm is like a ned rig, only cheaper. And now that every fisherman has to throw neds, the jig head worm is becoming more effective since it’s a little different than the TRD 

[LrgmouthShad]

7 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

A jig head worm is like a ned rig, only cheaper. And now that every fisherman has to throw neds, the jig head worm is becoming more effective since it’s a little different than the TRD 

Maybe so, idk. I don’t see how fish can remember anything about a shaky head worm other than maybe general size and color. If there is one thing that I’ve learned this summer, it is to not underestimate the shaky head. I watched a guy in two trips on Badin hook up with bigger bass than I’d managed to catch over many more days on a little shaky head with a finesse worm. Just incredible. 

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, LrgmouthShad said:

Maybe so, idk. I don’t see how fish can remember anything about a shaky head worm other than maybe general size and color. If there is one thing that I’ve learned this summer, it is to not underestimate the shaky head. I watched a guy in two trips on Badin hook up with bigger bass than I’d managed to catch over many more days on a little shaky head with a finesse worm. Just incredible. 

Shakey head is good stuff, Jesse Wiggins makes a living throwing one 

[Blue Raider Bob]

I'm a Ned Rig believer. Not only has my numbers increased, but I have reset my PB several times using it. I fish current and rock and yes, definitely hang up, but the Smallies and Spots like it. For those of you that can't get over the constant hang ups, may I suggest down sizing your Ned Head to a 1/16oz? I have found that a lighter head and my 2-3/4" trailer drifts longer without bottom contact and still attracts bites. It is not a power fishing tool but it suits my technique.

[Blue Raider Bob]

On 7/23/2022 at 10:35 AM, Chris Catignani said:

This is something similar to a NED that I've been doing going on 45 years. I knew about this trick from Charlie Brewers Slider Fishing book...but adopted the technique purely by accident.

I would bite off about an inch of the Slider tail and mount it backwards on a Slider head. Though I saw this setup in the book...I did this for this reason: Back then I would come into possession of various different colors either as a gifts or purchase. Slider was making a whole lot of "Fire tail" baits. Well bream love to grab that fire tail and run with it. So I would just bite it off and reverse it.

 

Chris showed me this technique Wednesday on the Cumberland River. It does two things that I will remember. It draws strikes, and it hangs up far less than my exposed hook Ned. The only drawback I could see is when a Bass takes the lure, you have to physically set the hook, as opposed to my exposed hook, which I just use a slight flick of the wrist to set the hook. I had a better hook set ratio, but Chris was definitely getting hung up less, which means more time for his lure in the water fishing.

[Kdizzle]

Small skirted football jigs(lacking a weedguard) have always resulted in a much higher quality of fish for me when fishing a rocky bottom in a river.   Of course it takes a heavier than average weight to fish a river because of the current involved, but you can still find jigheads  with a smaller hook.  Owner football jigheads have a great 1/0 hook on their 1/4 and 3/8 sizes.  

 

I powder coat them and tie on a skirt.  Dark watermelon and dark green pumpkin are the only colors I really use, and they work great.   

 

Fish it like a ned rig is supposed to be fished, as in dragging very slowly, and inches at a time.  You will see a higher quality bite.

[Ohioguy25]

11 hours ago, Kdizzle said:

Small skirted football jigs(lacking a weedguard) have always resulted in a much higher quality of fish for me when fishing a rocky bottom in a river.   Of course it takes a heavier than average weight to fish a river because of the current involved, but you can still find jigheads  with a smaller hook.  Owner football jigheads have a great 1/0 hook on their 1/4 and 3/8 sizes.  

 

I powder coat them and tie on a skirt.  Dark watermelon and dark green pumpkin are the only colors I really use, and they work great.   

 

Fish it like a ned rig is supposed to be fished, as in dragging very slowly, and inches at a time.  You will see a higher quality bite.

Does this presentation produce better for you than traditional Ned? Why no weed guard?

[PaulVE64]

I glue split shot onto  jig hooks and add whatever I want to tie onto them with a half yum dinger.

d**n ridiculously effective dead drifted in current.  Acts like a ned I suppose. 

[Kdizzle]

On 9/17/2022 at 3:57 AM, Ohioguy25 said:

Does this presentation produce better for you than traditional Ned? Why no weed guard?

 I don't throw it into timber or weeds so don't really need one.  Plus it gets better hookups that way.  And yes it produces much better.

[Junk Fisherman]

I use a Ned a lot and I don't have major issues with hang-ups unless I am fishing wood.  Use a 1/16th oz head with a #2 hook if it is calm.  I'll go to a 1/10th if it's windy or if I am fishing deeper water.  Ned K said to go with a #4 hook but that is a little too small for me.  I'll use that exposed hook in weedy areas and I can shake off a lot of weeds during the cast.  And all of my biggest fish this year came on Neds including a 6.2, a 5.7 in a T, and lots of 3s and 4s.  Yeah, I catch a bunch of little fish too but I like the action.     

[Ohioguy25]

2 hours ago, Junk Fisherman said:

I use a Ned a lot and I don't have major issues with hang-ups unless I am fishing wood.  Use a 1/16th oz head with a #2 hook if it is calm.  I'll go to a 1/10th if it's windy or if I am fishing deeper water.  Ned K said to go with a #4 hook but that is a little too small for me.  I'll use that exposed hook in weedy areas and I can shake off a lot of weeds during the cast.  And all of my biggest fish this year came on Neds including a 6.2, a 5.7 in a T, and lots of 3s and 4s.  Yeah, I catch a bunch of little fish too but I like the action.     

Do you think larger (1/0) EWG hooks can be a sight deterrent and cause you to miss bites?

[Junk Fisherman]

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Do you think larger (1/0) EWG hooks can be a sight deterrent and cause you to miss bites?

 

I think larger hooks negatively impacts the action, gets hung more often, and do harm than good overall.  I have no problem with a #2 hook.  And I make my own jigs so I've tried different sizes.  The 1/0 jigs I've already made are used for Damiki rigs and hair jigs.  

[Ohioguy25]

On 9/19/2022 at 9:29 PM, Junk Fisherman said:

 

I think larger hooks negatively impacts the action, gets hung more often, and do harm than good overall.  I have no problem with a #2 hook.  And I make my own jigs so I've tried different sizes.  The 1/0 jigs I've already made are used for Damiki rigs and hair jigs.  

See I tried the finesse Shroomz and I always get frustrated with the constant snags and go back.

[Blue Raider Bob]

Yesterday I lost three nice ones on the Ned. Just can't seem to get the small hooks secured in the fishes mouth. They unbuttoned when they jumped. Also I'm convinced that the larger bass will sometimes ignore the smaller offering. Case in point was yesterday on the Tennessee River, just fished a known hotspot with a 1/16 oz Ned and did not draw a strike. Tossed back in and got snagged and had to break off. Picked up a rod with a speedcraw and dropped in same place and got a very heavy hookup for a moment until she pulled free. That big cow would not move for the ned.

[Ohioguy25]

2 hours ago, Blue Raider Bob said:

Yesterday I lost three nice ones on the Ned. Just can't seem to get the small hooks secured in the fishes mouth. They unbuttoned when they jumped. Also I'm convinced that the larger bass will sometimes ignore the smaller offering. Case in point was yesterday on the Tennessee River, just fished a known hotspot with a 1/16 oz Ned and did not draw a strike. Tossed back in and got snagged and had to break off. Picked up a rod with a speedcraw and dropped in same place and got a very heavy hookup for a moment until she pulled free. That big cow would not move for the ned.

Gotta upsize your hook to a 1/0 EWG

[TOXIC]

I use a Ned made by a friend.  His secret is using a trout hook.  Very thin wire, wicked sharp and I have yet to break one.  I have had one straighten out with a snakehead but it was me removing the hook. He now makes it with a separate barb bait keeper poured into the head and they are great.  I don’t know the size of the hook but for reference, the pic is of a 5” Yamamoto California Roll.  

[jitterbug127]

I like the ned rig. I fished it when the Z-man stuff first came out 7 or 8 years ago and had some success with it. I have got back into fishing this fall, and it seems to be a logically bait especially for my river. Finesse is the name of the game here, so ned is bait 1 or 2 off the boat for me. 

[flyfisher]

I threw it some on the river but it got snagged way too often and it seemed like a numbers bait to me.  I switched to my normal confidencebaits finesse jig or draggin head with a plastic of my choice and snags reduced and quality of fish increased.  

 

If I am fishing a small stick bait I generally nose hook it and dead drift.

[Benjamin J]

I fish in a pretty small creek at home and usually the big fish are about 3lbs. I threw a ned rig for one day and got a 4.3. Now I throw them year round.

[Bryon Shepherd]

Most of you have not read Ned for thirty years . Most of you throw the media contrived version of the 2 oz " ned rig " on 100 lb test braid.... Show me someone who actually knows Neds ways !!!!!

[TnRiver46]

@Bryon Shepherd, surely you’ve come across @Bluebasser86and @Team9nine in your bass resource travels……

[Bryon Shepherd]

I said most!

 

[TnRiver46]

Just trying to “show you someone who knows the ned ways” haha

 

i just use regular worms that don’t melt on 1/16 oz dart heads even though I have read the ned ways many times. 

[Susky River Rat]

3/8 mushroom head with a TRD isn’t Ned rigging by some standards. I need the 3/8 to fish the current out of the necessity. 

[Bryon Shepherd]

8 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Just trying to “show you someone who knows the ned ways” haha

 

i just use regular worms that don’t melt on 1/16 oz dart heads even though I have read the ned ways many times. 

I have gone away from it . the thought of what is considered " Ned rig " and the original point of Midwest Finesse has been skewered .