Has anyone tried the Hover Rig.  I believe Matt Stephan and Johnny Shultz developed it.

Haven't tried it but it looks like a modern day flying lure rig really.

Yea, I call it a hook exposed tube bait...

Hoping to try a home made version of it this weekend. Their lead time to get them is too long, so I went to the fly bench and tied some nails onto a #1 jig hook. If these work at all will get some of the real deal. Rigged up 2 on drop shot baits and one on a ned bait.

13 hours ago, VTFan said:

Has anyone tried the Hover Rig.  I believe Matt Stephan and Johnny Shultz developed it.

Innovated in Japan, a specific jig design, designed by Matt and Johnny.

How come all the new techniques coming out of Japan? 

They own the best cars so they want bass fishing as well......oh yeah forgot about Yamaha. ?

36 minutes ago, Bird said:

How come all the new techniques coming out of Japan? 

They own the best cars so they want bass fishing as well......oh yeah forgot about Yamaha. ?

Yeah I know off topic but....define best cars exactly.

6 minutes ago, flyfisher said:

Yeah I know off topic but....define best cars exactly.

Not playing.

I tried that last year after couple days matt talks about it on his channel, It is really working when you floating, So for you boat owners that is very good rig, But for bank fishing not really special, Dont get me wrong, It will work from bank, but not as good as when you are using boat and casting from boat.

So far it feels like a tool for fishing electronics-heavy, and the jerkbait/alabama rig/spoon stuff isn't working, so you need a finessy presentation. Unclear to me what it does that a silent jerkbait wouldn't also do, especially a jr. sized jerkbait. I guess the tail wiggles some. 

 

I've been hauling the stuff around to use it and haven't yet seen a situation where it seemed like the right thing to throw. Last time it was kind of close, I was in serious timber and it didn't even cross my mind. I also don't have livescope yet, so that isn't helping. 

 

Think about it like a mid-column ned, but where a ned would be moving through the water swimming style, this you can kind of float it there and move slowly. 

 

I did catch one fish on it, because I happened to have it tied on - saw a fish on a bed that wouldn't bite any bigger stuff, reached over and flipped the hover rig at it and it was happy to try to move it out of the bed. I'm pretty sure that's not the intended use. 

 

i used an xzone slammer with the lightest head they make and hammered smallmouth on it in a river i fish.it also lets you get a fluke down deeper but stil keep that darting gliding action.

10 hours ago, dave said:

Innovated in Japan, a specific jig design, designed by Matt and Johnny.

Yes, I do remember hearing Matt say that in one of his videos now that you mention it.

I can't make up my mind if I want to give it a shot or not.  Most of my fishing is done from the bank and I only take the boat out about once a week or so.

 

On 6/20/2023 at 5:04 AM, VTFan said:

Has anyone tried the Hover Rig.  I believe Matt Stephan and Johnny Shultz developed it.

I've experienced bites with the hover rig when other finesse was not working. Various drop shots, free rigs, finesse t-rig rigs (weighted/unweighted), & and wacky rig......produced no bites on a tough day, This was on a highly pressured/gin clear lake. 

 

Used from a boat and from the bank. From the bank pull-up and fall cadence is all I've experienced. Similar to a weighted wacky rig/flick shake techniques. From the bank, I did use the hover rig to cleanup a spot after power fishing/slow fishing with larger finesse. Smaller fish, but it was significant when changing to the hover rig. 

 

Fish triggered by the unique spiral fall, similar to a tube, yet obviously a slower fall with a light hover rig.

I tried Hover Strolling or Ryugi HoverShot hooks with a small nail weight. Has a unique glide/tube like fall with a flat bottom bait. I hated the line tide and it wasn't great in grass.

 

Honestly, I switched to a regular Neko rig and applied the same concepts and it did the same thing. This time I fished Mid-Column, instead of traditional bottom or hopping a Neko. If you think about it the Neko rig line tie sits 90 degrees and runs the same nail on the head. I can just place the hook differently and get a different fall or action (Hook by the nose was more like the Hover Strolling and more towards middle had more Wacky style)

Going to give it a try as I can think of situations where it should work. Already made a couple prototype heads.

 

Allen

Back in the late 70’s we called it dart head, still works good.

Tom

Head I filed down to make a hover jighead. 

 

Allen 

6 hours ago, Munkin said:

Head I filed down to make a hover jighead. 

 

Allen 

Nice job!!!!

 

They developed a nice jighead, but didnt come up with the technique.  It definitely works really well when fish are in a neutral or negative mood.  I think the way the weight is distributed along with the location and angle of the line tie, it gives the bait a more realistic look.  

16 hours ago, Munkin said:

Head I filed down to make a hover jighead. 

 

Allen 

File down these heads. You’ll lose the head before the bait comes off

On 6/23/2023 at 4:15 PM, looking45 said:

File down these heads. You’ll lose the head before the bait comes off

And those will nose dive versus the weight being distributed more evenly throughout the baits.  The hover jig concept allows the baits to fall more naturally. I understand the concept just not the price they are asking for the jighead? Honestly I can make some for $0.25 each. 

 

Allen 

I think this concept is similar to rage rigging that was popular a few to years ago where you use a weighted swimbait hook and rig up a rage bug or similar.    It had the same natural, gliding fall.   It was also Weedless because your exposed it.   I used to throw it a lot then got away from it.   I might have to rig one up again this week.  
I wish I was able to make something for $.25 like Munkin.   I think the idea is solid, but I agree it is a little spendy.