What size weight are you guys using for deep smallmouth in highland lakes with deep drops? Any particular types of soft plastics you guys are using for Neds?

How deep is deep drops ?

I’m anti Ned. I use regular worms and regular jigheads. Zoom dead ringer, zoom finesse worm, spro pintail. 1/16 oz mostly, 1/8 if it’s over 30 ft

On 4/30/2026 at 11:04 AM, Reel said:

How deep is deep drops ?

15-25 ft..... sometimes 30+

I seldom go larger than a 1/8th oz. on a ned rig ever.

I fish very clear water and Ned has been my top producer for a couple of years now, Smallmouth and Largemouth.

I fish it with an 8# flourocarbon leader and only use 1/16 oz NedlockZ ewg.

These are my favorite baits and a couple of Smallmouth I caught a few weeks ago.

Sorry I missed this before. I make my own Ned heads. I can make 7 sizes but rarely go heavier than 1/8 oz using aTRD. We typically find our smallmouth in less than 15 fow so 1/16 and 3/32 do most of the work.

This is the jig we use. It is Midwest finesse with a Victory hook.

I have made a lot of 3/16oz ones for guys fishing 25-30' in Raystown Lake in Pennsylvania.

Allen

I use 1/10th oz Zman jig heads and 1/8th for other brands when fishing a Ned deep at Table Rock Lake. I catch a lot of smallies and spotted bass using these weights in 15 - 25 feet of water. It is rare that I fish them 30 feet deep though that has happened. Usually when I find fish in 30 to 40 feet at TR a drop shot is more conducive to catching them.

What plastic and color do you guys go with.. ive been using the berkley half head and the crush city blt in green pumpkin

I use a variant of Green pumpkin or watermelon for Hartwell. It is usually pretty clear. Other lakes that are a bit more dirty I use black with blue flake.

I fish a highland reservoir that is over 140 feet deep in the channel bottom. I fish depths to 40 feet and run 3/16 to 18-20 feet and 1/4 at depths over 20 feet. The Z Man Ned craw and SK Ned craw get the most use and TRD do well.

I use the 2.75 inch Zman Finesse Trd in the New Money color. Occasionally pro yellow perch, black/blue flake, and some of the shad colors like The Deal and Smelt get some love, but the New Money does most of the heavy lifting. I fish it on a sensitive light spinning rod with braid and an 8 lb fluoro leader. Obviously, if I am fishing in a good wind, boat position with respect to wind direction and using the leeward side of islands, channel banks, etc. plays a part in getting this tiny bait down to these depths.

Most of my local waters hold largemouth and smallmouth bass... it's funny cause the green pumpkin seems to draw largemouth bites and the coppertruse draws smallmouth bites.... man them smallies love them some chartreuse..