Ned rig setup 2025

Missouri Rigging reply :

Hey, what is your guy's setup for ned rigging. Idk if I need a long rod or short and the type of action. I like to hear what you guys have.

MN Fisher reply :

I do all my finesse work - Ned, dropshot, etc - with the Avocet rig. 2000 size reel, 6'6" Medium-Light/Fast rod, 8# mono.

QUAKEnSHAKE reply :

Casting 7'6" medium light moderate fast

Spinning 8' medium light moderate

Bluebasser86 reply :

Rod length doesn't matter a lot but I think you'd be best suited with something in the 6-7.5 foot range in a ML/F or XF.

Personally, I use a ML/XF 6' 10" LTB with a 30 size Supreme XT, 10lb KastKing Kastpro braid to 8lb leader (if I'm using one).

Russ E reply :

I use a 7ft falcon bucoo ml fast rod with a kastking 2000 sharky 3 reel.

Line is 10lb kastpro braid with an 8lb copoly leader.

WRB reply :

Ned rig started off as a finesse spinning presentation with mushroom head jigs between 1/16 oz to 1/6 oz using light line. I will admit I didn't see this becoming as popular as it did. Today Ned rig is getting harder to define with stick worms from 3" to 5" and hooks to 3/0 and jigs to 1/4 oz. larger hooks with larger soft plastics require heavier rods and line for good hook sets.

So what "Ned" jigs and plastics are you using?

Tom

ike8120 reply :

I got a Dobyns Fury 702SF with a KastKing Sharkylll 2000. This is what fit into my budget.

TOXIC reply :

On 3/7/2019 at 2:33 PM, WRB said:

Ned rig started off as a finesse spinning presentation with mushroom head jigs between 1/16 oz to 1/6 oz using light line. I will admit I didn't see this becoming as popular as it did. Today Ned right is getting harder to define with stick worms from 3" to 5" and hooks to 3/0 and jigs to 1/4 oz. larger hooks with larger soft plastics require heavier rods and line tomgetva good hook set.

So what "Ned" jigs and plastics are you using?

Tom

How true. It seems that all finesse presentations (especially those started out West) once they get more mainstream get "bubba'd" up to heavier and heavier lines, weights and baits as the technique spreads. I attribute it to those who just can't leave a technique alone and have to tinker or change it to make it feel more like it's their own. It's ok with me though because I am a hardcore finesse fisherman and I tend to downsize more than upsize. I throw my Ned offerings on a 7ft medium (or M-F depending on the rod manufacturer) spinning with 6lb mono, either a CastAway Skeleton or Quantum Smoke.

WSOzzie reply :

Use a 6’8” med/fast Zodias spinning paired with a Smoke3 (25 size) spooled with 8lb Yo-Zuri. ????

Oregon Native reply :

Seven foot "Drop Shot Special" from Dixie Rods....2500 StellaFA and 8# suffix yellow with 6 or 8 lb leader.

junyer357 reply :

Dobyns champ 702sf with a pflueger supreme 30, yellow 15# pp8 optional flouro leader.

BigAngus752 reply :

Up until recently I had been using a 7ft. Powell Inferno M/XF spinning rod. I love how much sensitivity it has for feeling the bottom, even with 6lb mono on it, but it was a bear to cast and I sometimes lost fish because it was so stiff. I recently picked up a Falcon Jason Christie Finesse spinning rod (7ft M/Mod Fast) and I've fished it once. The casting difference was huge and, although I didn't have quite the bottom feel, I had much better control over the fish once it was on. I'm sticking with the Falcon for ned rigs.

thinkingredneck reply :

Go read Ned Kehde's articles. He just uses cheap fishing gear. One of the points of Midwest Finesse is it is frugal. I think, as best I remember, he uses an old cardinal reel with the bail removed and a Shakespeare med rod. Light braid to leader. Nothing over 1/16 oz mushroom jig.

punch reply :

On 3/7/2019 at 9:28 PM, thinkingredneck said:

Go read Ned Kehde's articles. He just uses cheap fishing gear. One of the points of Midwest Finesse is it is frugal. I think, as best I remember, he uses an old cardinal reel with the bail removed and a Shakespeare med rod. Light braid to leader. Nothing over 1/16 oz mushroom jig.

Funny because I use a GLX 852s and a ballistic LT for my ned duties. Sorry Mr. Kehde.

There's a new Zodias 7'3" ML rod that came out recently that seems like it would be the perfect Ned rod. I keep playing with it in my local tackle shop.

FryDog62 reply :

Majorcraft Don Iovino 6-10 MXF casting rod, with Tatula SV so I can skip when necessary..

Joshua van Wyk reply :

Just about any dropshot rod will work well for ned rigs. Personally I use a Shimano Cirado 6'10 ml paired with a Tatula lt 2500.

NYWayfarer reply :

My Lew's Mach Crush Speed Spin combo has become my Ned Rig setup of choice lately. It is 7' Medium Rod and size 300 reel I have spooled with 8# line (mono or fluorocarbon)

I used to use a size 100 or 200 reel on a medium light rod. Last year I caught some big Channel Cats on the Ned Rig that made me want to switch to a beefier setup.

Fishes in trees reply :

My current Ned Rig is a 5'4" Fenwick HMG spinning rod. Med - extra fast tip, and a 1000 size Shimano Spirex rear drag.

The rear drag Spirex is an older reel, a little heavier than the front drag, but it works and currently it is a low priority to replace. Mostly I throw Berkley Nanofil. 12 or 17, I don't know exactly what pound test. I haven't noticed the white nanofil line affecting bites one way or the other. This rig will throw a 1/16 oz jig head with a half sinker z or finesse TRD as far as I've ever needed to throw one.

fishwizzard reply :

The best “small open hook jighead with small plastic trailer” rods I have used have been the Loomis MagLight/XFast spinning rods. The power and taper are just perfect for this applacation. Used IMX versions come up on ebay from time to time and they still make them in E6X and GLX

Missouri Rigging reply :

On 3/7/2019 at 2:33 PM, WRB said:

Ned rig started off as a finesse spinning presentation with mushroom head jigs between 1/16 oz to 1/6 oz using light line. I will admit I didn't see this becoming as popular as it did. Today Ned rig is getting harder to define with stick worms from 3" to 5" and hooks to 3/0 and jigs to 1/4 oz. larger hooks with larger soft plastics require heavier rods and line for good hook sets.

So what "Ned" jigs and plastics are you using?

Tom

I'm more into z-man line of ned. The trd small stick bait, trd hawg, hula stick and now trd craw. I have it setup on a Lew's rod and reel combo I bought at Walmart.

On 3/7/2019 at 2:33 PM, WRB said:

Ned rig started off as a finesse spinning presentation with mushroom head jigs between 1/16 oz to 1/6 oz using light line. I will admit I didn't see this becoming as popular as it did. Today Ned rig is getting harder to define with stick worms from 3" to 5" and hooks to 3/0 and jigs to 1/4 oz. larger hooks with larger soft plastics require heavier rods and line for good hook sets.

So what "Ned" jigs and plastics are you using?

Tom

WRB reply :

You are using the original Ned rig products 2 1/2 to 4" with light or medium wire hooks.

I would up grade the rod to either Iovino Major Craft finesse spinning ot Dobyns Fury FR 702 SF. I prefer the handle design and 6'8" rod of the Major Craft rod. Line, 7 lb Sniper FC or 5 lb Max Ultra Green coploy. I prefer Copoly line foe slow sinking jigs because it tends to stay on the surface so I can see the V the line cuts in the water for a strike indicator, very hard to see FC line as it sinks quickly.

Tom

The Fisher reply :

St Croix Avid X 6’9” ML Extra Fast with a Daiwa LT2000...8#suffix nanobraid with a 10# Invizix leader

BaitFinesse reply :

Majorcaft Volkey BFS 68L. Daiwa Pixy Silver Mica with an Airy Red spool. 20 pound Suffix performance braid high vis orange. 8 pound Big Game leader.

fishwizzard reply :

On 3/8/2019 at 2:50 AM, BaitFinesse said:

Majorcaft Volkey BFS 68L. Daiwa Pixy Silver Mica with an Airy Red spool. 20 pound Suffix performance braid high vis orange. 8 pound Big Game leader.

How much 20lb Suffix are you getting on that spool? I have an Airy Red that I am going to use a ton this year for Ned rigs and other small plast presentations and am still mulling over my line options.

BaitFinesse reply :

On 3/8/2019 at 3:11 AM, fishwizzard said:

How much 20lb Suffix are you getting on that spool? I have an Airy Red that I am going to use a ton this year for Ned rigs and other small plast presentations and am still mulling over my line options.

I have no idea. I don't meter the amount of line I put or a reel or pay much attention to stated line capacity. A 1/20 oz weedless Shroomz head and 3 inches of a Hula Stick can cast pretty deep into the spool on a hard cast going for distance but still leaves a little bit on the spool. That seems about right to me. The same size head with a longer shank and full length Hula Stick could probably spool the reel on a hard cast.

TBAG reply :

I've got a new setup I'm going to try this season for ned rigging.

Dobyns Sierra 702s and a Stradic Ci4+ with 6lb Yo zuri hybrid.

Missouri Rigging reply :

So what is your guy's go to color? I fish bull shoals and norfork where the water is mostly clear. So I'm sticking with more natural color for the most part. Bass do love pb&j here though. I'm looking to expand my colors and try to find one that best works for me

Russ E reply :

On 3/8/2019 at 4:26 AM, Missouri Rigging said:

So what is your guy's go to color? I fish bull shoals and norfork where the water is mostly clear. So I'm sticking with more natural color for the most part. Bass do love pb&j here though. I'm looking to expand my colors and try to find one that best works for me

4 main colors I use are pb&j, mud minnow, coppertreuse, and the deal.

The deal probably gets used the most.

MN Fisher reply :

Clearer water I'll use Canada Craw - closest match to the majority of crayfish species that live around here. Murkier I'll go to either Black/Blue or Green Pumpkin.

The Bassman reply :

On 3/8/2019 at 1:11 AM, Missouri Rigging said:

I'm more into z-man line of ned. The trd small stick bait, trd hawg, hula stick and now trd craw. I have it setup on a Lew's rod and reel combo I bought at Walmart.

You're in elite company since the technique's namesake buys his there, too.

fishwizzard reply :

On 3/8/2019 at 4:17 AM, BaitFinesse said:

A 1/20 oz weedless Shroomz head and 3 inches of a Hula Stick can cast pretty deep into the spool on a hard cast going for distance but still leaves a little bit on the spool

That is super helpful, thanks! I don’t seem to make very long casts compared to most, so that should be fine for me.

On 3/8/2019 at 5:12 AM, Russ E said:

4 main colors I use are pb&j, mud minnow, coppertreuse, and the deal.

The deal probably gets used the most.

Yep, but I sub Drew’s Craw in for Mud Minnow.

Matt_3479 reply :

I have only fished the ned rig really late in the season once last day of fishing and looking forward to trying it this season as it was the only thing I could get to bite! I was using a 7’ medium fast and it was too stiff. I have since picked up a 6’10 glx 822s dsr which I’m excited to try and have my eye on a 7’ light+ expride

thinkingredneck reply :

In the spit it of frugality, I use an Ugly stick with my Ned Rigs. I still have some original Gopher mushroom jigs. I have some Zinger Z cut in half, some finesse TRD. I like Junebug and Coppertruse in stained water. I also have some Z man jigs and some elaztec grugs, lizards, and worms that I t-rig.

All in all, I still do better with finesse worms t-rigged than Ned rig. Maybe because I fish stained water to muddy water.

rangerjockey reply :

With the color that's in Bull Shoals now and with rain on the way I would think green pumpkin/orange or coppertreuse.

Kenrick Kisch reply :

I Recommend 20 lb braid on a ML spinning. I use z-man trd’s caught a 5lb bass on copertruse color.

Heartland reply :

On 3/7/2019 at 1:44 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Rod length doesn't matter a lot but I think you'd be best suited with something in the 6-7.5 foot range in a ML/F or XF.

Personally, I use a ML/XF 6' 10" LTB with a 30 size Supreme XT, 10lb KastKing Kastpro braid to 8lb leader (if I'm using one).

I use this exact setup, with the exception of line, I use Gliss.

Darren. reply :

On 3/7/2019 at 12:55 PM, Missouri Rigging said:

Hey, what is your guy's setup for ned rigging. Idk if I need a long rod or short and the type of action. I like to hear what you guys have.

I fish Ned on different setups, but mostly on 5'9" or 6' spinning rods.

Current fav for Ned is my 5'9" (cut from 6') St. Croix Premier along with a

1000 Shimano Stradic CI4+, 15# Power Pro SS8 and varying leaders, either

6 or 8# Gamma Edge fluoro, or Yo Zuri Hybrid.

On 3/8/2019 at 4:26 AM, Missouri Rigging said:

So what is your guy's go to color? I fish bull shoals and norfork where the water is mostly clear. So I'm sticking with more natural color for the most part. Bass do love pb&j here though. I'm looking to expand my colors and try to find one that best works for me

Also varies for me. I've got 6 colors of the TRDs and have caught on all,

with maybe mudbug, Junebug, and GP Orange the tops.

Getting set to try the CrawZ in watermelon red and Junebug. They look

awesome.

http://tackletour.com/reviewzmancrawz.html

MickD reply :

Use whatever will cast the weight you want to use the distance you want to cast it. We tend to overthink stuff like this.

Heartland reply :

I usually start with PB&J in clear water and work my way to more natural colors like GP in darker water.

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Ned rig setup 2025

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