Is the Ned rig just a small fish bait? 2024

Bluebasser86 reply : 

 

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gulfcaptain reply : 

Nice fish, I'm thinking I should have brought little neddy with me to the delta this last week, but didn't.  Might have made a difference for me up there.  Little neddy will be going everywhere from now on "just incase".

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RSM789 reply : 

  On 5/11/2015 at 8:33 AM, gulfcaptain said:

...Little neddy will be going everywhere from now on "just incase"...

 

That sounds like a smart strategy, especially on urban waters with little cover.  I will continue to use many of the specialty techniques & baits that I enjoy, but in just 2 trips, Neddy has become my go to rig for any type of shallow water, bottom bouncing technique.  I'm usually not one to jump all over something new, but Bluebassers & Team9nines testimonials & instructions along with my brief experience with it tells me it is indeed "The Real Deal".  

 

It is the Mike Trout of bass lures, a 5 tool MVP.

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rippin-lips reply : 

I haven't used the rig in question, but it seems like it would be more number verse big fish. However if a big bass is nearby and wants to eat, then it will eat. So catching a big fish doesn't surprise me at all. My 2 biggest fish were on a 5" stick bait, and my 3rd on a 4" dreamshot. I don't ask questions.

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Mccallister25 reply : 

I have yet to jump on the Ned wagon, but with more and more of these threads popping up, it looks like I'm gonna have to give it a try. Nice fish!!

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Senko lover reply : 

Did you catch that on Havasu?

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Catch and Grease reply : 

I would like to try the Ned rig but I doubt it would work where I fish... Tons of grass, silty bottoms, and low visibility water doesn't sound like a good combination for the Ned rig....

I have caught a lot of bowfin on something like the Ned rig, a senko cut in half on a jig head.

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Felixone reply : 

I am with you Catch and Grease.  I received the one from the MTB last month, but unfortunately it was a green pumpkin color.  Most of the places I fish that green colors work are nearly choked with weeds so bottom baits, or those with exposed hooks don't work too well.  I did try a relatively new spot this weekend.  I had high hopes for the Ned, but not a single bite.  Then I snagged on something and broke the hook trying to get it free.  I still have one set left, but I don't think it will be getting a lot of action.  

 

Of course I am not a real fan of finesse techniques.  I prefer to fish a bit faster than these techniques usually allow.

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RSM789 reply : 

  On 5/11/2015 at 6:30 PM, Senko lover said:

Did you catch that on Havasu?

 

No, it was on my home lake back on May 2nd.  J Francho asked me to wait a few days before posting pictures of it

 

I didn't fish at all at Havasu, my wife was with me so I didn't want to completely abandon her while I wasn't Marshalling.  

 

I did want to ask the pro's about the Ned Rig, but one of the rules B.A.S.S. has is to not discuss anything that could lead to you assisting an angler in finding or catching fish.  To be safe, I only asked questions about what the anglers were doing, not about what they weren't doing.  It is a fine line & I wanted to make sure I didn't cross it accidentally.

 

Ish Monroe spent a few minutes on a couple of bedding fish on the main lake on day 1 and Alton Jones spent a few hours on a couple of bedding fish on day 3.  Jones caught nearly every bedding fish he sat on (including one he worked on for 90 minutes, which he had to release because it was hooked outside the mouth), but Ish was less successful at it.  Inside my head I was screaming "Toss a Ned rig on that bed", but just bit my lip.  I am curious how it would have worked.

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Team9nine reply : 

  On 5/12/2015 at 1:49 AM, RSM789 said:

 

 

Ish Monroe spent a few minutes on a couple of bedding fish on the main lake on day 1 and Alton Jones spent a few hours on a couple of bedding fish on day 3.  Jones caught nearly every bedding fish he sat on (including one he worked on for 90 minutes, which he had to release because it was hooked outside the mouth), but Ish was less successful at it.  Inside my head I was screaming "Toss a Ned rig on that bed", but just bit my lip.  I am curious how it would have worked.

 

It works just fine on bedding fish. Been catching quite a few that way here in Indiana for the past week and a half. A few more thoughts I'd like to share based on what I've been reading on the forums to help clarify a little about what the bait and technique is or isn't. Seems the more people post, the more confusing it ("Ned Rig") becomes at times.

 

• Don't make the Ned Rig into something it isn't. The primary concept behind it is to assist in the task/goal of catching 101 bass a trip (4 hours). Yes, you can expand on that basic concept as others have shown, but that is the main theme behind using it. See: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700241837/Bass-101--its-the-target-not-a-course.html?pg=all
• As such, it's small size is geared toward picking up numbers of bass, but as others have posted, if a big fish gets in the way, it will entice them too. They're a bonus - not the primary goal. Ned caught and released what many considered to likely be a new state record class smallmouth  (Kansas; 6-10) on it just a year or two back, and recently tangled with another that size already this spring (got off boatside before being lipped).
• "Ned Rig" is a generic term for the mushroom head/small plastic/spinning rod/braid/leader fishing concept. It is not just a 1/2 ZinkerZ or TRD bait on a jig head. There are actually about 8-10 different plastics Midwest Finesse anglers (the broader term for anglers using the rig and it's counterparts) routinely carry and use, some of which aren't Z-Man baits. The Z-Man plastics are simply preferred for their durability and efficiency. Some days the fish want a different shape. We use small craws, leeches, finesse worms, shad-shaped and lizards also. However, all baits are 4" or less in length.
• Obviously, the bait isn't designed for fishing in and around heavy cover. In fact, the concept was designed to specifically avoid such areas. Most all regular bassers get drawn to heavy weeds, laydowns, brushpiles, and other obvious pieces of cover. Midwest finesse anglers specifically target more open, unattractive banks (rock banks, clay banks, sparse weeds, open flats, etc.) because we feel the bass in those places are less pressured. We leave the heavy cover stuff to the masses of anglers with power gear. 
• Stained or silted waters aren't an issue. Midwest finesse is as much an off the bottom presentation as it is a bottom presentation. Swimming the bait slowly just above bottom with shakes and pauses can be just as, if not more effective, than letting it sit on bottom. Even what we call a "straight swim" retrieve can be exceedingly effective when the bass are active. Don't think of this as a bottom bait - big mistake.
• Also, one reason we like the gopher heads so much is because they come in a variety of colors including fluorescent red and chartreuse. In stained water, we frequently use bright colored jig heads. Does it really make a difference? Depends who you ask, but it is the equivalent of dipping your plastic tails in bright dye, just on the other end of the bait. Elaztech doesn't take dyes well, if at all. This is our workaround. If we feel we need extra flash or vibration, we simply add a tiny spinner blade to the existing set-up.

 

-T9

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Shockwave reply : 

  On 5/11/2015 at 4:39 PM, Mccallister496 said:

I have yet to jump on the Ned wagon, but with more and more of these threads popping up, it looks like I'm gonna have to give it a try. Nice fish!!

 

Yeah, I'm the same way.  I might have to seriously consider adding this to the arsenal as well!

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corn-on-the-rob reply : 

To me, this is very similar in concept to throwing a 3 inch or less tube, grub, or stick bait. Obviously the mushroom head holds the concept together but the aforementioned technique had caught me countless numbers of big bass seemingly in similar proportion to "average"sized lures.

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lou304 reply : 

I tried it for the first time this past weekend and I'm sold. Not saying its gonna be my only technique, but it definitely works. I am fishing a tournament in September as a non boater and it seems like a good back of the boat rig. 

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gardnerjigman reply : 

  On 8/13/2015 at 4:49 AM, lou304 said:

I tried it for the first time this past weekend and I'm sold. Not saying its gonna be my only technique, but it definitely works. I am fishing a tournament in September as a non boater and it seems like a good back of the boat rig.

As long as your boater is moving slower it will be. It won't be successful if he is power fishing burning down the bank.

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Glenn reply : 

Definitely not just a "numbers" bait.  Check out the fish I caught in this video using the Ned Rig:  http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/ned-rig.html

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FinCulture reply : 

Would this be a good spring time bait because of the slow, finesse approach?

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Smokinal reply : 

^^^It's a good anytime bait

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annexation reply : 

The Ned helped me and my dad take 2nd place at a local tourney this past weekend.

 

It's a deadly efficient tool in the arsenal; big or small, Ned catches whatever is there.

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Heron reply : 

Its not entirely uncommon, to catch an occasional lunker, unexpectedly, on a bait that is either intended for/or appeals to, mostly smaller fish. 

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Heron reply : 

  On 8/13/2015 at 7:51 AM, Heron said:

Its not entirely uncommon, to catch an occasional lunker, unexpectedly, on a bait that is either intended for/or appeals to, mostly smaller fish. 

That being said...I will be the oddball out and say YES, it is primarily a numbers only bait.

 

But once in a while....do have the expectation to be surprised by the catching of a larger fish. 

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Hurricane reply : 

Just bought the shrooms jig heads and a pbj TRD plastic. . Haven't had a chance to try it yet.

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Smokinal reply : 

PBJ and GP are the only 2 you need

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PitchinJigz reply : 

I don't think any bait is a "numbers bait that doesn't catch big fish." I believe more finesse baits (smaller, less action, moved slower) just catch more fish in general. If there's a fish in a certain spot and you slowly drag a shaky head right past his face, he's going to eat it. Since they do catch more fish, they also catch more small fish because there's more small fish than giants in a lake.

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Hurricane reply : 

  On 8/14/2015 at 7:55 AM, Smokinal said:

PBJ and GP are the only 2 you need

Good to know. . The Cabelas here in Buffalo only had pbj, copper colored or a Canada craw..

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jiggz125 reply : 

  On 8/13/2015 at 6:41 AM, Smokinal said:

^^^It's a good anytime bait

Gonna try it this weekend. Its going to be about 90 degrees and muggy. Do you have to have good visibility and rocky bottom for it to work? Will fish hit the Ned rig on the fall like a wacky rigged stick bait? I have green pumpkin and picked up Mud Minnow color as that was the only one avaialble at tackle store.

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Smokinal reply : 

  On 8/14/2015 at 8:50 PM, jiggz125 said:

Gonna try it this weekend. Its going to be about 90 degrees and muggy. Do you have to have good visibility and rocky bottom for it to work? Will fish hit the Ned rig on the fall like a wacky rigged stick bait? I have green pumpkin and picked up Mud Minnow color as that was the only one avaialble at tackle store.

I've found visibility doesn't really matter. I thought it would but the main lake I fish is clear in the spring and greens up pretty good as it warms and it still crushed em. I haven't had many hits on the fall, hardly any at all. Don't work it too fast on bottom; give some pauses and shakes. Definitely works better in rock; I use the exposed hook Shroomz heads and of course they do gather some grass in grassy areas but not as bad as I thought.

I will give you a tip I do that I found helps a ton on rigging the TRD. I snap off the little keeper on the shank (if you are using the Shroomz heads) and super glue the end of the bait to the flat bottom of the head. You will find that the keeper is more of a hindrance after a few fish as it causes the bait to ball up. With the shank straight and clean it stays flat better.

Tell us how you do with it.

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massrob reply : 

Definitely not a numbers only bait this was my first time using it and my first fish I caught with it. My pb on a hula stick that came in my mtb. I didn't expect a fish like that but I'm glad I tried the Ned rig finally now I have a tackle warehouse order coming and it's mostly Ned rig components. Love this bait

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BassThumb reply : 

It wouldn't go so far as to call it a 'numbers-only' bait; however, the fish I usually catch on it aren't anywhere near as big as those I catch on a medium-to-large jig/craw or 10" T-rigged worm.

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Bluebasser86 reply : 

2 of these 3 were on the Deadly Nedly in the last 30 minutes of the tournament (including our largest), after fishing conventional gear all day and catching mostly shorts.  Not monsters, but they were big enough.

This was from the same lake by one of the local Ned rig gurus who occasionally fishes with Ned himself. If this doesn't convince you it's not just a little fish bait, I don't know what will. From the Midwest Finesse blog, the biggest was 7lb 10oz, the "littler" big one was 7lb 2oz. Have a day sir.

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Preytorien reply : 

I catch all sizes on them. My personal best was several weeks ago on a Coppertreuse Ned Rig. I even landed a 15lb catfish with one a week ago. I don't know how they work, but man those things catch fish.

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Bluebasser86 reply : 

This would be my Ned Rig PB of the multispecies variety. Why does a 21.5lb flathead eat a Ned Rig? Because it can. 

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avidone1 reply : 

  On 5/11/2015 at 4:39 PM, BigBlock496 said:

I have yet to jump on the Ned wagon, but with more and more of these threads popping up, it looks like I'm gonna have to give it a try. Nice fish!!

I never even heard of this until I joined bass resource.  I've been impressed enough by what I read here to buy a z man outfit.

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Fishin' Fool reply : 

Yes only a small fish bait. You won't catch anything over 12"

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fishwizzard reply : 

The Ned was the first rig I ever fished for bass, I lucked out read something about it in a magazine at an airport and decided it would be a good place to start.  I do loose a ton of them due to weeds and such but it is a lure that always produces, assuming I can get it to the fish. 

In the pursuit of a weedless version, I have finally settled on the Owner Ultrahead 1/16oz with a #1 hook.  It is far from perfect, the shank is too short and the lack of a keeper means that you will be resetting the plastic almost every cast, but the confidence that comes with knowing I can throw one into literally any cover more then makes up for the fussiness of it.  I think I manage to land more fish with an open hook gopher head, but looking at a total bass-per-hour, the time saved retying snagged lures more then evens it out.

I am going to try gluing/tying a tiny fly hook onto the shank of the Ultraheads to see how that works as a keeper, but I haven't actually remembered to pick some tiny hooks up yet.

 

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primetime reply : 

If it lands next to small fish, it will catch Small Fish...If it lands next to a nice panfish, it is a great panfish bait..If it lands near a big bass...It catches big bass, but overall, it just get's bit and is addicting to fish and hard to put down...Catching fish on light line is always a good time, plus you can modify it for heavier tackle and use the "Concept" to target "Bigger Fish"...A Salt less Zinker in 5" size can be fished the same way, it just loses some of the action with thicker hooks, heavy line, and heavier weights etc...

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primetime reply : 

  On 5/11/2015 at 11:15 PM, Felixone said:

I am with you Catch and Grease.  I received the one from the MTB last month, but unfortunately it was a green pumpkin color.  Most of the places I fish that green colors work are nearly choked with weeds so bottom baits, or those with exposed hooks don't work too well.  I did try a relatively new spot this weekend.  I had high hopes for the Ned, but not a single bite.  Then I snagged on something and broke the hook trying to get it free.  I still have one set left, but I don't think it will be getting a lot of action.  

 

Of course I am not a real fan of finesse techniques.  I prefer to fish a bit faster than these techniques usually allow.

I have had success fishing the rig in weeds here in Florida by making a few modifications. I have tried almost every jighead you can think of, and I have found the best way to fish it in weeds is to buy some 1/16 oz Bull Shots or Tungsten Bullet weights, then peg the weight above a small #4- #1 Worm hook Texas Rigged-I use the lightest guage I can get away with and smallest size hook since a smaller hook gap is less likely to bend if you have to lock down the drag. I am still playing around with different ways to set it up, but I have used the Slider System with 4" Worms and a gliding Jig head for years in weeds and if you have the right rod, 10-20lb braid, or a good #10 Copoly can handle most areas....Worth a try, one pack of ZInkers is $4 and if you cut one in half you have enough baits for an entire day, they get better as they get beat up...Glue helps. 

I was a skeptic for a long time and figured any small soft bait would work, but after using the Elaztach-Strike King Zero or Z-Man worms, the action is different. When the Pores open up it looks as if the bait is breathing if you look at it in the water, I believe that is what makes the Elaztach more effective imo....

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Smokinal reply : 

  On 5/4/2016 at 3:55 AM, Bunnielab said:

 the lack of a keeper means that you will be resetting the plastic almost every cast,

 

Super glue the flat end of the TRD to the bottom of the head=problem solved.

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BronzeChaser reply : 

I must be the only one ever to not catch a ton of fish on the ned rig. I've fished it some, and caught fish, but not a whole lot. Maybe I'm missing something

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fishwizzard reply : 

  On 5/4/2016 at 6:37 AM, Smokinal said:

Super glue the flat end of the TRD to the bottom of the head=problem solved.

Ah, but then I cant switch colors or plastic styles without retying.  

My ned plastics go through a "lifecycle" where in they get loose rigged on the owner heads when new and the ones that survive and get soft end up glued or tied to a mushroom or VMC half moon head.  If the jig they are on gets damaged beyond repair the become trailers for small spinner or chatter baits.   

I have never had one survive this stage, I guess if one did I would hang it on the wall or something. 

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Bluebasser86 reply : 

  On 5/4/2016 at 11:28 AM, Bunnielab said:

Ah, but then I cant switch colors or plastic styles without retying.  

My ned plastics go through a "lifecycle" where in they get loose rigged on the owner heads when new and the ones that survive and get soft end up glued or tied to a mushroom or VMC half moon head.  If the jig they are on gets damaged beyond repair the become trailers for small spinner or chatter baits.   

I have never had one survive this stage, I guess if one did I would hang it on the wall or something. 

Do you really have to change colors with them that often? Not that I'm really worried about it because the whole rig is pretty cheap, but it's pretty rare that I find one color is really outfishing another color or even feel the need to try a different color. 

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Smokinal reply : 

^^^I just glue em and leave that bait on that jighead. I have different colors already glued on different heads if I feel I need to change colors.

Besides, what other colors do you need besides GP and PBJ???

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MIbassyaker reply : 

It turned out actually to be a white bass bait first time I tried it about a year ago on a lunch break excursion...

For green and brown bass, I haven't caught anything over a couple pounds on it, but that's typical of most baits most of the time, in most places I fish. It definitely catches numbers. But It's not like I switch to something else and all of a sudden the weight starts going up.

Nice article from in-fisherman by Ned himself about how it's catching on among some more pros; I'm sure many more of them use it than let on:

http://www.in-fisherman.com/bass/jeff-gustafsons-introduction-to-midwest-finesse/

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Bluebasser86 reply : 

  On 5/4/2016 at 10:26 PM, MIbassyaker said:

It turned out actually to be a white bass bait first time I tried it about a year ago on a lunch break excursion...

For green and brown bass, I haven't caught anything over a couple pounds on it, but that's typical of most baits most of the time, in most places I fish. It definitely catches numbers. But It's not like I switch to something else and all of a sudden the weight starts going up.

Nice article from in-fisherman by Ned himself about how it's catching on among some more pros; I'm sure many more of them use it than let on:

http://www.in-fisherman.com/bass/jeff-gustafsons-introduction-to-midwest-finesse/

It catches everything for sure. I've caught a ton of whites and wipers on a Ned. I had one trip where I was hammering the wipers and a PB&J Ned was the only thing they wanted. 

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cbass12 reply : 

Only small fish on the bait, gotta use bigger baits........

Bluebasser took this pic last April. His was a 4 lb LM and mine was about a 16" Spot both caught within feet of each other.

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Pond reply : 

I tried the rig yesterday caught a bunch of bass all sizes and even a pike never had to change the Trd held up to a pike even great bait it's definitely in my arsenal now

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fishwizzard reply : 

  On 5/4/2016 at 1:46 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Do you really have to change colors with them that often? Not that I'm really worried about it because the whole rig is pretty cheap, but it's pretty rare that I find one color is really outfishing another color or even feel the need to try a different color. 

I usually only change from a natural color to a bright color if the natural isn't getting hit.  However, I will often change the type of plastic, going from a TRD/.5 Zlinker to a shad, a 4" finesse worm or tiny craw, until I find something that gets hit.  

Just today I was fishing a little stream and getting my trd was getting bumped every cast, but never hit.  I switched to a 4" worm and caught a small SMB within two casts.  

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Scott F reply : 

After reading all the positive reviews posted here on BR, I bought a couple packages of Z-man TRD's and mushroom heads. I'm currently on a trip in northern Wisconsin on a lake that's known as a numbers lake and the Ned rigs stayed in my tackle box for the first half of my trip.  I've been doing very well with small jerkbaits but I noticed a lot of hard bottom areas with gravel, small rocks and not too much downed wood that were perfect for "Ned". I have to say it worked exactly as described.  I got some bigger smallmouth, lots of largemouth of various sizes and rock bass. My fishing partner was suitably impressed enough, after being greatly out fished, to go to town and buy the jigs and plastics. He was too cheap to spring for the VMC finesse half moon jigs, so he got some painted 1/16 oz jigs and some 3 inch Yum stick baits which worked just fine.

Thanks guys for turning me on to a new, very effective addition to my arsenal.

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Smokinal reply : 

^^^Glad to hear you had good success; although it's not surprising. It's a fun way to catch them after throwing the usual jigs, cranks etc... Enjoy the new thing.

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