ZMan Big TRD 2025
coachstepp reply :
I started using Zman products, specifically the ned rig, this past year, and it has become my favorite bait. I'm wanting to use the Big TRD when I head out to lakes this spring, looking for those big bass.
Does anyone use the Big TRDs? My first thought is to put one on a VMC Rugby Jig and drag/pop it across the bottom.
Any advice?
NYWayfarer reply :
I use the Big TRD from time to time. Zman has a bigger Shroomz jighead that is a perfect match for this bait.
I fish it exactly like I would a regular TRD Ned Rig. Even though the bait is bigger I still seem to catch the same size fish with it as I do a regular TRD. Thought about wacky and Carolina rigging it just haven't gotten around to it yet.
Bluebasser86 reply :
Just get the ZinkerZ. You can use it to do the same thing and still cut them in half to use on a Ned rig.
coachstepp reply :
On 2/26/2019 at 9:46 PM, NYWayfarer said:I use the Big TRD from time to time. Zman has a bigger Shroomz jighead that is a perfect match for this bait.
I fish it exactly like I would a regular TRD Ned Rig. Even though the bait is bigger I still seem to catch the same size fish with it as I do a regular TRD. Thought about wacky and Carolina rigging it just haven't gotten around to it yet.
Yeah, I've thought about using the 1/5oz shroom heads with them and fishing them the same. I've heard about guys Texas rigging them, too. I've seen pictures of some big fish caught on them. I'm trying to join that club! Ha!
On 2/26/2019 at 11:01 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Just get the ZinkerZ. You can use it to do the same thing and still cut them in half to use on a Ned rig.
Maybe it's just my stubbornness, but I hate cutting the Zinkerz in half to make ned rigs. I just buy the finesse TRDs. Have you Texas/wacky rigged the Zinkerz? If so, how'd it work for you?
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 2/26/2019 at 11:22 PM, coachstepp said:
Maybe it's just my stubbornness, but I hate cutting the Zinkerz in half to make ned rigs. I just buy the finesse TRDs. Have you Texas/wacky rigged the Zinkerz? If so, how'd it work for you?
They make colors in the Zinkerz that they don't make in the TRD, one of the reasons I still use them.
I have wacky rigged them, it sounds great in theory, but it has never worked well for me. I think maybe the buoyancy of the bait kills the wobble on the fall that attracts the fish.
coachstepp reply :
On 2/26/2019 at 11:36 PM, Bluebasser86 said:They make colors in the Zinkerz that they don't make in the TRD, one of the reasons I still use them.
I have wacky rigged them, it sounds great in theory, but it has never worked well for me. I think maybe the buoyancy of the bait kills the wobble on the fall that attracts the fish.
That makes a lot of sense. I've actually not looked at the difference in colors. What are you favorites? In the finesse TRDs, I really like Green Pumpkin Goby, PBJ, and Coppertreuse. They've caught more fish than anything I have in my arsenal.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 2/26/2019 at 11:39 PM, coachstepp said:That makes a lot of sense. I've actually not looked at the difference in colors. What are you favorites? In the finesse TRDs, I really like Green Pumpkin Goby, PBJ, and Coppertreuse. They've caught more fish than anything I have in my arsenal.
Those are 3 of my favorites as well as green pumpkin orange, junebug, Canada craw, and blue craw. The big one that I can't get in the TRD is purple haze. It's a killer smallmouth color here.
snake95 reply :
On 2/26/2019 at 9:35 PM, coachstepp said:Does anyone use the Big TRDs? My first thought is to put one on a VMC Rugby Jig and drag/pop it across the bottom.
Any advice?
I use them on the regular Zman shroomz and fished them by letting them flutter on the fall and then hop them near the bottom. They've worked great for me fished that way.
The Bassman reply :
On 2/26/2019 at 11:46 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Those are 3 of my favorites as well as green pumpkin orange, junebug, Canada craw, and blue craw. The big one that I can't get in the TRD is purple haze. It's a killer smallmouth color here.
I like the color Dirt. Really looks natural in the water. Name's a lot of fun, too.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 2/27/2019 at 8:05 AM, The Bassman said:I like the color Dirt. Really looks natural in the water. Name's a lot of fun, too.
That's one of my favorites on Table Rock but it doesn't seem to work as well on our lakes.
Jcj90 reply :
On 2/26/2019 at 11:01 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Just get the ZinkerZ. You can use it to do the same thing and still cut them in half to use on a Ned rig.
I hate the zinkerz it seems to have way more salt and doesn’t hold up as well as a trd. Maybe it’s just me
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 2/27/2019 at 9:31 AM, Jcj90 said:I hate the zinkerz it seems to have way more salt and doesn’t hold up as well as a trd. Maybe it’s just me
They do have more salt, and as that salt dissolves out of the bait, the bait becomes very soft and gets a lot of it's subtle action. The TRD seems to tear easier to me, but neither has anything I'd consider durability issues and I rarely keep one long enough to wear it out.
haggard reply :
Haven't tried them yet but got one 6-pack of Big TRD at the Spring Classic sale to try this season. I figure if they get worn or torn at the head end, just cut them down and they become finesse TRDs ???? 
primetime reply :
Just waiting for the Mag TRD to come out soon. Just a matter of time.....Z-Man making a killing off all these Ned Rig baits, I say they bring out heavy jig heads in 1/2- oz and Mag TRD worms soon. A mushroom head with a big Stick Worm or Mag Trick worm is good in deep water, essentially a Ned rig. Heavy mushroom heads are also good with swimbaits etc.
I still just cut a Zinker in half, I usually keep a few soaking in some gulp juice to keep the salt out etc. I am still not sure if the Elaztech catches more fish than any other small bait since they all essentially stand up on a mushroom head. I do use the Z-man stuff though just because they last forever. That little Trout Trick is a great bait for saltwater, need to try it for Bass, kind of a fluke trick worm hybrid....
1201vilbig reply :
If I go bigger, I use the new Hog Farmer Spunk Shad. They also have a new stand up head if you don't want the ball head.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1721666257882933
coachstepp reply :
On 2/27/2019 at 11:30 AM, primetime said:Just waiting for the Mag TRD to come out soon. Just a matter of time.....Z-Man making a killing off all these Ned Rig baits, I say they bring out heavy jig heads in 1/2- oz and Mag TRD worms soon. A mushroom head with a big Stick Worm or Mag Trick worm is good in deep water, essentially a Ned rig. Heavy mushroom heads are also good with swimbaits etc.
I still just cut a Zinker in half, I usually keep a few soaking in some gulp juice to keep the salt out etc. I am still not sure if the Elaztech catches more fish than any other small bait since they all essentially stand up on a mushroom head. I do use the Z-man stuff though just because they last forever. That little Trout Trick is a great bait for saltwater, need to try it for Bass, kind of a fluke trick worm hybrid....
I'd like to get a heavier mushroom head for deeper water. Does anyone make them, other than Zman? A 1/2 or 3/8 oz would be great.
On 2/27/2019 at 9:42 AM, Bluebasser86 said:They do have more salt, and as that salt dissolves out of the bait, the bait becomes very soft and gets a lot of it's subtle action. The TRD seems to tear easier to me, but neither has anything I'd consider durability issues and I rarely keep one long enough to wear it out.
I've read that Ned takes all of his Zman products and lets them soak in water, then stretches each of them out, to get more salt out of them and make them more buoyant. The more you fish with them, the better they get.
Bluebasser86 reply :
On 2/27/2019 at 8:58 PM, coachstepp said:I've read that Ned takes all of his Zman products and lets them soak in water, then stretches each of them out, to get more salt out of them and make them more buoyant. The more you fish with them, the better they get.
Ned does a lot of interesting things. The notes he takes are incredible, I don't have the patience. It's funny to see all the rods laid out in his boat whenever we cross paths, all reels older than I am on cheap Wal-Mart Shakespeare rods and all rigged up with various Ned rig baits. The guy will talk your ear off too but he has a lot of knowledge to share if you're willing to listen.
coachstepp reply :
On 2/27/2019 at 9:15 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Ned does a lot of interesting things. The notes he takes are incredible, I don't have the patience. It's funny to see all the rods laid out in his boat whenever we cross paths, all reels older than I am on cheap Wal-Mart Shakespeare rods and all rigged up with various Ned rig baits. The guy will talk your ear off too but he has a lot of knowledge to share if you're willing to listen.
I would love to cross paths with him. It's funny that every story I hear about him being on the water always involves his old rod and reels. Makes me feel kind of stupid for all the money I've spent on mine. Ha!
NYWayfarer reply :
On 2/26/2019 at 11:39 PM, coachstepp said:That makes a lot of sense. I've actually not looked at the difference in colors. What are you favorites? In the finesse TRDs, I really like Green Pumpkin Goby, PBJ, and Coppertreuse. They've caught more fish than anything I have in my arsenal.
Green Pumpkin, Canada Craw, Mudbug and The Deal are my favorite TRD colors. Perfect match the hatch colors for my neck of the woods.
ChrisD46 reply :
Here is a technique to try :
*Big TRD : 3/32nd oz. ~ 1/8th oz. Shakey Head
*Zinkerz : 1/8th oz. ~ 3/16th oz. Shakey Head
Drag , hop , shake on the bottom - the tail will stand up off of the bottom varying degrees ...The more you use them the more they get "broken in" - the tail will quiver more and they will stand up more .
The Bassman reply :
Funny thing about ned rigging is the notion that the bait needs to stand up. If one reads Ned Kehde's articles they'll see that Ned tries to keep the bait off the bottom in sort of a swimming mode. Z-Man gets farther away from that with big baits and heavier "power heads" to satisfy the market.
Russ E reply :
On 2/27/2019 at 9:15 PM, Bluebasser86 said:Ned does a lot of interesting things. The notes he takes are incredible, I don't have the patience. It's funny to see all the rods laid out in his boat whenever we cross paths, all reels older than I am on cheap Wal-Mart Shakespeare rods and all rigged up with various Ned rig baits. The guy will talk your ear off too but he has a lot of knowledge to share if you're willing to listen.
He fishes the local lake quite a bit. Talked to him twice last year.
He does like to talk about fishing. listening to him, you would think he is a fishery biologist. he has a lot of knowledge concerning most local lakes.
If you read his midwest finesse blog, he spends more time keeping records than I do fishing.
ChrisD46 reply :
On 3/3/2019 at 7:35 AM, The Bassman said:Funny thing about ned rigging is the notion that the bait needs to stand up. If one reads Ned Kehde's articles they'll see that Ned tries to keep the bait off the bottom in sort of a swimming mode. Z-Man gets farther away from that with big baits and heavier "power heads" to satisfy the market.
When I shakey head a Big TRD or Zinkerz I seem to get more bites if I can get that tail up in the water just a little (up to 45 degrees) ... With a regular size TRD or half a Zinkerz on my standard 1/16th oz. mushroom jig head - I don't care if the tail rises so much when I use a few of Ned's proven retrieves .
coachstepp reply :
On 3/3/2019 at 7:35 AM, The Bassman said:Funny thing about ned rigging is the notion that the bait needs to stand up. If one reads Ned Kehde's articles they'll see that Ned tries to keep the bait off the bottom in sort of a swimming mode. Z-Man gets farther away from that with big baits and heavier "power heads" to satisfy the market.
I've had the most success by slowly moving it along the bottom, hopping and dragging it. I've caught my biggest fish right when the jig pops loose from a rock or through timber. I'm going to continue to work on keeping it off the bottom. I'm not very good with that technique.
waymont reply :
On 2/27/2019 at 9:31 AM, Jcj90 said:I hate the zinkerz it seems to have way more salt and doesn’t hold up as well as a trd. Maybe it’s just me
It's true. They are less buoyant and have more salt. I like them on a Shakeyhead.
ChrisD46 reply :
*Some people soak the Zinkerz over nigh to remove salt , some people stretch them repeatedly to get the salt out - while others glue them to a shakey head and fish them until the salt leeches out naturally , they become more buoyant and with increased tail action ... I prefer the last way myself.
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