The Ned Rig and How it Changed the way I Fish
- Neil Ferris
- Aug 31, 2019
- 5 min read
The Ned Rig. You've probably used it by now, and if you haven't you have definitely heard of it. This time last year, I was one of the people that had only heard about it. I had seen guys use them in tournaments, videos, and more. I kept thinking that there was no way that little itty bitty thing would catch fish..... boy was I wrong. I watched in amazement as professionals pulled out fish after fish, and not little fish, I mean some of these fish were three, four, and even five pounds! I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I mean, if anything that thing should be bent beyond recognition and should be unusable. But, that wasn't the case. They kept using them and kept pulling out more and more fish. Eventually my curiosity got the best of me and I went and stocked up on Ned Rig heads and a couple different bait styles to pair it with. Since then, I have used the Ned Rig a lot at multiple bodies of water. I have seen my amount of fish caught go up, and have slowly started to figure out the tricks to upgrading the quality of fish. Today, we are going to talk about the techniques, styles, and gear that have helped make this a go to lure for me and so many others.
Gear
The Ned Rig is a finesse style of fishing that requires light line and light gear. I throw all of mine on spinning reels with 8 pound P-Line CX. I use a 6'9 Medium Lews Mach II Rod with an Abu Garcia Silver Max reel that has a 5.2:1 gear ratio. Every rod and reel company makes similar rods and reels that are their versions of Ned Rig gear, so get what is comfortable for you and you will see great results.
I use Z-Man Fishing Products Ned Rig heads as my Ned Rig of choice. I have multiple sizes and weights, but I generally use the 1/8 oz size just because I like the action I get from the weight paired with the bait I put on it.
In today's market there are countless Ned Rig bait options. Every company makes a bait designed for a Ned Rig and it can be overwhelming to try and figure out what to use. First, I would encourage you to try as many of them as you need to until you find the one you like. I tried several different brands and styles before finally landing on the ones I use. Not every tactic works for every fisherman, so definitely make sure you find one that works for you and that makes you comfortable. The two I use is the Z-Man Fishing Products Finesse TRD and the Missile Baits Ned Bomb. I use the Finesse TRD as a generally , all situation bait on the Ned Rig. I like to use it to see if the fish are even interested in the Ned Rig. The toughness of the Finesse TRD is definitely a plus when you get into a big group of fish. I don't have to use near as many TRD's as I do other finesse plastics. They have lots of different color options and every one I have used seem to work GREAT. My go to color in the TRD is California Craw. Once again though, find a bait and color that works for you and your area. Pay close attention to the color of the food the bass are eating and try to match it as close as you can.
If I am wanting some more movement, darting action I move to the Missile Baits Ned Bomb. The flat tail adds a TON of extra action and it makes it dart around like a small bait fish. I have found this extra action drives fish CRAZY and they can't resist when they see it. I have found several colors I like, but the two go to's that I have are Super Bug and Fishalicious. Fishalicious reminds me of a small shad and that is my option when the fish are being extra stingy. Just like with the TRD, find the color that works for you. Look for the color of bait in your area and try to match it as best as you can.
Another big tip that I have when fishing with a Ned Rig, is have a couple different options of styles and colors. Someday's those fish can be extra finicky and it's nice to have a couple different weapons to throw in front of them. Look at all the options on the market, try a couple out, find a few colors, and stock up on those go to's!
How to Fish the Ned Rig
The Ned Rig is your typical finesse fishing technique in the sense that it is fished very slow and very methodically. I will often throw the Ned Rig in the same place for 3-4 casts to really give those fish a chance to look at it. You may not get them the first time, but if you stay patient you can normally trigger a response. I fish it like a jig, bouncing it along the bottom and shaking it to get as much action as possible. With the Jig Head style of the Ned Rig, it looks really good with that style of movement and gives GREAT action.
The Ned Rig is a great bait that can be used in every season and situation. It has proven to be very versatile the longer it is around. I'll pitch it into beds during the spawn, throw it everywhere I can in the post spawn, I'll sit and use it in the deep water during the HOT summer months. I'm using it now in the Summer/Fall transition in multiple depths of water. Then, when the cold winter hits, a lot of guys use it to get the finicky winter bass to bite. They'll find the fish with their electronics and drop the Ned Rig right in front of their face. Then it's a patience game. You just there and slowly work the action and keep it right in front of their face. A lot of guys will just drop it over the edge of the boat and keep working it up and down until those fish make a move. This style continues through Winter and the Spring, and then you can start making a little longer casts into the pre-spawn. Because of this overall versatility, this bait is slowly crawling its way up the list of most valuable bass tactics. I have gone from never using one to keeping one tied on at all times. I have found that it is very useful getting those smart, finicky fish that probably have been caught before to react. The action you can get from this small rig is absolutely deadly when you stay patient and continue to thoroughly fish it.
So, does the Ned Rig live up to the hype? Is it as good as the fishing world makes it seem? From my observations, yes. It has lived up to all the hype in my book and has exceeded my expectations. It has easily become one of my top three most used baits. I would strongly recommend that everyone at least try the Ned Rig for yourself. Find the Ned Rig head that is comfortable for you, the gear, and the style of bait you like the most. Keep it tied on and use it through every fishing season. It might just change the way you fish, just like it did for me.
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