Uh... Yep, The Ned Rig Is Awesome

[RSM789]

In regards to the Ned Rig, to quote the Monkees & Smashmouth, "I'm a Believer".

 

My lake is in post spawn, water temps in the low 70's.  The last few weeks, I haven't done a good job imitating the fry that many of the bass seemed to be keying on.  I'd catch fish, but I knew more were in the area, much more.  So I decided to give the Ned rig a shot and in a fit of unusual common sense, bought the 1/16" mushroom jigheads & ZMan TRD worms to use.  I figured to give it a fair shake, I should use the recommended version, not some rig I threw together with parts that were "close enough".

 

I started off the day like I often do this time of the year with a topwater bait.  In the first hour, I caught 5 bass, 4 on a Pop-R and one on a small swimbait.  As the sky lightened a little & it seemed like the bass were starting to move a little deeper, I started in with the Ned rig.  Now, going against my original plan, I used a 3" Senko (Green Pumpkin) instead of the ZMan bait.  Why?  Because I'm an idiot & I like Senko's more than ZMan baits when wacky rigging them.  In the next 2 hrs, I used up all 10 Senko's in catching 11 bass.  The results were good, but the fish would just destroy the Senko every time.  All of the strikes were on the drop, most likely because I was trying to swim the Ned Rig like a fluke, which wasn't producing.

 

So I finally give in & rig up the ZMan TRD, also in Green Pumpkin.  Since my only strikes had been on the drop, I decide to stop trying to swim the rig & instead hop it on the bottom.  I didn't realize it until later when i was done fishing, but with the TRD, the Ned rig stands straight up off the bottom.  Hopping it makes it look like a small minnow picking food off the bottom.  BINGO.  Over the next 7 hrs., I caught 53 bass (up to 3 lbs) and a 7lb catfish with a beer belly larger than Billy Carter.  Even better, all 53 fish were caught on the same single TRD, which I finally had to retire at the end of the day (I think it earned its keep).

 

There were a couple of things about this rig that I wasn't expecting.  First, the hook up percentage is very high, I only had about 6 bites that didn't result in a fish.  Second, the hook placement in the fish's mouth is deep.  Even the smaller fish really choke this bait, most of the hookups were halfway down the mouth in the roof of the mouth as opposed to in the lip.  Third, even though it is only 1/16 oz weighted bait, with braid (Nanofil in my case) & a fluorocarbon leader, I felt most of the bites.  Part of that may be my experience of using a small weight when fishing Texas rigs, but I think the other part was that the fish pop this bait as if it was a fish that could potentially swim away.

 

I am now a convert to the Church of the Ned Rig, although the name Dookie rig does makes me smile.  Below are pictures of the fat catfish and one of the bigger bass with little Mr. Ned sticking out of his mouth like a cigar.

[Jeff H]

Good job!  Sounds like a heckuva fun day!

[F14A-B]

Ned rig strikes again.. Sounds like you got a work out too, incidentally, that catfish is morbidly obese

[BW208]

Sounds awesome.  What kind of bottom did you fish it on?  Rocks? Weeds? Smooth?  I tired it but I kept getting hung up in the weeds.  I fish mostly heavy vegiated ponds...

[gulfcaptain]

That catfish needs a job......been hanging out in OC being lazy for too long.  I wondered how someone else around here would do fishing that rig.  Glad it paid off.  Just think that one TRD was way cheaper then those Senkos.  Just don't store/mix the Z-mans with any other plastics or they melt and become a mess.  Keep them in their own pack.

[livemusic]

RSM789, are you in CA?

 

I just got in yesterday the exact same setup you fished. My lakes have a lot of cover; I am hesitant to fish open hook. Did you fish open hook? I wish they sold those in weedless jigs.

 

Your results are indeed impressive, what a day!

[RSM789]

Sounds awesome.  What kind of bottom did you fish it on?  Rocks? Weeds? Smooth?  I tired it but I kept getting hung up in the weeds.  I fish mostly heavy vegiated ponds...

Most of the areas are fairly smooth, a little bit of moss mixed with patches of small rocks and shell beds.  There are some large pieces of broken concrete under & around some of the docks.  No brush except that which me and a couple of others have planted.  All in all, the rig came through it pretty well, only hung up maybe 3 or 4 times all day.  I think it may have to do with the way the rig stands head up, similar to a shakey head, the hook point is pointed down.  Being so slender, it also didn't hang up in the goopy moss.

 

This is just off the top of my head, but in a heavily weeded area, I wonder how Texas rigging it weightless would work?  The weight of the hook should make it dive nose first, but without the 1/16 weight, it my stay on top of the weeds.  I dunno, I am just guessing, it may turn out that other rigs work better in heavily weeded  or wooded areas.

[Team9nine]

In regards to the Ned Rig, to quote the Monkees & Smashmouth, "I'm a Believer".

 

So I decided to give the Ned rig a shot and in a fit of unusual common sense, bought the 1/16" mushroom jigheads & ZMan TRD worms to use.  I figured to give it a fair shake, I should use the recommended version, not some rig I threw together with parts that were "close enough".

 

Welcome to the congregation That little excerpt above is about the best piece of advice I would give anyone first wanting to try the rig out. As for fishing it in weedy areas, go to a 1/32 oz. head with some of the Elaztech plastics that will help float the bait over and around weeds without bogging in them. Could also go to one of the single strand guarded jigheads to help. Works good around regular weeds, but not much help in moss/algae. Takes a bit more patience, but works.

 

-T9

[RSM789]

RSM789, are you in CA?

 

I just got in yesterday the exact same setup you fished. My lakes have a lot of cover; I am hesitant to fish open hook. Did you fish open hook? I wish they sold those in weedless jigs.

 

Your results are indeed impressive, what a day!

Yes, Southern California.

 

I did fish it open hook, but there is not a lot of bottom cover in my lake.  Isn't there a way to run a piece of real heavy mono-filament (100 lb test or so) to create a weedguard?  I seem to remember some pro (Mark Davis?) doing something like that.  If not, you could try it along the edges of the cover, my initial experience is that the fish have no problem coming out to get it.

 

Thanks, it was indeed a fun day.

[lectricbassman]

Thanks for the info. Especially the "buy the right stuff" part. Im guilty of piecing this rig together too and it never works for me. I know what im buying next...

[Senko lover]

With all the hype surrounding these, (positive, I might add!), I really need to try them. I think they'd be killer on ponds. Just wish I could find them at my local stores....do ya'll think BPS, Cabelas, or Gander Mountain would have them, or do I have to order online?

[aceman387]

You can buy the zero worms at bps. Just cut them in half and rig them on some 1/16 jig heads with a couple drops of super glue gel. My best colors are the peanut butter & jelly and the color called dirt.

[Jeff H]

Nothing wrong with that Cat, she's full of eggs.  You can even see them in the picture.

[RSM789]

With all the hype surrounding these, (positive, I might add!), I really need to try them. I think they'd be killer on ponds. Just wish I could find them at my local stores....do ya'll think BPS, Cabelas, or Gander Mountain would have them, or do I have to order online?

 

The BPS out here had the BPS branded Shroom jig heads in stock as well as the ZMan TRD worms (2.5" long).  Only reason I chose the BPS jig heads over the ZMan ones is I wanted to have a choice of hook size.  I got the 1/16 oz in both size 1 & 1/0, ended up using the size 1 yesterday.

 

I could have taken Senko's (or Stiko's or any other stickbait) and cut them in half, but I went ahead & bought what the recipe called for.  Like you, I really prefer Senko's over other stick baits (hence why I stupidly used the 3" models initially), but they just get destroyed.  You will be amazed at the way the fish choke this bait.  The TRD's are tough little baits, stay on the hook well and a bag of 8 will be good for catching 150 - 400 fish.  You will probably lose more of these baits by breaking off or snagging than you will get chewed up by the fish.

 

My guess is that they will do well in a pond, they really do imitate the smaller minnows or craws when hopped on the bottom (although quite a few never reach it there before being intercepted by a fish).  The light weight is also good for a pond, won't spook the fish even when cast long distance.  

 

FYI, I found yesterday that the best hookset was similar to that which you do for a wacky rigged Senko, sort of a lean back pull as opposed to a reel down hammer move.

[Senko lover]

The BPS out here had the BPS branded Shroom jig heads in stock as well as the ZMan TRD worms (2.5" long).  Only reason I chose the BPS jig heads over the ZMan ones is I wanted to have a choice of hook size.  I got the 1/16 oz in both size 1 & 1/0, ended up using the size 1 yesterday.

 

I could have taken Senko's (or Stiko's or any other stickbait) and cut them in half, but I went ahead & bought what the recipe called for.  Like you, I really prefer Senko's over other stick baits (hence why I stupidly used the 3" models initially), but they just get destroyed.  You will be amazed at the way the fish choke this bait.  The TRD's are tough little baits, stay on the hook well and a bag of 8 will be good for catching 150 - 400 fish.  You will probably lose more of these baits by breaking off or snagging than you will get chewed up by the fish.

 

My guess is that they will do well in a pond, they really do imitate the smaller minnows or craws when hopped on the bottom (although quite a few never reach it there before being intercepted by a fish).  The light weight is also good for a pond, won't spook the fish even when cast long distance.  

 

FYI, I found yesterday that the best hookset was similar to that which you do for a wacky rigged Senko, sort of a lean back pull as opposed to a reel down hammer move.

 

I actually set the hook very hard with wacky rigged stickbaits, have a great hookup ratio.

[livemusic]

The BPS out here had the BPS branded Shroom jig heads in stock as well as the ZMan TRD worms (2.5" long).  Only reason I chose the BPS jig heads over the ZMan ones is I wanted to have a choice of hook size.  I got the 1/16 oz in both size 1 & 1/0, ended up using the size 1 yesterday.

 

I could have taken Senko's (or Stiko's or any other stickbait) and cut them in half, but I went ahead & bought what the recipe called for.  Like you, I really prefer Senko's over other stick baits (hence why I stupidly used the 3" models initially), but they just get destroyed.  You will be amazed at the way the fish choke this bait.  The TRD's are tough little baits, stay on the hook well and a bag of 8 will be good for catching 150 - 400 fish.  You will probably lose more of these baits by breaking off or snagging than you will get chewed up by the fish.

 

My guess is that they will do well in a pond, they really do imitate the smaller minnows or craws when hopped on the bottom (although quite a few never reach it there before being intercepted by a fish).  The light weight is also good for a pond, won't spook the fish even when cast long distance.  

 

FYI, I found yesterday that the best hookset was similar to that which you do for a wacky rigged Senko, sort of a lean back pull as opposed to a reel down hammer move.

 

What does BPS call their Shroom jigheads?

[RSM789]

BPS calls them "Shroom jigs.  3 different weights, 2 different hook sizes.

[BrownBear]

Great story and info RSM789, along with everyone else.

[Todd2]

I've fished stick baits on heavier jigs for years. I guess I'm going to have to try going a little lighter if my normal jigs don't work. One question......why a mushroom head? Wouldn't a lighter jig of any type work?

[Bluebasser86]

I've fished stick baits on heavier jigs for years. I guess I'm going to have to try going a little lighter if my normal jigs don't work. One question......why a mushroom head? Wouldn't a lighter jig of any type work?

It sits flush with the head and picks up fewer debris and doesn't hang as often. A lighter ball head ect. will work, but the mushroom head is the best option. The Elaztech baits are another key to this rig. It doesn't look like it does much, but it actually has quite a bit of very subtle action. 

[Todd2]

Thanks Bluebasser...

[Cgolf]

Wondered what you guys were talking about, finally figured it out. Always saw the rig in in fisherman and assumed it was their rig. I have 2 rigged up for the opener next Saturday with anglers choice wart Hawgs cut in half, but probably to heavy of a jig, will see how they work.

[Bluebasser86]

Wondered what you guys were talking about, finally figured it out. Always saw the rig in in fisherman and assumed it was their rig. I have 2 rigged up for the opener next Saturday with anglers choice wart Hawgs cut in half, but probably to heavy of a jig, will see how they work.

The head and hook look a little big and the rig doesn't work as well with regular stick worms but I'm sure it will still catch fish.

[frogflogger]

The mushroom heads give a particular action that regular jig heads don't - I've tried quite a few different heads and the mushroom is the most effective for me - also - I've always liked to use bigger hooks on light jig heads for bass but with this rig the smaller hooks allow for a more seductive action. They still hook and land large bass and even if they take it deep it is usually easy to extract.

[Cgolf]

It sits flush with the head and picks up fewer debris and doesn't hang as often. A lighter ball head ect. will work, but the mushroom head is the best option. The Elaztech baits are another key to this rig. It doesn't look like it does much, but it actually has quite a bit of very subtle action. 

 

So the ned rig is using the Elaztech baits, or any senko like bait cut in half? Assume different baits cut would give different actions and sink rates. Not trying to hijack, just trying to figure out the rig.