Modified Ned Rig?

[BrianMRetter]

This weekend I'm going to give the Ned Rig a try. I'm using the standard components,  1/15oz ZMan Mushroom jig head, and ZinkerZ cut in 1/2. I've hear alot of people saying it catches bass in numbers, and occadsionally larger fish. Has anyone used a full size ZinkerZ rather than cutting it down, in order to catch fewer but larger fish?  Any potential problems?

[Kevin22]

You are asking if anyone has tried putting a senko on a jig head? Yeah, that's how I used to fish them for smallies 15 years ago. Maybe call that the Kev rig? 

[Bluebasser86]

Yes it works, it's called a jigworm. 

[EmersonFish]

Nothing wrong with your question. The jigworm technique has been around forever. You'll want to use a jig with a larger hook than with the Ned Rig, although not too large; and the jig doesn't have to weigh much. Many of the plastics you'll use weigh enough on their own for finesse applications, so keep the jig weight down unless you plan on fishing it very fast or need to get to the bottom of some very deep water. You can probably find info or videos specific to jigworm fishing out there.

 

Also, don't assume just cause the bait is bigger there will be a huge difference in numbers/size of fish from the Ned Rig. You can catch a lot of fish on a jigworm, and you can catch big fish on a Ned Rig. You should have both in your arsenal.

[Team9nine]

One problem you might find is that once all the salt dissolves out of a full ZinkerZ, it might actually float the entire rig, jighead and all. That happens a lot with a 1/2 ZinkerZ and a 1/32-oz jighead. For upsizing, we usually go to something like a full sized HulaStickZ. Another popular option is a 4" Zoom lizard - still a small bait, but bigger profile that will work well on the 1/15-oz head.

-T9

[Cgolf]

The Ned caught my first 20" river Smallie this year along with a trout over 20. Definately can be a big fish bait. Heck I have caught a 9" bass on a baby King Shad, still not sure how he got his mouth around the hook lol.

48 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

One problem you might find is that once all the salt dissolves out of a full ZinkerZ, it might actually float the entire rig, jighead and all. That happens a lot with a 1/2 ZinkerZ and a 1/32-oz jighead. For upsizing, we usually go to something like a full sized HulaStickZ. Another popular option is a 4" Zoom lizard - still a small bait, but bigger profile that will work well on the 1/15-oz head.

-T9

I guess without knowing it I have been doing this for years, the zoom lizard has worked well for me too along with 4" ribbon tails. You can't go wrong with 3-5" grubs either, I am convinced that the tail makes them fish way bigger than they actually are, all the big pike and musky strikes validate this for me. 

[IndianaFinesse]

If you use the entire zinkerz on a 1/15 oz. jig, the whole rig floats.  If your set on using it anyway, upside the jig to a 1/8 oz.  I have tried that and it is effective, but other baits often work better.  Usually when I want to upsize the Ned rig, I use either a hula stickz like T-9, the finesse wormz, or a zoom four inch c-tail worm (wich is just a regular ribbon tail).

 

[Scott F]

10 minutes ago, IndianaFinesse said:

If you use the entire zinkerz on a 1/15 oz. jig, the whole rig floats.  

According to the Z-Man website, the  ZinkerZ baits sink, and the 1/15oz jig sinks, so how does the whole rig float?

[IndianaFinesse]

10 minutes ago, Scott F said:

According to the Z-Man website, the  ZinkerZ baits sink, and the 1/15oz jig sinks, so how does the whole thing float?

 

Although it does originally sink because of the huge amount of salt inside the plastic, once the salt is either dissolved or is stretched out it floats.  The reason is that besides being very durable, Elaz-tech also is extremely buoyant without needing to be filled with air like normal plastic worms.

[Scott F]

So why would anybody buy ZinkerZ baits? If I wanted a bait that sinks, I wouldn't buy it if it floats. and if I wanted a bait that floats, I'd get one that doesn't sink.

[A-Jay]

6 minutes ago, Scott F said:

So why would anybody buy ZinkerZ baits? If I wanted a bait that sinks, I wouldn't buy it if it floats. and if I wanted a bait that floats, I'd get one that doesn't sink.

I think I just pulled a Brain-Hammy  . . . .

A-Jay

[IndianaFinesse]

7 minutes ago, Scott F said:

So why would anybody buy ZinkerZ baits? If I wanted a bait that sinks, I wouldn't buy it if it floats. and if I wanted a bait that floats, I'd get one that doesn't sink.

Nearly everyone that purchases the zinkerz gets it with a the intention of stretching the salt out, because once the salt is out it floats better than traditional floating worms.  And instead of only catching one or two per bait like you would on a senko, you can catch upwards of two hundred.  And usually the zinkerz is cut in half for the Ned rig, where being soft, buoyant, and most importantly durable is necessary.  When the Ned rig often catches fifty to a hundred fish in four hours, you don't want to use a bait that only lasts a fish or two, unless you can afford to go through five or six bags of senkos a day.

[Scott F]

I use Senkos and similar baits because they sink. Even after you use them, stretch them or whatever, they still sink. If after you fish the ZinkerZ for a while the salt comes out and it starts to float, what good is it? I could never catch 200 fish on one because long before I hit 100, I'd get it snagged and break it off.  I fish the Ned rig with TRD baits that float right out of the package and I don't have to cut them in half and screw around with them to get them to float.

[IndianaFinesse]

5 minutes ago, Scott F said:

I use Senkos and similar baits because they sink. Even after you use them, stretch them or whatever, they still sink. If after you fish the ZinkerZ for a while the salt comes out and it starts to float, what good is it? I could never catch 200 fish on one because long before I hit 100, I'd get it snagged and break it off.  I fish the Ned rig with TRD baits that float right out of the package and I don't have to cut them in half and screw around with them to get them to float.

Half of a zinkerz is very similar to a trd and both work extremely well, but the zinkerz are slightly cheaper, eight of them for the same price as six trd.  The other advantages of the zinkerz is that they have hundreds of tiny holes that hold scent better, and they are softer and have more action than the trd.  Ask T-9 about the differences, he knows much more about Midwest finesse fishing than I do.

[BrianMRetter]

Thanks for all the replies, this is exactly what I was looking for

[CenCal fisher]

3 hours ago, Scott F said:

I use Senkos and similar baits because they sink. Even after you use them, stretch them or whatever, they still sink. If after you fish the ZinkerZ for a while the salt comes out and it starts to float, what good is it? I could never catch 200 fish on one because long before I hit 100, I'd get it snagged and break it off.  I fish the Ned rig with TRD baits that float right out of the package and I don't have to cut them in half and screw around with them to get them to float.

You could just the zinker until it floats then cut it in half and use it on the ned rig. I was wacky rigging them today and would buy another bag. 

[Raul]

On 13 de abril de 2016 at 11:52 PM, Kevin22 said:

You are asking if anyone has tried putting a senko on a jig head? Yeah, that's how I used to fish them for smallies 15 years ago. Maybe call that the Kev rig? 

15 years ago is too late to claim any name.

[Kevin22]

Don't worry Raul, I was just being sarcastic. 

[Team9nine]

2 hours ago, Raul said:

15 years ago is too late to claim any name.

Yep, that darn "statute of limitations" thing

-T9

[Smokinal]

17 hours ago, Scott F said:

So why would anybody buy ZinkerZ baits? If I wanted a bait that sinks, I wouldn't buy it if it floats. and if I wanted a bait that floats, I'd get one that doesn't sink.

[Jaderose]

20 hours ago, Scott F said:

So why would anybody buy ZinkerZ baits? 

To irritate you

[Tmmytomato]

Have always called a jig head with a longer/larger worm either a jig worm or shaky head. As far as the Ned rig, we were doing that 30 years ago but never had an official name for it other than a cut down jig worm. I definitely prefer a floating worm for that application so the tail will stand up.