Ned on rods

[Team9nine]

The question has come up on these forums several times, and whatever "floats your boat" or works for you is fine, but Ned just put up a piece on "Ned Rig" rod testing and selection that is worth a read, especially if you have a fondness or appreciation for Ned's finer personality traits. A couple excerpts are quoted below. 
 

Quote

 

"All four rods are said to be sensitive, and I suspect that means that the rod radiates a sense of feel to an angler’s hand, telling him where and what his lure and presentation is doing and if a fish has engulfed the lure. But sensitivity is not an important element in Midwest finesse fishing. In fact, a no-feel presentation lies at the heart of Midwest finesse presentations. Thus, I have no need to feel what my lure is doing and where it is."

"In short, we do not need costly and top-of-the-line rods to do what we do with our Midwest finesse methods in the waterways that we fish.  As Steve and I talked, we came to the conclusion that finesse rods for many anglers are a fashion statement rather than a tactical one, and to justify using an expensive, state-of-the-art rod, some of these anglers invoke a variety of what they describe as enticing reasons why one rod is better than others, but Steve and I find most of these reasons to be insubstantial."

"...I have rolled back into the 20th century with Steve Reideler.  I am using my eyesore Synergy rods that cost less than $20.  Steve is using his $20 Gander Mountain’s Vortex rods. And to our delight, we are still catching largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and spotted bass at a respectable rate."

 

 

[IndianaFinesse]

I bet you still enjoy using your custom made ml rod built on an avid x blank though..  But I agree that you don't really need nice rods for the Ned rig, Ned proves that with the insane number of bass he catches on his synergy.  Even though it certainly isn't necessary, I am still going to enjoy use my villain.

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, IndianaFinesse said:

I bet you still enjoy using your custom made ml rod built on an avid x blank though..

That's my "crappie" rod  wink wink nudge nudge

-T9

[Bluebasser86]

I would think a certain degree of comfort has to be thrown into the mix. My 6' 10" ML/XF LTB/ Supreme XT is very light and comfortable to fish with all day. A lot of cheaper rods and reels are very heavy and unwieldy. 

Even with a high end combo, line watching is a big part of my bite detection. It's almost like fly fishing across current where I'll start to see my line straighten before I ever feel a bite, or the obvious twitch or jump of the line. 

I'd like to spend a day in the boat with Ned once. We cross paths often and have spoken on several occasions. I would be really interested to see first hand the amount of attention to detail he pays during a trip. 

[ChrisD46]

I would love to see a video of Ned taking a G. Loomis rod factory tour  ... All kidding aside , I use a Cabela's 7' ML IM-7 graphite spinning rod I got on mark down for $30 . I knew what I wanted first in a Ned rig rod and then just shopped without any brand in mind until I found what would fit the bill at the price I wanted to pay (under $50) .

 

[IndianaFinesse]

4 hours ago, ChrisD46 said:

I would love to see a video of Ned taking a G. Loomis rod factory tour  ... All kidding aside , I use a Cabela's 7' ML IM-7 graphite spinning rod I got on mark down for $30 . I knew what I wanted first in a Ned rig rod and then just shopped without any brand in mind until I found what would fit the bill at the price I wanted to pay (under $50) .

 

Next time you are looking for a new rod, check out fishing factory outlet.  The only thing they carry is deeply discounted equipment, usually at least forty percent off plus weakly specials like 20 percent off orders over 40 bucks.  For example, I picked up my villain for just under fifty bucks last fall.  When someone tipped me off to FFO, I felt like a kid in a candy store when I first looked at there site.  Since then I have never bought a rod or reel from any other store, except when I have a gift card.  It doesn't make any sense to me why I would get a full price (or nearly so) rod instead of getting a similar rod for much much less.  Sure, an avid x is a better rod than a villain and they have the same msrp, but is the difference worth 150$?

[ChrisD46]

On Tuesday, June 28, 2016 at 0:09 PM, IndianaFinesse said:

Next time you are looking for a new rod, check out fishing factory outlet.  The only thing they carry is deeply discounted equipment, usually at least forty percent off plus weakly specials like 20 percent off orders over 40 bucks.  For example, I picked up my villain for just under fifty bucks last fall.  When someone tipped me off to FFO, I felt like a kid in a candy store when I first looked at there site.  Since then I have never bought a rod or reel from any other store, except when I have a gift card.  It doesn't make any sense to me why I would get a full price (or nearly so) rod instead of getting a similar rod for much much less.  Sure, an avid x is a better rod than a villain and they have the same msrp, but is the difference worth 150$?

Good tip - I agree and thanks !

[offsidewing]

For comparison sake, I've fished the Ned Rig on my son's Cabelas ZX rod with YoZuri 6lb and my St Croix Legend Elite rod w/ 6lb Tatsu side-by-side.  I don't need to line watch with the LE because you can feel the bass suck up the rig.  

 

That being said, The Ned Rig catches fish no matter what gear you're using at an exceptional rate.  You could use a cane pole and 25lb mono and the ned rig catches bass.

[Jeff H]

I think he's right.  I would put more emphasis on paying attention, being focused, than depending on a high quality, expensive rod to hook your fish.  Having a nice quality stick is still going to provide potential advantages as others have implied.  I think he's just saying it is not required to catch fish, and I like that.

I like the whole finesse approach and it's much fun but I sometimes wonder if we make it out to seem like there are requirements that really aren't necessary.  For me, this is the very fun side of modern bass fishing and I'd not want to be responsible for turning somebody away with the idea they don't have qualified gear to participate.

Can't imagine anybody would say you can't use your expensive gear, but it's likely good to show others you don't need to have expensive gear to have a fun day catching some bass.

[Fishes in trees]

To digress, when I read about how "cheap" Ned is regarding his rod choices, and his emphasis on inexpensive rods, he comes across as  miserly geezer to me.  I don't know him at all, but I've met him a couple of times as KC sport shows over the years, he is enough of an academic that he can make any choice he makes seem exceptionably reasonable, rational,  and really the only choice, everything considered.

I would submit that cheaper, inexpensive rods aren't the best choice for me at all.  Cheaper, less sensitive rods are generally HEAVIER rods.  I think that this is an area where ounces and fractions of ounces matter.  I know that when I use my lighter, more sensitive (and admittedly more expensive) rods, my wrist and elbow doesn't hurt as much at the end of the day.  I think that this is directly related to the amount of weight that I'm moving with my wrist and elbow, and I believe that the effects are cumulative.  So it is a no-brainer for me, lighter, stronger, more sensitive rods don't cause me wrist & elbow pain like older, heavier rods of less or similar sensitivity do.

Furthermore, I think that a balance between " finesse" and " power" fishing can be achieved.  In striving for that balance, you become a more versatile fisherman, competent and able to find & catch fish in a variety of situations, lake types & water temps & clarity.

Ned has refined a technique that works for him and his buds in the style of lakes that are common within an hour or so driving distance of Lawrence, Kansas.  Many small fish ( sub 12") are included in the totals of fish that he claims he catches day in and day out.    It kinda sometimes translates to success in other water styles and sometimes it don't - IMO

To may way of thinking finesse fashioning for bass in general and Ned rigging in particular is just another tool in the box, another option.  It isn't the religion others have made it out to be.

Don't get me started in the efficacy of Ned rigging compared to Slider fishing, other than to say that Slider fishing is more versatile and Ned rigging loses in many of the comparisons.    That's a discussion for another post.

 

 

[Molay1292]

37 minutes ago, Fishes in trees said:

 

Don't get me started in the efficacy of Ned rigging compared to Slider fishing, other than to say that Slider fishing is more versatile and Ned rigging loses in many of the comparisons.    That's a discussion for another post.

 

 

I don't understand these kinds of post, and you see them almost anytime the Ned Rig is discussed.   Why is it that you sound angry, or to a small degree jealous that many anglers have found a system that works and increases the number of fish they catch.   Seems like you would be happy that people are enjoying being outside and catching fish.  

If I took your post wrong I apologize, but I wanted to give you some feedback on how you post presents itself to me.