Ned rig?

[Sean Barbour]

Anybody have any tips on fishing or rigging a ned rig or neko rig in moderate to heavy cover. I mostly fish small ponds and lakes with lots of weeds but would like to try fishing the ned rig. I actually thought I would teach myself. I tried today. 1/16 nail weight, mann's TRD worm, and small wacky rig hook with weed guard. fished it for only five minutes because every time I tried to move it it would pick up grass or get caught? seemed like I could have dropped it into holes and picked it straight up and down fine but moving it towards me seemed impossible? anyone have any luck fishing the "ned rig" in cover? if so how? I would love to be able to kinda pull it through everything the way i do a 1/16 ounce texas rig!

[Hez]

That is one of the negative things about the original ned rig - in my opinion any way.  I had a hard time fishing it in my lakes as well due to the grass.  

Now they make a weedless jig head, I just got some - my lady will be trying them out tomorrow.  

Other than that, I don't have any advice - other than I share your frustration - I will try to pry the pole from her hands long enough to report back here on the weedless jig heads tomorrow evening. 

[MassYak85]

Ned rig in general is not suited to heavy or even moderate cover. They do make ones with weed guards but I have not used them. 

[d-camarena]

Texas rig it with a pegged weight and a 1/0 hook. Works the same. But you have to use atleast 10lb line

[Sean Barbour]

I actually bought some of those shroom jig heads with the weedguards. I didn't bother with them though since I have tried using hooks with those same weed guards in the weedy places I fish and the weed guards pick up grass and debris. The only thing that seems to get through the weeds ins texas rig, texposed rig, or carolina rig. Maybe I bought this ned rig stuff for nothing?! lol. Wouldn't be the first time I bought something for fishing and didn't use it! I think I have about ten# of stuff just from this year that I may never use. My brain comes up with ideas for all kind of ways to catch when I'm not catching or catch more while I'm surfing the internet. I'd say 2/3 don't pan out and I go back to the old stand bys.......................

[Hez]

12 minutes ago, Sean Barbour said:

 Maybe I bought this ned rig stuff for nothing?! lol. Wouldn't be the first time I bought something for fishing and didn't use it! I think I have about ten# of stuff just from this year that I may never use. My brain comes up with ideas for all kind of ways to catch when I'm not catching or catch more while I'm surfing the internet. I'd say 2/3 don't pan out and I go back to the old stand bys.......................

This is when you blame the bait monkey...happens to us all...

 

Keep the ned rig stuff though...it's easy fishing...one day you will have a beginner with you and that is great for them.  I actually taught my 10 yr old daughter to fish with the ned rig...and my wife - it catches fish enough to keep them interested, in the right conditions.  

Always useful, in my opinion

[ClackerBuzz]

good old fashion split shot.  Bass pro sells clam shot. it doesn't have ears to crimp on and off again (those are what get hung up on weeds).  #9 is very small and light so i use 2-3 in glass calm conditions w/ an ultra light rod.  depending on ur rod you'll need #5-7.  the clam shell style is a one way ticket in that you generally can't re-use them.  unless ur really cheap and bored, and use a razor blade to pry them open

i don't like compromising my line bc of crimping shot on it tight (6 lb fluoro). instead i use a bobber stop like a makeshift carolina rig.  keeps the shot from sliding down the line.

other than clam shot just texas rig worm with a small hook. i've been using it this year in my weed locations with great success.

 

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-XPS-Clam-Shot-Weights/product/30031/

[fishwizzard]

The Owner Untrahead works very will for the Ned, but it takes a stiffer rod to get good hooksets.   Decoy makes some very similer jig-heads that work just was well and are available on ebay.  

[frogflogger]

Ned rig is not for weeds or brush - one of the things it does is catch bass - lots of bass - on "nothing banks" - the Hibdon's won tournaments fishing nothing banks - we all love to fish cover but plain open shorelines hold many more fish than we suspect.

[Tim Kelly]

Sounds like you were rigging a Niko rig with a nail weight and a wacky hook? Different animal, but equally unsuited to weeds.

[OddChase]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned this. Try nose rigging your TRD on a weedless wacky hook with no weights. Pulls through salad pretty easy and will still catch fish. Setting the hook is something tricky when it comes to the springy wire weed guards, but it's better than getting hung up! 

Tight lines.

[fishwizzard]

I have done that, but never had any luck trying to fish any of the zman lures weightless.  For weeds or brush I usually either switch to a weedless Ned on a Owner or Decoy jig or just put the Ned away and switch to a small (3-4") weightless fluke with a bit of salt in it.  The Reins Bubbling Shakers have just enough density to slowly sink and they seem to work well with the standard Ned retrieves. 

[OCdockskipper]

If you use a ZMan Ned rig (1/15 oz head & TRD), the light weight & buoyancy allow you to fish it like a fluke.  A swimming technique over the top of the grass will work, but it does take some skill & focus to keep it at the proper depth(s).  

You won't feel most strikes, the line will either suddenly feel heavy or the line will be moving sideways as you reel in.

[Sean Barbour]

Yah what I tried was not a traditional ned rig. I was trying to figure out by myself how to make something look like a ned rig using the TRD but without a jig head that had a big hook sticking out of it. I have no luck with any kind of weed guard not picking up grass and moss so I try to avoid them all together except for the few times I have fished a wacky rig. I just was dropping the wacky rig in holes in cover so weed guard picking up crap didn't seem to be an issue. Its trying to pull the rig to shore or an inflatable canoe that seems to be a problem. As far as fishing cover or no cover as a shore fisherman mostly and even in a canoe mostly small shallow lakes I fish cover mostly because thats what there is I rarely find an open bank to throw anything at......

[paleus]

You can rig the normal Ned Rig weedless by hooking the plastic kinda like a T-Rig worm or shakey head. Here's how I do it with the Z-Man Shroomz and TRD:

 

I have some of the weedless Shroomz too, but prefer doing it this way. 

[Master Bait'r]

Is put it away and slow roll a spinnerbait over said weeds.  You're wasting our time with a jig presentation.  

[Sean Barbour]

Now your thinking! that looks awesome! I have to try it and if I like it I may even take those weed guards off. Thank you for the tip! you fish pretty heavy cover with it? I seem to have trouble with jigs with a 90 degree hook eyelet picking up grass too. You? in fact I tried a new way to rig a tube weedless yesterday. Stupid tube I think its called? Tube was weedless hook eyelet however picked up all kinds of stuff.......

5 minutes ago, paleus said:

You can rig the normal Ned Rig weedless by hooking the plastic kinda like a T-Rig worm or shakey head. Here's how I do it with the Z-Man Shroomz and TRD:

 

I have some of the weedless Shroomz too, but prefer doing it this way. 

 

[paleus]

1 minute ago, Sean Barbour said:

Now your thinking! that looks awesome! I have to try it and if I like it I may even take those weed guards off. Thank you for the tip! you fish pretty heavy cover with it? I seem to have trouble with jigs with a 90 degree hook eyelet picking up grass too. You? in fact I tried a new way to rig a tube weedless yesterday. Stupid tube I think its called? Tube was weedless hook eyelet however picked up all kinds of stuff.......

 

You still can't fish it in super thick stuff and it will pick up grass and moss, but it does keep it from getting hung up and can be pulled out pretty easily. 

[Sean Barbour]

7 minutes ago, Master Bait'r said:

Is put it away and slow roll a spinnerbait over said weeds.  You're wasting our time with a jig presentation.  

I fish slop that no spinnerbait is getting through! you'd have trouble getting a buzzbait through a lot of it

[fishwizzard]

19 minutes ago, paleus said:

You can rig the normal Ned Rig weedless by hooking the plastic kinda like a T-Rig worm or shakey head. Here's how I do it with the Z-Man Shroomz and TRD:

I have some of the weedless Shroomz too, but prefer doing it this way. 

That is really simple and clever, I am going to have to try it.  I really like that even with the plastic glued on, you can still switch between an exposed hook and weedless as needed.  

These are the two weedless jigs that I use:

Owner Ultrahead, 1/16oz/#1

Decoy Nailbomb 1/16oz/#1

I prefer the Decoy as it has a longer shank that helps hold the plastic a bit better and the vertical line tie seems to keep the lure from wedging in the rocks as often. 

[Sean Barbour]

I never really fished those. I never saw a reason to over 1/8 or 1/16 worm weight and a gamakatsu g-lock or offset worm hook? why bother?

8 minutes ago, Bunnielab said:

That is really simple and clever, I am going to have to try it.  I really like that even with the plastic glued on, you can still switch between an exposed hook and weedless as needed.  

These are the two weedless jigs that I use:

Owner Ultrahead, 1/16oz/#1

Decoy Nailbomb 1/16oz/#1

I prefer the Decoy as it has a longer shank that helps hold the plastic a bit better and the vertical line tie seems to keep the lure from wedging in the rocks as often. 

 

[fishwizzard]

I believe that the vertical line tie lets you keep the lure "heads up" during the retrieve, which gives it the swimming motion.  It also helps keep it from snagging as badly imho.  When fishing in current I can feel it ticking against rocks and it helps me keep my retrieve speed correct to just skim the bottom.  

[Sean Barbour]

ya I guess your right about the vertical line tie. those jig heads and the vertical line tie just don't like me in heavy cover pick up all kinda garbage.

8 minutes ago, Bunnielab said:

I believe that the vertical line tie lets you keep the lure "heads up" during the retrieve, which gives it the swimming motion.  It also helps keep it from snagging as badly imho.  When fishing in current I can feel it ticking against rocks and it helps me keep my retrieve speed correct to just skim the bottom.  

 

[fishwizzard]

Have you tried the 4" zman finesse worms?  They should slip through the weeds well and a 1/16oz worm weight should be a perfect fit to keep the rig streamlined and snag free.  

My only issue with the finesse worms is that small sunfish give them no peace, I have landed 3-4" bulegills that were not even hooked, they just would not drop the lure.  

[Sean Barbour]

My PB LMB of 8.5# was caught in jacksonville fl on a zoom shakey head worm watermelon red flake. weedless no weight. one of my favorite presentations. Yes you get some attention by small  fish but the big ones eat it too! At least it doesn't have a paddletail that goby and panfish can pull off and ruin after one cast lol!