Ned rig for kids

[waldo567]

My kids started fishing last year with live worms but now want to move on to fake baits like daddy. I was thinking of starting them out on the Ned Rig. Easy to fish and catches lots of species. I have road runners and beetle spins too but I thought the Ned Rig would be easier to cast with a little more weight. Thoughts? 

[Darren.]

Probably a good idea. Issue I found with my boys

is that they wanted action *now*, so when I tried 

to get them on wacky rigs, drop shots, etc., they

didn't like to express patience, LOL.

 

The Ned will be less sit-n-wait, so likely to work 

better than patience-needed techniques.

[Dorado]

IMO, if you already have road runners, pair them up with 3" grubs for some fun action! At least with grubs, it's a constant retrieval and nothing can be easier than that. Ned Rig can call for a little more patience and involve a couple nuances (potentially) like rod shaking, for example. Just my 2cents.  

In my experience of taking kids out fishing, grub fishing rarely let's me down. If I had to use a bobber and use artificial, a 2.5" Gulp!Alive! usually gets some takers too. Good luck!

[eyedabassman]

Go Ned you can't fish it wrong!

[WRB]

I have introduced a few hundred 6 to 8 year old boys and girls to bass fishing using a split shot rig on spinning tackle. It takes about 5 minutes to show them how to cast and tie on a hook, rig a soft plastic 4 1/2" curl tail worm. You will be surprised how fast the learn and numbers of bass they catch. I rig up using round 1/8 oz split shot about 14" above a size 1 straight shank light wire worm hook, 8 lb test mono, bulk 100 bag of oxblood red flake Roboworms weedless hooked on medium spinning tackle most if the dads have for trout fishing. The key is doing this during the Spring with good weather where you know some bass are located. Let the kids fish at thier own pace after making a cast and showing them how to do it.

Good luck, well worth the effort.

Tom

[yosef]

Jerkbaits or crankbaits if they're impatient 

[Dorado]

16 minutes ago, WRB said:

I have introduced a few hundred 6 to 8 year old boys and girls to bass fishing using a split shot rig on spinning tackle. It takes about 5 minutes to show them how to cast and tie on a hook, rig a soft plastic 4 1/2" curl tail worm. You will be surprised how fast the learn and numbers of bass they catch. I rig up using round 1/8 oz split shot about 14" above a size 1 straight shank light wire worm hook, 8 lb test mono, bulk 100 bag of oxblood red flake Roboworms weedless hooked on medium spinning tackle most if the dads have for trout fishing. The key is doing this during the Spring with good weather where you know some bass are located. Let the kids fish at thier own pace after making a cast and showing them how to do it.

Good luck, well worth the effort.

Tom

Tom - how do you recommend they retrieve that particular set-up? I'm taking a beginner out tonight and I happen to have some Roboworms ST oxblood red flakes. Thank you.

[WRB]

You make a cast, let the weight sink to the bottom and slowly drag the weight along the bottom stopping about every 3' to 5' and pause for a few seconds. As long as the weight is on or near the bottom bass will find the worm and eat it, they usually hook themselves so a few get may gut hooked, usually not very deep and can be released.

Lifting rod and dragging a few feet or simply slow reel or a combination works. Some kids cast and reel back swimming the rig and catch bass, I learned to be patient and help as needed.

Tom

PS, #4 size split shot is 1/8 oz. You can use 1/8 oz mojo weight or bullet weight and peg it or add a small swivel to prevent line twist.

 

[Bass Turd]

Consider flattening the barb on the NED and probably others. Makes it easier to remove gut hooked fish.

[KDW96]

3 hours ago, WRB said:

I have introduced a few hundred 6 to 8 year old boys and girls to bass fishing using a split shot rig on spinning tackle. It takes about 5 minutes to show them how to cast and tie on a hook, rig a soft plastic 4 1/2" curl tail worm. You will be surprised how fast the learn and numbers of bass they catch. I rig up using round 1/8 oz split shot about 14" above a size 1 straight shank light wire worm hook, 8 lb test mono, bulk 100 bag of oxblood red flake Roboworms weedless hooked on medium spinning tackle most if the dads have for trout fishing. The key is doing this during the Spring with good weather where you know some bass are located. Let the kids fish at thier own pace after making a cast and showing them how to do it.

Good luck, well worth the effort.

Tom

 

Tom, How or where can i get a 100count bag of robo worms please? Thank you

[WRB]

32 minutes ago, KDW96 said:

 

Tom, How or where can i get a 100count bag of robo worms please? Thank you

I live near Roboworm, easy for me. Call Roboworm, Mike Brakebill is the production manager and will sell special order 100 bags for you. 

Tom

[Cgolf]

I would start them on road runners and a grub, or just something that keeps moving, to keep their interest up and minimize downtime.

 

IMO the Ned rig is just to easy to gut hook fish if they aren't paying close enough attention. Also tossing back bleeding fish may turn them away from fishing instead of hooking them fo life in the hobby we all enjoy. 

[smalljaw67]

A spilt shot rig like WRB stated or a beetle spin or just a plain 3" grub on a small jig head. The NED rig is one that requires the kids to be slow and since it is a no feel technique you'll end up with 1 gut hooked fish after another. When I was teaching the grandson how to worm fish I made the mistake in getting him to fish a Senko too fast, he had caught about a dozen fish or so on light T-rigged power worm so I thought he would be ok with a Senko but he couldn't stay focused long enough to watch the line and his first two fish were gut hooked. I didn't have him fish a Senko for another 3 years because if the bite was slow he couldn't stay focused and that is just how it is with kids, plus it is easier for them to stay interested as long as they are casting and reeling versus a slow presentation.

[snake95]

First, obviously WRB and smalljaw are guys that know what they are talking about (and better than I do!) so I'd take their advice to the bank.  But to add to the mix...

 

I fish with kids a lot, and my kids fish Ned rigs frequently, so I've had some experience with this.

 

My 8 year old boy is particularly effective with them, but he's old enough and experienced enough with fishing, to be reasonably patient so long as we are catching fish.

 

Gut hooking is a legitimate concern, but the 8-year-old is mature enough to understand and learn from some coaching, and it has taught him to watch the line carefully, and then reel to set the hook.  It might not work so well for a younger kid.

 

In my experience it helps that Ned rigs are so effective and simple, and can cast well on light gear.  In the ponds we fish the most, they work well on the fall, and the short hops that kids naturally impart as they bring it in will trigger strikes.  Just last week my son was nailing one fish after the next with a Ned rig.

 

To switch things up, I will take a mushroom head and put a 2" or 3" curl-tail grub on and have the kids experiment with various retrieves.  They can try hopping, stop and go, and straight retrieves.  I find my kids enjoy that kind of experimentation and learn quite a lot too.  Obviously, cheap ball heads would work fine for this too.

 

On the downside, mushroom heads aren't super cheap, and they are prone to snagging.  

 

Keep in mind you can fish a TRD or similar lure on a small EWG with a split shot, and that has worked fine for me and my kids.  

 

But if you were fishing from shore into clear water a few feet deep, I have found that Ned rigs are a fine choice.

 

Good luck and have fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bassn4fun]

I'm going to throw this out there, what about having them use a 3" tube with a tube jig.  Very easy to fish and when there is a bite usually the fish holds onto the bait for a while, allowing them to fell the bite and set the hook.  You can hop it along the bottom or slowly reel it in and it's really weedless.  This is what I'm going to have my 7 year old fish this year, also might try to have him use a split shot rig with a 4" curly tail worm.  The thing I look at the most is what has the fewest number of hooks (so I don't get snagged) and a relatively easy bait to fish that bass really like.

[NYWayfarer]

27 minutes ago, snake95 said:

 

On the downside, mushroom heads aren't super cheap, and they are prone to snagging.  

 

 

This sums up nicely why I would say the Ned rig is not great for kids.

 

When I was teaching my son to fish it was a full time job. No fishing for me as I was busy getting tangles undone, snagged lines free and retying lost rigs. The Ned rig would have been a nightmare with the exposed hook.

 

A great rig for kids is a suspended jig. A Trout magnet or ball head jig with a Gulp Minnow or curly tail grub under a float. Have them cast out and slowly reel it in, stopping every foot or so and letting the bait drift back under the float then reel again. This gives more for the kid to do and keep them interested and less chance of snagging. Best of all it works and kids love to see that float disappear. Its like a real life video game to them. 

[Fishes in trees]

I admire you will power and your intentions.  I found out a long time ago thatI didn't have and really wasn't interested in acquiring, the patience necessary to teach kids fishing..

 

I'm happy to let someone else do it.  Or they could do what I did and gradually teach myself.  I started out with fishing for carp with a Zebco 202 and dough balls for bait..

[Master Bait'r]

If the bottom composition will tolerate it I almost always hook the little dude up with a Ned.  The action is persistent and it doesn't matter what he does with it, fish will bite.  

[frosty]

I had my 3 year old using the Ned rig last weekend. His first time fishing, I was casting for him, but he would reel it in, I would have to keep reminding him to go slowly, but we did have a bass grab it, unfortunately dad didn't set the hook good 

[dsqui]

I basically taught myself to bass fish as dad and Grampa were bobber men.  The bait that got me started was the pond spinner size baits from strike king you know the small ones ,  roster tails, and beetle spins.  My only problem with beetle spins were they didn't weigh enough so I t rigged em with a bullet sinker in front.  Oh and I sed fished a 3hook rubber worm the pre rigged ones. You know the ones u see in the store now a days and go man I can't believe I used those but purple white stripe caught me alot of bass amd gills and crappie in my early years

[Airman4754]

I've got the most impatient six year old on the planet. He has caught about 25 bass now on the Ned. 

 

When the bite is on it's literally fool proof. Any cast and retrieve will work.

[fishwizzard]

Man, I have caught a pile of bass while dead sticking a Ned and they were all hooked on the side of the mouth, or just inside it.  It makes sense that they could easily swallow such a small lure, but I have never seen it happen.   

[waldo567]

All good advice. Much appreciated.  I may start with either the split shot or the beetle spin. Something they can keep moving. May throw in the Ned Rig and have them drag it along the bottom with a continuous slow reel. They can work that way. No matter what it will be fun. Gotta get the next gen hooked like us. 

 

[Master Bait'r]

7 minutes ago, waldo567 said:

All good advice. Much appreciated.  I may start with either the split shot or the beetle spin. Something they can keep moving. May throw in the Ned Rig and have them drag it along the bottom with a continuous slow reel. They can work that way. No matter what it will be fun. Gotta get the next gen hooked like us. 

 

 

 

Another good one I like to give him is a weightless Texas rig w/ a small worm & a small hook- like a #1 ewg and a roboworm.  Doesn't get hung up and he can pretty much just return fire when comething runs off with it, which will be momentarily.  

 

A lighter action rod and lighter tackle will virtually guarantee action be it bass, panfish or other flippery critters.  Kids just need to catch stuff so I keep it light and simple.... until topwater is on anyways, but that's another thread ?

[fishwizzard]

5 hours ago, Master Bait'r said:

 

 

Another good one I like to give him is a weightless Texas rig w/ a small worm & a small hook- like a #1 ewg and a roboworm.  

 

I have been fishing this rig (but with a 1/0 stright shank) for the last two days, I must be young at heart.   I think I am going to get some Slider heads to use next time though, the urge to start working it fast is too strong to resist when it is weightless.