Neko rig, not getting good hook sets

[LCG]

So today I had a total of five fish using the neko rig, but was only able to land one. I noticed that with the hook, a 1/0 kvd drop shot hook extra wide, would slide back through the bait when hooked in line with the bait, a plastic worm. I was not able to get hook penetration on the four of the fish.  I switched hooks to a gamakatsu and hooked it wacky style and was able to get a solid hook set and land the other fish. 

 

Do you guys hook in line with the worm? How do you keep the hook from sliding through the bait? Or is it the kvd hooks? 

[CroakHunter]

Maybe try an o-ring if you aren't already. I haven't ever fished the neko rig but plan to start my next trip out.

[Hot Rod Johnson]

No where in fishing is the hook more critical... Start with a short, straight shank 1/0 or 2/0 thin wire model... Bait keeper styles work really well... If you want to go first class, VMC has a hook made especially for the Neko rig...

You’re going to run the hook into the bait parallel with the plastic... That’s the opposite of a wacky rig which has the hook extending out from the plastic at a right angle... Make sure the point of the hook is facing towards the weight when you first put it into the bait... That way, when the hook comes out of the plastic it’ll be facing away from the weight...

 

Place the hooks about two-thirds up the bait away from the weight... You’ll see Neko rigs hooked in different places but I’ve done a lot or research into this... I think you’ll get more solid hooksets with it up, away from the weight... That’s because the weight will be down and the hook point will be up when the bass grabs it... If you want to save your baits you can put an O-ring around the lure where the hook shaft is inside the plastic... Make sure your hook point is exposed. This isn’t a Texas rig.

 

https://www.bassmaster.com/mike-iaconelli/mighty-neko-rig

[WRB]

Neko (nail weight) rig using a worm you wacky hook sideways in lieu of inline. 

I use Owners 5172 weedless wacky hook size 1/0. Light weight very strong hook with the correct gap design for this rig.

Tom

[Fishes in trees]

You're doing better than me.  I can't get bit using the neko rig.

[Hot Rod Johnson]

1 hour ago, Fishes in trees said:

You're doing better than me.  I can't get bit using the neko rig.

 

 

Try fishing Senkos in Colors of 323 (Watermelon w/Black & Gold Flake), Color 231 (Plum w/Emerald Flake), and a Color 222 (Watermelon w/Green & Red Flake) using 5", 6" and 7" on a Neko Rig with a Reins - TG Nail Sinker 5/32 Oz. Use a "O Ring" 2/3 of the way up from the nose weight...

Slowly dragging a Neko Rig on the secondary points is often productive during pre-spawn conditions... Those same Neko Rig is also productive on the shallow banks if the bass have moved into the shallows to prepare beds... Mark Twain Lake can be very good fishing in the Spring using this set up...

[LCG]

Thanks for the replies. I will try the o ring next time. The hook angle is throwing me off though. Seems like you would get better hook sets with the hook point facing down towards the weight, similar to a jig head, than away..  but I am far prom a pro. I will try both and see what happens. Thanks everyone 

[clayton86]

I've been trying the neko rig a bit lately trying to get some pressured fish. I've been using mag trick worms and the regular sized ones. O ring and a wacky style hook both the weedless and the regular open style. 

 

Im losing tons of baits though the o ring is tight on the plastic but it is almost like they are bitting the weighted portion and my hooksets are just pulling the hook and o ring off as I usually bring the o ring up on the hook but the worm is gone. What could I be doing wrong. I've tried just lifting and reeling keeping pressure, straight up hook sets and sweeping to the side I can't seem to stick one. I've got one so far and he smacked it as soon as it hit the water so that doesn't help really. 

[Montanaro]

Nature of the beast.  Try hooking into the plastic and through the oring at same time...works for me.  Id also avoid tungsten weights due to loss of worms unless you are using a very skinny plastic

[clayton86]

Yeah I've lost a bunch of tungsten nail weights so far. I hook into the plastic some also. I just watched like every you tube video out there on the rig seems like there's a few different thoughts on hook point direction also. I've been rigging mine like Ike does in his video starting the point coming down from the top so the shank is next to the bait but then the line is in the way of the tail. Most the other videos say go the other way. 

[LCG]

I have kept practicing this technique and have learned that is best to let the fish take the bait and let it load up the rod, then a reel set or lean back should hook them well. Before I was setting the hook harder and I think pulling the bait from their mouth. Placing hook from bottom up makes more sense to me and seems to be working. I like this technique very much