Ned Rig plastics other than ZMan

[OCdockskipper]

I use ZMan products for 95% of my Ned Rig fishing (TRD, Hula Stickz, Shadz, etc).  The only non ZMan products I find myself occasionally using are Berkley Moneymakers and Roboworm Ned Worms.  For the former, I cut off one of the round ends to get a longer, thin profile while the latter has some unique colors that I sometimes want.

 

Since I use these others infrequently, I always forget how quickly they get torn up compared to ZMans products.  I am used to glueing a TRD to a jighead and only needing to adjust it maybe once or twice while catching 25 to 30 fish.  Yesterday, I was using a Roboworm Ned Worm and after 1 or 2 fish, would have to cut off the head and rerig it.  After another 1 or 2 fish, I would have to replace it alltogether and start the process again.  I don't glue these  baits to the jighead, tbey don't last long enough to make it worth the time.

 

I end up recycling all these baits using Mend-It, so in the long run, I end up catching a lot of fish per bait.  But I do get annoyed constantly changing baits, I guess ZMan has spoiled me.

 

I know I shouldn't complain about catching fish, just wondering if there are any tricks other than Mend-It repairs afterward to make these other baits not get torn up so easy.

 

 

[WRB]

Owner Block head with Roboworms Ned type worms work.

Tom

[Team9nine]

Other than stop catching so many fish...Lol. Maybe fish non Zman baits in the stingier waters where bites are fewer. Some plastics are a little tougher than others, but otherwise, not sure there is much you can do. Sad, but half a dozen fish or more per bait  is a good day with non Zman baits ? Seems any effort to reinforce the head of a bait only makes it tear easier further down the body near the hook.

[OCdockskipper]

4 hours ago, Team9nine said:

...Seems any effort to reinforce the head of a bait only makes it tear easier further down the body near the hook.

Exactly.  You end up with slices & chunks torn where the hook exits the body.  Thank heavens for Mend-It.

 

It does make me wonder exactly what are those fish doing to that little bait.  You would think they would just inhale it & be done, instead they are treat it like Hulk treated Loki in "The Avengers".

[FishDewd]

I found some crawfish baits... I think it is Excite, but don't quote me on that, but they float and work real well on a ned rig. Haven't used them much for such though. But they look just like a mad crawfish taking defensive position, pretty cool stuff.

[Bluebasser86]

Before I knew what a Ned rig was, we used 3" Gulp minnows on light jigheads and caught everything that swims with them. Fished them just like we do Ned rigs now, except Gulp minnows are like $6 a pack and you could go through 4 or 5 a day on a good day instead of going through 3 or 4 TRD's on a bad day. Zman makes so many different styles and colors that I just don't see the point. 

[TOXIC]

4" or 3" Senko.  I don't buy into the "floating" requirement.  

[Preytorien]

As mentioned above, I really don't know of any other manufacturers' baits that even come close to the durability of Z-Man. They have more colors now of the TRD which is nice. I really haven't found a color that doesn't work and no one else compares to durability. 

 

I stopped my search long ago. I catch fish with them and they don't wear out quickly. What's not to love?

[NYWayfarer]

1 hour ago, Preytorien said:

As mentioned above, I really don't know of any other manufacturers' baits that even come close to the durability of Z-Man. They have more colors now of the TRD which is nice. I really haven't found a color that doesn't work and no one else compares to durability. 

 

I stopped my search long ago. I catch fish with them and they don't wear out quickly. What's not to love?

I agree.

 

I have started branching out into other baits Z-man makes because of how much the TRD's impressed me. Next up are their TubeZ

[Todd2]

The TRD's are working so good for me this Spring that I don't use anything else...lol. I don't even know how to fish it, I can't remember the 6 "official" retrieves when I'm on the water so I just drag or hop it along with a decent 5-10 sec pause between any movement..then repeat.

 

I had a killer day last Thursday on it...my buddy said "did they hit anything else". I said, "I have no idea, I never put it down." 

[OCdockskipper]

9 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

...Zman makes so many different styles and colors that I just don't see the point...

The Moneymaker that I modify gives a little longer look than the Hula Stickz while avoiding bulk.

 

The Roboworm Ned Worms have some poured colors that create a different look than the current selection of TRD colors.  The color I used Tuesday was white on the bottom, silver & black in the middle & translucent on the top (Roboworm calls it "Hologram Shad, it is pretty unique).  I chose that because it was a cloudy, windy, dark day and I wanted something bright that stood out.

 

 

Like I said earlier, non Zman baits are a once every few month choice for me, 95% of the time I have an Elasticel bait on.

[fissure_man]

10 hours ago, TOXIC said:

4" or 3" Senko.  I don't buy into the "floating" requirement.  

OP wants baits to last longer..... GYCB senko is the solution? lol

 

[Graham]

Elaztech is so durable I don’t see anything beating it. I have really been enjoying the rage menace rigged on the mushroom style jighead. I don’t know if this is the right way, but it sure catches fish when nothing else will for me.

[thinkingredneck]

If you catch fish on it, it is the right way.  

 

If you read Ned's blog, he is constantly trying non-zman baits on his Midwest Finesse rig.

[TOXIC]

13 hours ago, fissure_man said:

OP wants baits to last longer..... GYCB senko is the solution? lol

 

With a small bait on a Ned rig I don't have a problem with them lasting numerous fish.  Even with the 5" rigged weightless I don't have a problem.  Proper rigging is paramount with GYCB baits.  ?

[Chance_Taker4]

I use the Roboworm Ned Worms and really enjoy them. They are not as durable as TRD but I like them more.

[Cgolf]

I have used the anglers choice 5” wart hawg cut in half and had good results. As durable as half a Zinkerz, no but I like the fact that it is salted and not floating. With my plastic stash I have given up worrying about how long baits last. I realize others don’t have this luxury. 

 

I will I’ll say I have found half Zinkerz far outlast TRDs. Personally I hate the TRDs, they seem to tear easily. I will use what I have till there gone and then stick with Zinkerz.