Ned Rig, bigger bass gut hooks

[learnin]

Last three times out I tried the Ned rig using the "Z Man" small jig heads and TRD trailers.  From what I've read and experienced on this you'll get a lot of strikes on the slow falling bait and not know it till you start the retrieve.  You'll also catch more smaller bass but some bigger ones too. No question it works,  I'm catching more fish, mostly smaller but a lot of action and fun on light tackle.  So far the smaller ones, 11 to 13, 14 inches are lip hooked and easy to release. The two bigger ones,   17 & 18 inchers swallowed the bait including the jig head.  I cut the line and they swan off strong with no obvious bleeding but I've got my doubts re long term survival. 

 

My theory is the bigger fish can inhale the smaller bait more effectively than the small ones and either that's typical of the Ned Rig or I'm doing something wrong.  Anyone else had this happening with fishing the Ned Rig?

 

[Jig Man]

First and foremost learn how to get the hook out of deeply hooked fish.  Don’t cut the line and throw it back.  It is an easy technique to learn.  I have caught hundreds of fish on the Ned rig and have never had one that I could not get the hook out of.

 

if you keep some tension on the line you can feel a lot of those bites as the bait sinks.   You also need to become a fanatical line watcher.  Anything different than what you expect to see, set the hook.

[flyfisher]

definitely user error.  Gotta be a line watcher and set away as noted already.  

[Russ E]

While line watching cuts down on gut hooked fish, occasionally it just happens.

There are several youtube videos on safely removing the hook.

 

Leaving the hook in does not give the fish much of a chance for survival.

 

You can also carry one of these. They work good at removing hooks from the gullet.

[learnin]

Thanks to all for the replies. Russ E. source for that tool?

[Russ E]

10 minutes ago, learnin said:

Thanks to all for the replies. Russ E. source for that tool?

I bought it at bass pro shops. here is a link to the tool online.

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass-pro-shops-squeeze-out-hook-remover?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&affcode_c=&gclid=CjwKEAjw__fnBRCNpvH8iqy4xl4SJAC4XERPAK7yV870vSsnWJMtAx32E2eukTdctBjUB97vOrQJnxoCW2Lw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

not sure if you know this , but if you put a @ in front of a persons name. Such as @learnin . It will send them a notification. that way they know you are waiting for a reply. 

[OCdockskipper]

I find that keeper sized bass tend to swallow a Ned Rig faster than fish over 3 lbs.  My unscientific theory is that the small fish is trying to get tha bait down his throat before it swims away while the bigger fish kind of forget they ate the little guy.

 

The two largest bass I have caught on it (8 & 7.5) were hooked in the roof of their mouth about halfway back.

[WRB]

So you think bass can digest Z-Man TRD with jig head? Why cut it off when you know the answer?

Tom

[Glaucus]

For one, if you're waiting to feel the bite on a Ned Rig, you're losing fish. Watch the line, don't just rely on feel. I've never gut hooked a big bass with the Ned Rig.

 

And two, there is no need to cut the line on a gut hooked fish except in very rare cases. Almost every gut hook can be removed by going through the gills or sometimes you can go directly to through the mouth and take the hook backwards right away.

[FryDog62]

Cut the hook, they swim off, with an 80+% chance of eventual mortality.  Hemostat in the gills and twist is the best chance at survival.. it works.

[WRB]

I watch my line where it enters the water cutting a V as the jig sinks, that is my visual strike indicator. If the line stops for any reason before the jig hits bottom it's a strike. If the line jumps slack it's a strike....watch your line. I also run my line over my index finger tip and under my thumb tip to feel any change in line resistance or movement, my fingertips are far more sensitive then any rod every made. Bass shouldn't be able to swallow a jig without lots of feedback the angler is missing.

Tom

[AlTheFisherman313]

Oh boy you need to definitely watch how your fishing. 

 

Im not gonna yell at ya, but your sleeping on the hooksets lol. 

 

As as far as the fish gutting the hook read the article posted on the forum. You can usually get it out, if you gut hook something beyond that point keep it to eat, he’s gonna die. 

 

In in the future keep the fish and eat it if your in doubt it’s gonna make it. At least that way the fish was killed for food and not from sport. 

 

I personally only eat bass if a pond needs a harvest or something along those lines otherwise I think it’s a sport species, considering I live so close to excellent walleye, salmon and trout fisheries. 

 

Also as someone has mentioned grab the line with your fingers there are bites you can detect that way before you would ever have a visual indicator to set the hook. When in doubt set the hook if you miss or grab weeds you will just have to get the hog on the next cast 

[learnin]

Thanks again for the replies & info. I asked if I was doing something wrong and based on the replies I need to start paying better line attention.  I've ordered the hook removal tool recommended by Russ E. and as I'm not a tournament Fisherman I'm going to mash down the barbs on my Ned Rig jigs.  I'm going to turn them loose anyway.  If they throw the hook more power to them.

[Just Bassin Thru]

I found this topic after having similar issues as the original poster.   I began fishing the ned rig for the very first time over the past 2 weeks.   I've found it very successful in catching bass, albeit a higher % of small fish but also have experienced a my first ever gut hooked fish.    I will fully acknowledge that I need to watch my line more closely, have & learn to use better removal tools & techniques and plan to start crushing the barbs on my hooks when using the Ned Rig.    But in every video I can find about removing the hook safely from a gut hooked bass, it addresses removal of a standard hook - not a jighead - wherein the hook is removed by passing the eyelet, not the barb, through the flesh to remove.    But I can't find any advice about what do to in cases of a gut hooked jig head wherein the above is not possible.   Any video links for advice on those cases as to what to do to best remove the lure without permanent damage to the fish?

[Bluebasser86]

On 11/20/2020 at 8:09 AM, Just Bassin Thru said:

I found this topic after having similar issues as the original poster.   I began fishing the ned rig for the very first time over the past 2 weeks.   I've found it very successful in catching bass, albeit a higher % of small fish but also have experienced a my first ever gut hooked fish.    I will fully acknowledge that I need to watch my line more closely, have & learn to use better removal tools & techniques and plan to start crushing the barbs on my hooks when using the Ned Rig.    But in every video I can find about removing the hook safely from a gut hooked bass, it addresses removal of a standard hook - not a jighead - wherein the hook is removed by passing the eyelet, not the barb, through the flesh to remove.    But I can't find any advice about what do to in cases of a gut hooked jig head wherein the above is not possible.   Any video links for advice on those cases as to what to do to best remove the lure without permanent damage to the fish?

This is my very amateur attempt at showing and explaining the hook removal method, but it works just as well on a jighead as it does a worm hook or wacky rig hook like I was dealing with in the video.

 

[livin2fish]

On 6/11/2019 at 10:45 AM, learnin said:

Thanks again for the replies & info. I asked if I was doing something wrong and based on the replies I need to start paying better line attention.  I've ordered the hook removal tool recommended by Russ E. and as I'm not a tournament Fisherman I'm going to mash down the barbs on my Ned Rig jigs.  I'm going to turn them loose anyway.  If they throw the hook more power to them.

^^^^^This will help, a lot.  Bluebasser's method is Aces.  I've seen too many fishermen trying down the throat method and killing the fish because they couldn't get the right angle.  The longer you fish the fewer gut hooked fish you will have, using all of the previously mentioned methods for early detection of bites.

[learnin]

Thanks.

[Cgolf]

I fish rivers a lot so I rarely fish slack line and set the hook at the hint of a hit, and this carries over to flat water. It is rare for me to deep hook a fish, and most are hooked on the upper lip.