HELP! NED RIG USERS

[uglyasheck]

I have tried the Ned rig several times and yes it gets bites but I can't seem to land the fish the hook always seems to pop out at some point and time. Does anyone have any suggestions and what retrieve do you like best.

[Scott F]

First, are the hooks sharp? Second, what kind of line are you using? 

[The Short Fisherman]

are you getting a good hookset? also what hooks are you using

[Big Rick]

There's a great chance your rod is too stiff thus allowing slack in your line while you're fighting the fish. These baits are perpetually an easy hook set due to their hook size and the fact that it's exposed. Bass normally suck it right in. However, if your rod is too stiff it allows the potential for slack while fighting the fish thus letting your bass throw the lure. 

[Spankey]

I jumped on the Ned Rig bandwagon back awhile ago. Just another version of grub fishing for river smallies. I do like the Z Man product. I do better without the weed guard on the jigs. I have cut some of them back or off. I’m experimenting with a few other jigs. The BPS and Berkley styles without wire guard. Also cut up torn Senkos for bodies and they work well. But the Z’s are more boyant. 

[uglyasheck]

I am fishing a medium fast spinning rod , I am using Z man TRDs and craws with there jig heads and jigs. the line I use is 10lb braid with an 8lb copolymer line.

[Darren.]

1 hour ago, uglyasheck said:

I am fishing a medium fast spinning rod , I am using Z man TRDs and craws with there jig heads and jigs. the line I use is 10lb braid with an 8lb copolymer line.

Medium fast should be OK. I prefer ML, but also use MF sometimes.

Everything else seems fine, too. I use all Z-man products for Nedding.

 

I have experienced what you're experiencing. Some days that's just

what happens. I've gotten fish to the side of the yak and can see the

TRD is being held on to, but not the hook. Short strikes, etc. I've also

had days when bluegill inhale the ned rig and get hooked nicely.

 

Are you using the larger size Ned jigs (bigger hooks?). The smaller ones

tend to hook better in my experience. And are you using weedless models?

[Russ E]

I use a 7 foot medium light/ moderate action rod.  10 pound power pro with 8 pound leader.

I use the z-man shroomz jigheads. often times they need sharpened after a couple fish.

I found  with a fast action rod, fish pull free a lot more with the small hooks. They also spit it often if they jump . Moderate action seems to keep them hooked better.

another thing I do with a ned rig is when a fish bites I just lift the rod and start reeling.

Hard hooksets don't seem to work.

[Jig Man]

When fishing the Ned the faster I try to get them to the boat the more of them I lose.

[waymont]

My preferred rod is a Kuying light action spinning rod, 8lb Power Pro to 8lb fluorocarbon leader. The hook set is a medium speed lift and reel style. I very rarely lose a fish with this set up. I’ve caught 9” - 5lb bass with this rig, just be careful of not trying to rush the fight.

[LCG]

When you set the hook all you need to do is reel down until the rod loads up, then lean back. This will give you the best hook set, it's not a Texas rigged creature that you have to cross their eyes. 

 

As for the fight, always keep a bend in the rod so as to keep tension on the line. Those small hooks work well and you should land most that you are hooking into. 

 

I have used a Fenwick hmg 6'9 ml-f, a st Croix mojo 6'8 m-xf, and currently using a carbonlite 2.0 6'8 m-xf rod. All have worked well.

 

10lb braid to a 6lb leader. Set your drag so that it just starts to slip on a decently hard hook set (just for good measure) and you should be fine. Always use 1/16iz jig heads, I like the Berkley ones personally. 

 

Love the ned rig technique and it is my go to lately. 

[waldo567]

As others have said when you set the hook you don't hammer it like other baits. Reel down and give it more a sweep to the side

[Cgolf]

I have fished the Ned a lot and unknowingly midwest finesse for many years on the river, sub 4" baits on a light ball head jig, with great hookup rates.

 

I use fireline, sometimes with a flouro leader on mostly a medium action ugly stick, but have also had the same success with a medium/fast tipped stick too.

 

The one thing I do though is always fish the bait on a fairly tight line and set the hook any time I feel a bump. I refuse to fish baits on slack line, or letting a fish take a bait for a bit before I set the hook, because of potential deep hooking chances. Also on the river line watching is tough with all the different currents, and if you don't set the hook right away the fish is gone.

 

Almost all of my fish, lake and river and hooked in the top of the mouth which seems to be the toughest part of the mouth, which I think helps my landing percentage.

[BigAngus752]

I had the same problem and realized that the of the fish I boated, 80%+ of them the Ned head would just fall out of their mouths when i got them in the boat (when there was finally slack in the line).  I realized I was losing them to slack in the line while they were in the water.  I switched to using a Falcon drop shot rod that's softer and I bring them in slowly and concentrate on never allowing slack in the line.  I haven't lost another since I switched to that rod and focuses on a tight line.  Don't pull them in fast or with a stiff rod.  You'll get "bounce" in the line and that's just enough for the little Ned hook to come undone.  

[Fishes in trees]

Welcome to the Ned rig, like every other bass fishing technique, there is a learning curve.  All the advice about rod action is probably good advice - I wouldn't know - I use a medium - extra fast tip rod with the light braid, primarily because I like extra fast tips in general, I like how it casts, I feel like I know about strikes a little quicker with the extra fast tip and I just try to pay attention and not let slack line get out of hand.    My experiences tell me that if you use sticky sharp hooks and get a good sweep hook set, the hook is much more likely than not to stay put.

[padon]

yes as a couple other have said a gentle sweep hook set works best.dont hammer them like a worm set , just sweep or raise the rod like a wacky rig set.

[gim]

I have found that the nedlocks jigs are thicker and more durable than the original jig heads are which allows use for stronger line and a heavier action road without losing fish or bending hooks. You can also do more of a traditional hook set with these than the light wire jig heads.

 

I lost a couple big fish because the hooks bent on the light wire original jig heads. I think at least one was a muskie. Since switching over to the nedlocks, I haven’t lost a fish.