Ned Rig on a Baitcaster?

[Largies4Life]

I recently fractured my 5th metacarpal the other week after falling playing ball on my right hand. I am still able to fish, however, I am limited to baitcasters as I hold the baitcasters with my left hand while reeling with my right. On the contrary, with spinning gear, I am the exact opposite and am not able to hold a rod with my right hand, only reel. I am heading up north to do some smallie fishing for the week. Would I be able to get away with using the ned rig on a baitcasting setup or even a tube jig? If so, what would you recommend for the arsenal?

[EWREX]

You can surely get away with it if need be. 7' medium casting rod and spool your reel up with 8-10 lb. fluoro and co-poly and you're golden!

[Jig Man]

I use a Gloomis Bronzeback ml paired with a Shimano Curado 70 and 6# fluorocarbon line.

[Dens228]

I just used a MH/fast AvidX with a baitcaster while fishing ned rigs for smallmouth in a local river.  No problems at all.

 

[Big Rick]

Nearly every spinning reel has the option of swapping the crank handle to the other side of the reel. Wouldn't that be the easier solution?

[Largies4Life]

8 minutes ago, Big Rick said:

Nearly every spinning reel has the option of swapping the crank handle to the other side of the reel. Wouldn't that be the easier solution?

I can definitely try! I just feel like it would be difficult to learn how to fish the "opposite" way since that's the way I've done it all my life. I will bring my spinning gear along and at least give that a go!

[Dieselguy416]

I use a major craft and a tat sv it does ok. It's not going to win any distance contest though. 

[FishingGeekTX]

Sorry to hear about the hand injury!  I have various hand limitations as well, but they don't currently affect my fishing.  If you fish really light, you may consider baitcast "finesse" gear.

 

I am also trying to make a switch to baitcasting finesse instead of spinning, for lighter lures.  It is gaining popularity, so you will have some good options, especially in the coming years.  To see how I like it, I purchased this recently for $132 total combo:

 

(on amazon no less)

Tsurinoya BFS Baitcasting Reel

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BLRLGLG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 

Any appropriate power rod, just what I got:

Cadence Baitcasting Rod, Medium Light 1 piece

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MDVDFYF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

The reel is supposedly designed to cast lighter lures (Marketed as BFS), it's got a shallow, lightweight spool.  I've watched some reviews and on-water tests of it, it did well for the price...really well compared to really high priced BFS (which are better but $300-$400 and usually from Japan).  Should be able to cast 1/16 and up.

 

But I'd try what folks are saying first, because it costs the least.  If you already have baitcasters, maybe you know which one casts light lures best, maybe you could weigh the spools or just guess.  In any case, if you load up light line and are having trouble, here are some additional things you might consider trying:

1. Be sure you don't set tension too high, and then turn brakes low, and see how much brake you have to have...you want the least braking that won't backlash.  I forget to back off brakes sometimes, I know this is obvious!

 

2. If not casting far, assuming you have some cheap 8# mono on it, strip off a good chunk of it to reduce spool weight.  Reels perform best full spool, so there is a trade-off here.

 

3. Investigate a custom, shallow spool for an existing reel (might be like $80 so you may just get a new reel?).  But if you have a nice baitacaster you want to re-purpose, that might help.

 

4. Consider a relatively inexpensive BFS setup like above.

 

5. Go crazy and get a high-end BFS like Aldebaran 30 or something from Japan (or used domestically!).

 

I just got my line in today so I have yet to string it up, but I plan on doing so today/tomorrow and trying it in the lake out front.

 

That's everything I know about it, hope something in there helps.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

2 hours ago, Big Rick said:

Nearly every spinning reel has the option of swapping the crank handle to the other side of the reel. Wouldn't that be the easier solution?

X2

 

 

[TnRiver46]

3 hours ago, Big Rick said:

Nearly every spinning reel has the option of swapping the crank handle to the other side of the reel. Wouldn't that be the easier solution?

X3

[Obi_Wan]

I have a KastKing Spartacus with 8# line on it.  I'm going to put 6# on it and put it on a ML casting rod and use it for a Ned rod and see how it work.  No reason not to try it.  I prefer spinning, but I'm ok with trying casting.

[OCdockskipper]

3 hours ago, Largies4Life said:

I can definitely try! I just feel like it would be difficult to learn how to fish the "opposite" way since that's the way I've done it all my life. I will bring my spinning gear along and at least give that a go!

You will pick it up surprisingly quick. 

 

I sprained my wrist a few years ago and the pressure of fighting fish with the spinning rod in my right hand bothered me for a couple of weeks.  I switched the handle over & it didn't take long to become competent with it, to the point that setting the hook and landing fish wasn't compromised.

[Largies4Life]

12 hours ago, OCdockskipper said:

You will pick it up surprisingly quick. 

 

I sprained my wrist a few years ago and the pressure of fighting fish with the spinning rod in my right hand bothered me for a couple of weeks.  I switched the handle over & it didn't take long to become competent with it, to the point that setting the hook and landing fish wasn't compromised.

I switched over the handle last night and just set the drag really loose so I could see what it felt like to reel and I think it will be doable! Just feels really weird to begin with as expected. I won't let anything stop me from getting out on the water! 

[TOXIC]

I rig all of my spinning reels to cast with my left and reel with my right hand.  I just never felt the cast - change hands - and reel process was right.  The only thing that will bother me is after a long day on the water, at the beginning of the season my left arm will get a little fatigued until I get into fishing shape.  Since I am fishing a weightless Senko in a lot of presentations, I always have pressure on my left arm holding the rod suspended.  I don't finesse fish with a baitcaster although I'm sure it can be done.  

[Koz]

18 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

... until I get into fishing shape. 

 

Now that's a phrase you don't hear very often!

[TOXIC]

4 minutes ago, Koz said:

 

Now that's a phrase you don't hear very often!

Usually my first "combat" fishing trip in the spring is to Lake St Clair for a solid week of sun up to sun down fishing.  We try to get out here locally for at least a couple of weeks of long day fishing.  Get's all of the fishing muscles (legs, arms and back) into condition for a week straight on what can be some pretty challenging water especially if there is wind involved.  There's a big difference between a relaxing day on the water and fishing for a week straight.  The only time we sit is to move spots, there's no Bill Dance fishing on our boats.

[Mikeltee]

I am not sure why finesse should only be performed with spinning gear. I use a tatula elite ags finesse paired with a tatula sv and it is a pleasure to fish. The fish don't know any better and I don't have trouble chucking a ned rig or weightless senko with it. YMMV

[NYWayfarer]

I fish the Ned Rig sometimes on my Lew’s Mach 1 combo spooled with 10lb mono or It’s really effective for heavier mushroom jigheads and Z-Man’s big TRD

[thinkingredneck]

I am having the opposite problem, getting bad arthritis in my thumb and some days using my BC becomes difficult.  Hurts and sometimes just won't "act right."  My boss uses a spinning rod for everything from finesse to tarpon, so I may try that.