How many have mostly abandoned the Ned Rig

[Shimano_1]

Its definitely a situational thing for me. I dont fish finesse stuff unless I have to so its not a go to bait but it definitely catches em for me when not much else will. It's not going anywhere for me anytime soon. Kinda like tight lining I hate fishing it but in some conditions it's the best approach 

[WRB]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

I would agree. I don’t call dragging a 3/4 oz football jig on 20 lb line finesse either but it’s not power fishing 

If it isn't power fish what is it? This always gets down to defining terms in bass fishing without agreement what the term means. You could say it's bass fishing but applies to every presentation. Is flipping power fishing or is moving along the shoreline making multiple casts power fishing. To me fishing a jig using baitcasting tackle is power fishing...the beat goes on.....

Peace,

Tom

 

[JediAmoeba]

4 minutes ago, WRB said:

If it isn't power fish what is it?

Power Finessing 

[TnRiver46]

2 minutes ago, WRB said:

If it isn't power fish what is it? This always gets down to defining terms in bass fishing without agreement what the term means. You could say it's bass fishing but applies to every presentation. If flipping power fishing or is moving alone the shoreline making multiple casts power fishing. To fishing a jig using baitcasting tackle is power fishing...the beat goes on.....

Peace,

Tom

 

I suppose I would just call it draggin a jig. I associate power fishing with cranking the reel handle constantly, like cranking and burning a spinnerbait. That’s just what I thought it meant 

[Finessegenics]

For those complaining about getting snagged...Rig a TRD with a size 1 or 2 EWG. Screw in a 1/32 oz nail weight on the other end. Super finesse and gets snagged a lot less than a regular ned. Can be hard to cast but if you’re chasing smallies in a creek its not an issue. I do it with the Big TRD too, just a bigger hook (1/0) and you have the chance to use heavier nail weights. Works great in weeds too, it sits on top of the grass and the smallies just slurp it up. 
 

A TRD rigged this way is probably one of the techniques I’m most confident in. If I know the fish are there, I’m either throwing this or a soft swimbait. 

[FishTank]

I personally like the Ned Rig but it's nothing new or even something to get overly excited about.  It does catch fish and it has it's place.  I don't care for the jigs from Z-man.  I like the ones from Owner better.  Also, the small TRD has not been that great for me.  The Big TRD has worked better. 

 

My favorite set up for this is the Abu Garcia ALX and a Abu Garcia Fantasista Regista with 8lb or 10lb FC.  

[jbrew73]

To my knowledge I’ve never thrown a Ned Rig. The closest I come is a beetle spin or ball head jig with a curly tail grub.  

Hell from what I read many people fish the Ned like a shaky head which means they aren’t even fishing a Ned rig.  Smh

[basser27]

It’s not nearly as effective in my waters as it was 3-4 years ago. 

[Bluebasser86]

Warms my heart to see people quitting on it, or fishing it incorrectly and assuming it's ineffective. Still works great, doesn't need all the tweaking with the bigger hooks, stouter hooks, heavier heads, weedguards, offset hooks. Just a 1/16oz head and a #2 hook, don't let it touch the bottom too often, don't worry about being able to feel it, just catch fish.

 

It only catches little fish too, except last trip out when it accounted for a 4 pounder and another less than 4 ounces shy of 7 ?

[PourMyOwn]

4 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Warms my heart to see people quitting on it, or fishing it incorrectly and assuming it's ineffective. Still works great, doesn't need all the tweaking with the bigger hooks, stouter hooks, heavier heads, weedguards, offset hooks. Just a 1/16oz head and a #2 hook, don't let it touch the bottom too often, don't worry about being able to feel it, just catch fish.

 

It only catches little fish too, except last trip out when it accounted for a 4 pounder and another less than 4 ounces shy of 7 ?

Agree 100% and nice fish!

I don't want to go to a heavier head because I catch a lot of fish on the drop with Neds-which rarely happened when I threw a jig and worm.

[MickD]

14 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

You gotta keep those smallies on their toes!!! Although I’ve heard up in your area ( big water ) finding them is the key, not the lure 

Somewhat true, although I have experienced having to go down from a 3 inch tube to 2 1/2 to catch them.  Just didn't want the bigger tube.

 

[TnRiver46]

2 hours ago, MickD said:

Somewhat true, although I have experienced having to go down from a 3 inch tube to 2 1/2 to catch them.  Just didn't want the bigger tube.

 

I almost always use 2.75, big ones don't seem to work here nearly as well

[Cgolf]

8 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Warms my heart to see people quitting on it, or fishing it incorrectly and assuming it's ineffective. Still works great, doesn't need all the tweaking with the bigger hooks, stouter hooks, heavier heads, weedguards, offset hooks. Just a 1/16oz head and a #2 hook, don't let it touch the bottom too often, don't worry about being able to feel it, just catch fish.

 

It only catches little fish too, except last trip out when it accounted for a 4 pounder and another less than 4 ounces shy of 7 ?

 

I have definitely given it a go, but if the fish are on the slider menace or ugly otter combo that is what I will throw. Also when I lake fish I fish a lot of vertical cover in less than ideal conditions and the Ned baits get blown off target to much to be useful, I think you and I have debated this before. If I needed to attack the larger weed beds where the bait landing at the base of a specific reed or dock piling wasn't needed then I would be good to go. The wind on that lake the last few years has been really bad, even the early morning trips generally have been too windy in the reed beds. Hoping vaca this year will see some calm mornings to break out and try my Ned fly on the fly rod.

 

Last year the baby menace and menace were my goto baits on the river. I think the baby menace on a Ned head would be considered ned rigging. It was a 50 50 split with the baby menace between a slider head and a Ned head. I have also found baits like the Keitech crazy flapper in the smallest size are good Ned baits. Honestly that bait holds up well to multiple fish, which after hearing about their other baits being fragile I was pleasantly surprised.

 

 

8 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

I almost always use 2.75, big ones don't seem to work here nearly as well

That fits with the small crawbug vs the big crawbug. The big one will get bit, but not even close to as often as the small one. Usually its the smaller smallies are the ones that attack the big crawbug. Smallies just want to be different I guess, the big bait big fish rule doesn't apply to them. 

 

Same goes for Muskys too, have hooked a 45+ on a 2" grub and my PB came on a 5/32 swim jig with a 5" kalins trailer.

[SmallBlockMuscle]

I tried it last year for the first time and had a lot of luck with it actually. I was using my tore up senkos and was able to get fish on the tougher days. Pretty fun fighting them on light tackle too. 

[NYWayfarer]

Like a weightless worm rig the Ned rig will always have a place in my rotation.

 

 

[MickD]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I almost always use 2.75, big ones don't seem to work here nearly as well

I've settled on some 2.75's, too.  Sweet spot , I think.

[Columbia Craw]

Anyone else recall a segment on The Bass Pros featured about ten years ago with Stacy King at Table Rock? He fished a portion of a shad colored stick worm and a super light jig head in winter. I thought it was strange at the time.  It was the Ned rig. It has it's place. Like A-jay, it's situational but so is an open hook tube.

[Team9nine]

16 minutes ago, Columbia Craw said:

Anyone else recall a segment on The Bass Pros featured about ten years ago with Stacy King at Table Rock? He fished a portion of a shad colored stick worm and a super light jig head in winter. I thought it was strange at the time.  It was the Ned rig. It has it's place. Like A-jay, it's situational but so is an open hook tube.

Stacey learned it from Ned himself and a couple close friends who were early adopters. Took him a bit to come around, but probably one of the first pros to use it on Tour along with Shin and his version which Ned actually adopted part of.

[Hook2Jaw]

For you guys who say most people are fishing it incorrectly, how do you fish it correctly?

[Mobasser]

As I've said, when I caught fish on it, it with the 1/20 oz head. I kept it moving, trying not to let it sit too long. I was trying to use one of the retrieves outlined in the Midwest Finesse form on In Fisherman.There are 6 retrieves that they recommend. But I'm still not sure if I'm fishing it correctly....

36 minutes ago, Columbia Craw said:

Anyone else recall a segment on The Bass Pros featured about ten years ago with Stacy King at Table Rock? He fished a portion of a shad colored stick worm and a super light jig head in winter. I thought it was strange at the time.  It was the Ned rig. It has it's place. Like A-jay, it's situational but so is an open hook tube.

Yes. Agree it's not a "new" bait. Its been around for a while

[Mobasser]

I also forgot to mention I caught a 3lb channel cat on it also. He's history now. I skinned him and he hit the frying pan. I know others have caught other species too

[suzuki2903]

its not my favorite thing to fish but it works and works well for catching fish, so no need to give up on it.  

and for anyone getting snags, you should try the weedless ned versions!

 

 

[gim]

I don't like it around weedy areas.  Get hung up too much.  And the ones with the weed guard don't prevent it from getting hung up - its purely a marketing scheme from z man.  The original mushroom head jigs had light wire and were not very durable.  I use the ned lockz jig heads instead now.  Much heavier duty, won't bend, and still holds the TRD in place just as good.

[Hewhospeaksmuchbull]

24 minutes ago, Hook2Jaw said:

For you guys who say most people are fishing it incorrectly, how do you fish it correctly?

If you are catching fish, are you fishing it "correctly"?

 

I fish them by dragging the bottom, popping the bait over rocks and wood. I've come to expect losing baits, including neds.

 

All I use are 1/4 heads, kinda have to as the current where I fish is strong.

 

I'm a power ned'er.

[The Bassman]

5 hours ago, Hook2Jaw said:

For you guys who say most people are fishing it incorrectly, how do you fish it correctly?

 

17 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

 Just a 1/16oz head and a #2 hook, don't let it touch the bottom too often, don't worry about being able to feel it, just catch fish.