Shaky Head vs NEKO

[Weedless]

Im having a difficult time really distinguishing the advantages and true differences between the 2. My brother-in-law and me were having a this discussion...

 

My thought: 

You can adjust the length of the "free wingling" part of the worm with the o-ring

 

The shakyhead hook shank supports the lower part of worm more than NEKO

 

The NEKO would have a higher percentage of chance to fall over since hook weight is hanging from half way up worm. 

 

When you pull your line the head of shaky head goes first vs shaky head kinda has a wacky worm effect. 

 

 

I came into the fishing world starting with NEKO and I have less experience with shaky head....is there any BIG advantages to have both setups ?

Would you have one rod designated to NEKO and another rod designated to shaky head or would you only have one of these setup? 

 

thanks

[Team9nine]

In my book, shaky is much more weedless and fishes faster and deeper. Neko is more specialized and “finessey” and falls/works slower. You can obviously adjust parameters of the two presentations, but you start losing some effectiveness IMO by doing so.

[ChrisD46]

1 hour ago, Team9nine said:

In my book, shaky is much more weedless and fishes faster and deeper. Neko is more specialized and “finessey” and falls/works slower. You can obviously adjust parameters of the two presentations, but you start losing some effectiveness IMO by doing so.

+1 on Team9nine comments - I would also say having a floating worm or tail that stands up is more helpful with the Neko set up than it is to the Shaky Head (contrary to popular belief that the Shaky Head always needs a floating , stand up tail to work successfully) .

[JediAmoeba]

With a neko I find myself using a floating Wormz from zman and an open hook.  With a shaky head I am using some sort of trick worm and hooking it weedless.  So basically what team9nine said is spot on.

[waymont]

I fish the Shaky Head in different places than a Neko Rig. The SH can be fished more like a jig, in cover, held in place.

The Neko is more effective when it's moving forward, creating a different movement because the open hook is connected in the center of the worm. Neko is more of an open water type bait.

[CountryboyinDC]

You can get make the Neko rig weedless by reverse rigging it (essentially Texas rigging your bait on the opposite end from where your screw/nail/tungsten weight is).  I don't think it's as effective this way as when your hook is closer to the center of the bait for most plastics.  But I have seen a few fish caught this way.  I only use the bait with a light finesse hook held to the bait with a narrow strip of shrink tubing.  

[primetime]

I haven't figured out the Neko Rig. I do put a nail weight in one end when wacky rigging, but only because all my strikes come on the drop, so if I want it to move under a dock,  I will put a nail in one end.

 

I have never hopped a Neko Rig on the bottom personally. I like a shaky head for the reasons mentioned, weedless, and can feel the bottom better.

[Luke Barnes]

Bumping this instead of making a new thread. Ive never really done either but decided this winter I need to try more. I'm say a pond from the bank besides weedless is there any time you would Neko over a shakey? 

[TriStateBassin106]

Shakeyhead slaps the neko rig right in the face. IMO it looks more enticing than a neko and the worm action is better. 

[Russ E]

1 hour ago, Luke Barnes said:

Bumping this instead of making a new thread. Ive never really done either but decided this winter I need to try more. I'm say a pond from the bank besides weedless is there any time you would Neko over a shakey? 

To me they are 2 different presentations.

I use the shakyhead to cover water.

I use a neko to fish a particular piece of structure, Like a rock wall. or a dock.

 With a neko you can drop it in an area and shake it in place much easier than a shakyhead.

[Ktho]

3 hours ago, Luke Barnes said:

Bumping this instead of making a new thread. Ive never really done either but decided this winter I need to try more. I'm say a pond from the bank besides weedless is there any time you would Neko over a shakey? 

Difference for me is I don't catch anything on a shakeyhead and get em on the Neko. I especially like the neko for small ponds using little 4.5" worms and a really light nail its just really enticing. Shakeyheads don't come light enough for what the neko can do in shallow water from shore.