The Ned Rig

[gbassman519]

Do you fish it like a shaky head  ?

[Team9nine]

No...but I guess that depends on how you fish a shaky head 

[roadwarrior]

https://www.wideopenspaces.com/ned-rig-how-to-tie-it-fish-it-and-make-it-work/

[plawren53202]

I do fish a Ned rig like I do a shaky head...I let the fish tell me how they want it. 

 

There are some interviews out there with the namesake, Ned Kehde, where he talks about what seems like a 100 ways he fished it. I'm not nearly that sophisticated. But some days it seems like they want it slowly hopped, some days slowly dragged on the bottom, and some days long pauses where I do nothing but dead stick it in between drags or hops. I'll usually mix it up until I start to detect a pattern and then stick with that. Also, some days at least with the original TRD Finesse, it seems like if they're going to hit it, it's just on the fall. 

[TnRiver46]

I tried it like a shakey, lose a whole bunch really quick (fast water with rock ledges and logs). Now I swim them with much better results 

[frogflogger]

You can find Ned Kehde's description of midwest finesse tactics and the techniques used in several places. It is simple - it is frugal - it is effective - don't over think the technique.

It all started with the late great Chuck Woods and his beetle.

We've been using the technique since the 60's - the advent of zman products was the big game changer. Extreme softness, and the ability to catch over 100 fish on one lure play into the frugality idea.

[ww2farmer]

My best producing methods with the ned rig are rarely true to what Mr Kehde's teachings and "mid-west finesse" suggest.

 

Fishing it kinda/sorta/similar to a shaky head is my best producer. I just cast to the edge of what ever cover I'm targeting (deep and shallow grass lines, rock piles, docks, etc...) let it fall straight t the bottom, and soak it. Moving it ever so slightly it at all. For me a 1/16th oz head works best for this at the shallow end of the spectrum, or an 1/8th oz head at the deeper end, and I'll often bump up to 1/8 shallow if it's windy, and 3/16 deep if it's windy.

 

My second best producing method is a variation of one of Ned's retrieves, and probably as close as I get to being "true" to the mid west finesse stuff. I cast the rig out, let it sink to the bottom, and swim it back to the boat, keeping it close to the bottom. I pause it, and let it sink back to the bottom every 3-4 cranks of the reel, and I give it a little shake once it rests on the bottom, before swimming it again. It's not quite the same as his "swim, shake, glide" method, as I want bottom contact during the retrieve, and I don't like having "no-feel" of the bait, so I tend to use heavier heads than what he does...but it works for me, and quite well. I tend to like 1/16th for this in all but the stiffest of winds, or in water deeper deeper than 15 feet. And then I only bump up to 1/8th, I don't like 3/16th for this method much at all.

 

And the third  productive method I use is just to simply drag it on the bottom behind the boat with the wind, this is 3/16, to as heavy as 1/2 oz territory. I want it on the bottom, all the time.

 

So I guess I'm not a true disciple of mid west finesse tactics, but I have found the baits used for it to fit into my program well....and it's hard to argue with the success I've had doing it my way. In 2020 alone, 3 bass over 6lbs (two smallmouth and one largemouth), and another 27 over 5lbs (11 largemouth, 16 smallmouth) have been caught on it my way (along with probably a thousand + other legal sized bass of both species up to 5lbs). Would I catch more doing it the "right way"...who knows. 

 

 

[GaryH]

22 minutes ago, ww2farmer said:

My best producing methods with the ned rig are rarely true to what Mr Kehde's teachings and "mid-west finesse" suggest.

 

Fishing it kinda/sorta/similar to a shaky head is my best producer. I just cast to the edge of what ever cover I'm targeting (deep and shallow grass lines, rock piles, docks, etc...) let it fall straight t the bottom, and soak it. Moving it ever so slightly it at all. For me a 1/16th oz head works best for this at the shallow end of the spectrum, or an 1/8th oz head at the deeper end, and I'll often bump up to 1/8 shallow if it's windy, and 3/16 deep if it's windy.

 

My second best producing method is a variation of one of Ned's retrieves, and probably as close as I get to being "true" to the mid west finesse stuff. I cast the rig out, let it sink to the bottom, and swim it back to the boat, keeping it close to the bottom. I pause it, and let it sink back to the bottom every 3-4 cranks of the reel, and I give it a little shake once it rests on the bottom, before swimming it again. It's not quite the same as his "swim, shake, glide" method, as I want bottom contact during the retrieve, and I don't like having "no-feel" of the bait, so I tend to use heavier heads than what he does...but it works for me, and quite well. I tend to like 1/16th for this in all but the stiffest of winds, or in water deeper deeper than 15 feet. And then I only bump up to 1/8th, I don't like 3/16th for this method much at all.

 

And the third  productive method I use is just to simply drag it on the bottom behind the boat with the wind, this is 3/16, to as heavy as 1/2 oz territory. I want it on the bottom, all the time.

 

So I guess I'm not a true disciple of mid west finesse tactics, but I have found the baits used for it to fit into my program well....and it's hard to argue with the success I've had doing it my way. In 2020 alone, 3 bass over 6lbs (two smallmouth and one largemouth), and another 27 over 5lbs (11 largemouth, 16 smallmouth) have been caught on it my way (along with probably a thousand + other legal sized bass of both species up to 5lbs). Would I catch more doing it the "right way"...who knows. 

 

 

Dang WW2 sounds like were fishing from the same boat except for #3

[JustJames]

I’m the same boat even though I don’t have one now as @ww2farmer. A lot have to do with bottom structure, depth and time.

If shallow a lot of snag on bottom. I simply swim it back slow with a little bit of twist here and there. Downhill, I just simply drag it slow to make sure it stay on bottom. If flat with some rock here and there, just drag and shake or small pop.

[galyonj]

2 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

I tried it like a shakey, lose a whole bunch really quick (fast water with rock ledges and lots). Now I swim them with much better results 

It seems like they want one or the other for me.

 

Last time we were out I whacked 'em on long, lazy hops. Especially using a tiny craw.

[gbassman519]

Thanks everyone

[Gkitz]

Ned PBJ saved the day

[Bluebasser86]

When I'm fishing them, it rarely touches bottom.

[Cgolf]

I have fished the Ned rig a lot over the years, but there are probably times I haven't fished it properly. I always go out and fish baits with different retrieves and will stick with what the fish want. Many times I won't even realize I am repeating the same pattern for hours as I just get in a zone. The big thing for me is to never go on the water thinking I can fish a rig only 4 ways and get bit, bass don't read the articles in my part of world and I let them tell me what they want. Generally though they want some sort of bottom contact, especially on the river, so that may be the one constant I have in 90% of my ned rig catches. 

 

So if I am fishing it wrong, so be it, then it just becomes a small jig worm some days instead of a Ned rig. Sometimes I think we overthink this fishing thing;)

[frogflogger]

Just now, cgolf said:

I have fished the Ned rig a lot over the years, but there are probably times I haven't fished it properly. I always go out and fish baits with different retrieves and will stick with what the fish want. Many times I won't even realize I am repeating the same pattern for hours as I just get in a zone. The big thing for me is to never go on the water thinking I can fish a rig only 4 ways and get bit, bass don't read the articles in my part of world and I let them tell me what they want. Generally though they want some sort of bottom contact, especially on the river, so that may be the one constant I have in 90% of my ned rig catches. 

 

So if I am fishing it wrong, so be it, then it just becomes a small jig worm.

There is no correct way or wrong way to fish the little rig; if you keep it in the water it will get bit.

[fishwizzard]

I stick pretty close to the traditional MFW system, if I want to fish on the bottom there are better presentations for the job that I can fish on the same combo.  Most every impoundment that I fish is full of wood, has a soft muck bottom, or is a combo of the two, so a tiny t-rig or shakeyhead works a lot better. 

[Hook2Jaw]

I started with the Ned rig fishing like the YouTube legions, on the bottom like a shakyhead, jig, or worm.  Doing so produced terribly for me and I decided the Ned rig was all hype.

 

For me, I was fishing it incorrectly.

 

Now I primarily swim and glide it in deeper water and swim it in shallower water.  It's produced well.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

I catch most of my fish dragging them.  The only thing I would recommend not doing is trying to cover as much water as possible with them if you have a limited time to fish.  Just target high percentage areas.  Standard ned heads really have an attraction to snags.  If you haven't tried EWG ned heads give em a shot.

[Cgolf]

I think it really comes down to what the fish are feeding on. For me especially on the river where they are eating craws, if I am not bouncing off the rocks they don't want to eat it. The trick is to always find the weight that bounces of but doesn't hard snag on the rocks breaking me off every other cast. On the  lake I fish the most, the plastic bite has always been on the bottom, no idea why they won't chase a plastic but will a spinnerbait.

 

I think where @Bluebasser86 and Ned fish, the fish generally feed up in the water column and not down so swimming makes the most sense. In my case that gets ignored 90% of the time.

[TOXIC]

For those that steady retrieve or swim it back, do you use the TRD baits?  I thought the main reason for using them is that they float and stand up when the bait is on the bottom?  If you retrieve it there is no reason for it to float correct?  

[TnRiver46]

10 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

For those that steady retrieve or swim it back, do you use the TRD baits?  I thought the main reason for using them is that they float and stand up when the bait is on the bottom?  If you retrieve it there is no reason for it to float correct?  

I have plenty of hand pour baits that float like a cork and are much cheaper than elaztech . I don’t think the standing up thing matters but that’s just me. I use ball head jigs and torn up worms from the floor of the boat and swim it along, looks like a minnow. I know I know, not a true ned but it looks just like one and is way cheaper. And just as effective from what I’ve seen 

[Bluebasser86]

2 hours ago, cgolf said:

 

I think where @Bluebasser86 and Ned fish, the fish generally feed up in the water column and not down so swimming makes the most sense. In my case that gets ignored 90% of the time.

I drag jigs, swinging football heads, and fish T rigs on the bottom. Our lakes have tons of craws. No time is a craw more vulnerable than after it has flipped away and is floating slowly down to the bottom and can't use it's defenses. 

[Team9nine]

2 hours ago, TOXIC said:

For those that steady retrieve or swim it back, do you use the TRD baits?  I thought the main reason for using them is that they float and stand up when the bait is on the bottom?  If you retrieve it there is no reason for it to float correct?  

Yes (TRD), along with many others. Ned and friends primarily like curlytail grubs or swimbaits like the Slim SwimZ for the steady swim retrieve. The floating/stand up on the bottom deal is largely a marketing gimmick promulgated by others (...and Zman). Not saying it might not help at times, but it was never the primary reason for using it. It has also been commented that the buoyancy might help with the no-feel retrieve. The main argument for Elaztech (Zman) baits is the durability - being able to catch 30-50-100 bass on the same piece of plastic.

 

As for the many retrieve comments above - lol - I find them all "interesting." There are (now) 6 retrieves for a reason. When you figure out why, you'll be ahead in the 'Ned' game 

[BrianMDTX]

So...is it mandatory to use a mushroom jig head? I have round jig heads. I hear it makes a difference on the fall, but does it make enough difference that I need to feed the monkey twice this week? ?

[Cgolf]

13 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

So...is it mandatory to use a mushroom jig head? I have round jig heads. I hear it makes a difference on the fall, but does it make enough difference that I need to feed the monkey twice this week? ?

With the appropriate size hook;) With the demise of gopher tackle proper and reasonable Ned heads are difficult to come by.