Do people over complicate the ned rig?

[Luke Barnes]

Lately with all the new jig heads and soft plastics marketed as a ned rig bait it seems like i had the most luck on the original Finesse TRD. I still only use the zman finesse Shroomz but experimented with all sorts of plastics from zman and strike king. I like the Ned Cutr work but the ned Ocho is kinda bulky. The trd Ticklerz are cool with the little tentacles. But none of anything I have tried has caught more than a finesse TRD it seems. 

[Revival]

Yes.  I do all the time.  I have a love hate relationship with it.

[Jig Man]

It is called marketing.  Get those fishermen to buy something different because it may be the latest greatest.

[BigAngus752]

If you are buying TRDs then you are definitely overcomplicating it.  Buy a bag of ZinkerZs for the same price as a bag of TRDs.  Cut the ZinkerZs in half.  You have now cut your cost in half.  

[Luke Barnes]

35 minutes ago, BigAngus752 said:

If you are buying TRDs then you are definitely overcomplicating it.  Buy a bag of ZinkerZs for the same price as a bag of TRDs.  Cut the ZinkerZs in half.  You have now cut your cost in half.  

Went to BPS just now and did exactly that. I stood there with TRDs in my hand looking at Zinkerz. Thought I can wacky, Neko, and shakey head a Zinkerz, plus cut it to ned size. TRD is just what it is. I got the bag of Zinkerz needless to say. 

 

Also picked up a pack of Lazer Sharp Ned heads in 1/16 oz. I liked the bend and plastic keeper better than zman and $2 cheaper. 

[plawren53202]

25 minutes ago, Luke Barnes said:

Went to BPS just now and did exactly that. I stood there with TRDs in my hand looking at Zinkerz. Thought I can wacky, Neko, and shakey head a Zinkerz, plus cut it to ned size. TRD is just what it is. I got the bag of Zinkerz needless to say. 

 

Also picked up a pack of Lazer Sharp Ned heads in 1/16 oz. I liked the bend and plastic keeper better than zman and $2 cheaper. 

I fish the Ned rig all the time (unfortunately, I have a love/hate with it) and I have found that I like the Lazer Sharp heads at least as well as the TRDs, and certainly better when taking the price into consideration.

 

As far as over-complicating the body selection, I generally think that is the case. I like bodies made out of Elaztech better because of their buoyancy. I generally have the most luck on something with the original TRD finesse shape. I have caught a few on the TRD Craws, but beyond that, if I'm getting into bodies that have more action, I feel like that is kind of defeating the purpose of a Ned rig in the first place.

[DitchPanda]

People over complicate alot of things in fishing...I'm guilty of it myself. 15 years ago I used to throw a 3in bps stick bait on a crappie jighead. It worked remarkably well in cold water. I'm talking Iowa few days before ice up cold. Then I forgot about it...fast forward some years and the Ned rig comes along. And I thought oh yeah ...I remember this.

[Bluebasser86]

Very much so, and losing a lot of it's productivity in the process.

[galyonj]

11 hours ago, Luke Barnes said:

...picked up a pack of Lazer Sharp Ned heads in 1/16 oz. I liked the bend and plastic keeper better than zman and $2 cheaper. 

I love these jig heads.

[J Francho]

I've totally simplified the process by leaving the baits in the box, and fishing something else.

 

The serious answer, yes I think it's way overblown for an idea to reuse broken senkos.  Bottom line, many have put together a plan that works for them, and this is made from time fishing the bait.  What you come up with probably has more to do with where, when, and how you fish.  It's a really easy finesse method to get into, and for that I think it's cool.  It's way less complicated than other popular methods, like drop shot.  The baits are fairly economical, too.

[Teal]

11 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

People over complicate alot of things in fishing...I'm guilty of it myself. 15 years ago I used to throw a 3in bps stick bait on a crappie jighead. It worked remarkably well in cold water. I'm talking Iowa few days before ice up cold. Then I forgot about it...fast forward some years and the Ned rig comes along. And I thought oh yeah ...I remember this.

Man this hit home for me, one of my bread and butter rigs 15 to 18 years ago was a shakey head.. but this was before I knew it was a thing.  I just bought the ling shank jig heads in 1/8 and would put a worm or grub on it.  And even today I feel like people over complicate it.  Nothing wrong with REFINING your rig to make it work for you...but too much time is lost making things wayyyyyyy more complicated than they should be.

[Steelhead]

Yes. However, with that being said, I over complicate the jig head color... I think. I use 5 different colors depending on the situation. 

 

 I primarily use the Zman Finesse Shroomz in 1/15oz. The TRD and 1/2 Zinkerz have been my go to baits but the TRD Ticklerz out fished both this past season. I've tried at least a dozen other manufacturers Ned baits and nothing comes close to the Zman products except the Xzone Ned Zone.

 

 I will be ordering the Zman OG Mushroom and the Nedlockz EWG in different colors and sizes this Black Friday.

[JohnFromLisbon]

Agreed. I always use the finesse ShroomZ in either 1/10 or 1/5 oz, depending on how deep I'm fishing and how fast I want to move the bait. The only caveat is I might try a tungsten head instead of the usual lead ones because I like that sharp hard metal feel against the bottom.

 

As for the bait, Finesse TRDs all the way. California Craw is killer in our southern lakes and that elaztech stuff usually lasts me a whole day unless I get it snagged on something and lose it.

[Fishes in trees]

Why wouldn't you over complicate it?  What else you got to do when you're fishing the Ned?

[Luke Barnes]

3 hours ago, Steelhead said:

Yes. However, with that being said, I over complicate the jig head color... I think. I use 5 different colors depending on the situation. 

 

 I primarily use the Zman Finesse Shroomz in 1/15oz. The TRD and 1/2 Zinkerz have been my go to baits but the TRD Ticklerz out fished both this past season. I've tried at least a dozen other manufacturers Ned baits and nothing comes close to the Zman products except the Xzone Ned Zone.

 

 I will be ordering the Zman OG Mushroom and the Nedlockz EWG in different colors and sizes this Black Friday.

Now that is one thing I'm wanting is EWG ned heads for weedless purposes. I got a pack of Zinkerz and going to use them and the TRD and Ticklerz and leave everything else alone for a while. It seems like when I started using SK Ned Ochos and even the Zman TRD Crawz my bites went down unless it was a spot where they were actively feeding on craws. 

[MN Fisher]

On 10/26/2020 at 11:45 AM, Luke Barnes said:

Now that is one thing I'm wanting is EWG ned heads for weedless purposes.

Like this? https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Lifted_Jigs_Ned_EWG_Jig_Heads_3pk/descpage-LIFTND.html

 

On 10/26/2020 at 11:45 AM, Luke Barnes said:

It seems like when I started using SK Ned Ochos and even the Zman TRD Crawz

I use the CrawZ on drop-shots.

[Steelhead]

24 minutes ago, Luke Barnes said:

Now that is one thing I'm wanting is EWG ned heads for weedless purposes. I got a pack of Zinkerz and going to use them and the TRD and Ticklerz and leave everything else alone for a while. It seems like when I started using SK Ned Ochos and even the Zman TRD Crawz my bites went down unless it was a spot where they were actively feeding on craws. 

 

I tried the Lifted Jigs Ned EWG heads and for me I found the hook too big. It's suppose to be 1/0. The new Zman Nedlockz EWG is a #1 hook and from the pictures and videos I've seen it seems to be about the right size. I'll soon find out.

 

I've been using the Decoy Nail Bomb VJ-71 ewg heads in a #2 hook in 1/16 & 3/32 oz. and it's been the best I've used so far. I also will Texas rig with the Owner Rig 'N Hook in a #1 with a 1/16oz. tungsten bullet weight.

 

I've used the TRD Crawz and the TRD Bugz with limited success though it was my first season using them. On the other hand the TRD Hogz has produced very well. 

[FishTank]

Yes.  The bait is nothing special or new for that matter> just new marketing.  However,  it does catch fish for me when I have the patience to fish it slow. 

[Cgolf]

Yes it is over complicated now. IMO Zman has you thinking if you aren’t using elaztech baits and their heads you aren’t fishing a Ned rig. See it all the time on here. When most of us have been fishing a Ned rig all along. For many reasons I prefer not to use elaztech but have good luck with other Ned plastics on a Ned head chasing smallies and trout on small rivers and creeks. The Producto tourney grub works great and an anglers choice 1/2 wart hawg that is skinnier than a Zinkerz and heavily salted. Other baits like the smallest Keitech creepy crawler also excel.

[Kdizzle]

I've got to say, I've gotten just as good results using Yum Dingers and Senko's when fishing a Ned.  It all depends on if the fish want a presentation that sticking up or laying down, and believe me they can be that fickle. 

 

As for people not having success with it no matter how many times they've tried, well just like a lot of other finesse techniques, stop fishing it like you would a jig or any other bottom bait.  You are putting the bare minimum action on it you can get away with.  Not popping it and constantly yanking it off the bottom, you're better off dragging it slowly or deadsticking actually.  You are trying to replicate the movements of a baitfish feeding off the bottom.

[ww2farmer]

I was "ned -rigging" before the ned rig was a thing. I caught tons of fish when it was tuff on a 3" senko on a little football head. Then all this ned rig stuff comes along, and I start buying shroomz heads, TRD's, etc......just to catch the same fish I was already catching on my little stick bait/jig head thing.

 

I want to qualify my statement with....I DO NOT MIDWEST FINESSE FISH. There's s difference between that and doing what I do. I'm basically throwing a tiny shaky head.....actually no...it's a tiny jig-worm. Old timers will know what that is. About as close as I get to midwest finesse fishing is using my own modified version of Ned's "swim, shake, glide" retrieve. 

 

I have long abandoned the 3" senko, and small football head combo, and have found the 3" robo ned worms, and the little eagle claw mushroom heads to be a fantastic combo for my intended use.

 

Time to put my grumpy pants on.....much like the hoards of morons that a wacky rigged senko turned into factors at tournaments who do nothing but blindly toss it 24-7, the ned rig and zmans marketing campaign is doing the same thing. Do I fish senkos and "ned rigs"... YES...when I feel like they are the best tool for the job. But I'm just as prone to be doing a bunch of stuff other than water-logging senkos and snagging ned rigs all over the lake. We all know these fools. 

[Catt]

We have a tendency to over complicate bass fishing.

[Hook2Jaw]

18 minutes ago, Catt said:

We have a tendency to over complicate bass fishing.

I throw the Dallas, Texas rig in addition to the Austin, Texas rig.  I haven't tried the Houston yet.

[Junk Fisherman]

I enjoy perfecting presentations and catching fish when trying new baits.  But at end of the day, give me my 1/16th oz jigs with a #2 Owner hook and a green pumpkin TRD and I am a happy fisherman.  Oh yeah- the Hula Stick and Tickler work pretty well too.  

[soflabasser]

From what I have seen most people over complicate bass fishing.