Do you find Z-Man’s TRD slips off or bunches up on the hook?

[Ohioguy25]

I use a 1/0 EWG and I have experienced this quite often, having to frequently reinsert the hook point into the plastic or adjust the worm.  I have heard the same complaint from several others.  
 

At the same time, I hear pretty frequently that Zman is the only way to go for the Ned rig. Is there an alternative to Z-Man that fixes this issue or are all other plastics inferior for this presentation?

[Finessegenics]

There are others, I just like the elaztech because of the durability and I think the buoyancy helps with the 'glide' when retrieving a ned a rig. You can use any old stickbait cut in half. I do that sometimes. Another bait I like which is buoyant but not elaztech is the X-Zone Ned Zone. Try those out maybe. 

[Jig Man]

It won’t bunch up if you glue it to the head.

 

If you lightly skin hook it then it will come out sometimes.  You should inspect it at the end of your retrieve and fix as necessary.  It only takes a few seconds.  If you hook it too deep you run the risk of missing the fish. I’d rather do the former.

[Ohioguy25]

1 minute ago, Jig Man said:

It won’t bunch up if you glue it to the head.

 

If you lightly skin hook it then it will come out sometimes.  You should inspect it at the end of your retrieve and fix as necessary.  It only takes a few seconds.  If you hook it too deep you run the risk of missing the fish. I’d rather do the former.

Yeah I do superglue the head but it slips/bunches down on the hook too at the other end.

[Darth-Baiter]

some people push a bobber stop up behind the head of a plastic.  I tried it and I felt it was fairly difficult (and kinda dangerous) to do.  It is a very tight fit.  they make these hooks with a bulbous "knob" that allows the plastic to squeeze on, but not allow it to squeeze off.  I bought some, but I dont use them much.  I just do what you do and fight it.

 

One time at this hike in lake I was down to my last few TRD Finesse.  I had picked up some very heavy braid someone littered.  I clipped off a piece and tied a simple overhead knot on the top of the bait, careful not to slice into the bait.  it held for a long time.  I fish them tex-rigged behind a bullet sinker, EWG hook. 

[PhishLI]

3 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

I’ve heard the Nedlockz are no good

They work. No glue. Here's another version.

 

 

[Taylormade113]

16 hours ago, PhishLI said:

They work. No glue. Here's another version.

 

 

These are the hook I use and they have been a game changer.  Especially when my boys fish the ned.  I am not retying multiple times due to much less hang ups. There is a potential for a greater hook up with the exposed hook, but I have not noticed enough of a difference to switch. 

 

These also hold and keep the Ned in place very well!  Honestly, this is a bait that just last once you tie it on. 

[Brett's_daddy]

22 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

I use a 1/0 EWG and I have experienced this quite often, having to frequently reinsert the hook point into the plastic or adjust the worm.  I have heard the same complaint from several others.  
 

At the same time, I hear pretty frequently that Zman is the only way to go for the Ned rig. Is there an alternative to Z-Man that fixes this issue or are all other plastics inferior for this presentation?

This is what you need...thank me later .

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQDEAJGVF_c

[Cgolf]

I haven't used the EWG neds for Ned rig fishing, but do regularly use non Zman plastics on Ned heads. I would think that since these baits stick well in other scenarios for me, slider head or or a standard worm hook I think you would be fine.

 

When I did fish the Zman stuff a lot I was unimpressed by the TRDs, they seemed to tear alot and it seemed they were a slightly different plastic formulation than the Zinzerz, and they didn't last as long for me. I am guessing that you may have better luck with the cutting the Zinkerz in half and trying those. IMHO the 1/2 Zinkerz is a far superior bait to the TRD. I also feel they have more action, the TRDs are a bit stiff. Stretching the Zinkerz and letting them soak in a jar overnight or longer also makes them softer, especially since it dissolves the salt quicker. 

[TnRiver46]

I’ve out fished the mighty ned many times with good ole zoom worms 

[Team9nine]

Very common with Elaztech baits and weedless rigging, especially EWGs. I believe it’s the combo of the plastic and salt that forms a “channel” around the hook making it slide around more than other traditional plastics. As you already figured out, the simple answer is to just unrig and rerig the bait in a different position. You can do this almost endlessly with the Zman stuff. On TRDs, you can also just reverse the bait and switch rigging ends. You can just as easily use other traditional plastics and not have to deal with it as much, but the trade-off is not getting near as many fish per bait , which will cost you money in the long run. Might not be a big deal to you though if you're in the “1-fish-per-bait ‘he-man’ bassin’ camp” like some ?  lol

[Ohioguy25]

5 hours ago, Taylormade113 said:

These are the hook I use and they have been a game changer.  Especially when my boys fish the ned.  I am not retying multiple times due to much less hang ups. There is a potential for a greater hook up with the exposed hook, but I have not noticed enough of a difference to switch. 

 

These also hold and keep the Ned in place very well!  Honestly, this is a bait that just last once you tie it on. 

Wow the Z-Man #1 looks like half the size of the 1/0 Owner I’ve been using. I wish there were more uniformity to hook sizes.

[Basshunter90]

Use super glue gel and glue it to the head. 

[@reelChris]

Gluing the bait to the bottom of the jighead definitely makes things better.  However, don't try and make a good thing better by trying to glue the body of the bait to the hook.  It's nearly impossible, but what's easy is gluing your fingers to the bait and/or hook.  

[gim]

On 5/25/2022 at 12:53 PM, Ohioguy25 said:

I’ve heard the Nedlockz are no good

You heard wrong. I don’t specifically use the one posted, but I use their mushroom head jig regularly and they are legit. The “teeth” on the hook grabs the elaztech nicely and the hook is stout.

 

My TRD will sometimes bunch up and look unnatural when panfish peck at it machine gun style.

[TriStateBassin106]

I had this problem with Zmans Finesse shroom heads and the normal size TRD. I just glued it to the head and the problem went away, it was very annoying always putting it back on the jighead after a fish or two. ?

[Ohioguy25]

4 hours ago, gimruis said:

You heard wrong. I don’t specifically use the one posted, but I use their mushroom head jig regularly and they are legit. The “teeth” on the hook grabs the elaztech nicely and the hook is stout.

 

My TRD will sometimes bunch up and look unnatural when panfish peck at it machine gun style.

I’m confused, you are saying the Nedlockz are in fact good but that you haven’t used them??

[gim]

6 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

I’m confused, you are saying the Nedlockz are in fact good but that you haven’t used them??

 

No, that's not what I'm saying.  Sorry if I wasn't clear on this.  I haven't used the specific version of the EWG hook posted above.

 

I have used the nedlockz mushroom head jig with the TRD though.  That is what I was initially referring to.

[Jig Man]

I’ve been thinking about your situation, trying to figure out what could be causing your problem.  Here are a couple of things you might try.  

1.  When you glue the trd to the jig head, put a small dab of Loctite SUPER GLUE GEL on the end of it and as you press it to the head rotate it back and  forth to get a complete coverage of the glue.  Then press it tightly to the head and hold it for a few seconds.  (Many times if I want to change baits I have to cut the trd off with a knife.)

 

2.  When attaching the hook, find the spot where the hook bend is longest from the head and insert it at that point, being sure that you center the hook on the trd.  That will give you about 1/16 to 1/8 of extra worm which will help hold the hook and not be an impediment.  Grasp the top of worm body and pull it away from the hook point, lift it up over the point and position it the way you like the skin hook to look.

 

Attention to detail saves time later.