What have you found to be the best Ned rig weight in creeks/rivers and why?

[Ohioguy25]

I have been using 3/16 EWG heads for a while now.  I have tried 1/8 oz but I just can’t seem to let go of my dependency on the tactile feedback I get from the bottom contact of the heavier jig, it also keeps tension in the line and allows me to feel a bite better. 
 

The obvious downside here is that I get hung up far more often but I’m not sure which is worse.  It is almost impossible for me to get 1/8 down in current as well.

 

Should I commit myself to making 1/8-1/10 work? It seems to unanimously be touted as the best weight with many proclaiming the lighter the better, some down to 1/16.

[leinad]

put me in the lighter the better group with the zman 1/20 or 1/15 head for 90% of my time on moving water. my goal is to throw  the bait upstream and let it flow down stream as naturally as possible with a taut line and retrieve to keep the bait just above the rocky bottom. 

 

as stated this works for me most of the time but in very fast water i will increase the weight as needed , 1/10,1/8, 3/32 1/4. there is a section of water i fish with really fast rapids so i tried 1/3 heads and all i ever get with these is snagged , have not gotten many fish in that weight and in those condititions.

 

the river i fish, on average is 4 to 6' deep, 150' wide  with large areas of pools and moving water both slow and fast. smb are the major species followed by trout and lmb.

[Finessegenics]

1/15 or 1/16. I have some 1/20 but yet to try them, they should be good too. Even in some really fast current, I won’t go above 1/8. The lighter the weight, the more natural the drift. 

[ironbjorn]

1/10 with the wire guard in rapids and 1/15 without the guard in any other conditions 

[DitchPanda]

I fish mostly lakes and ponds so don't contend with current but I've found my best success on the lightest head possible in the brands I like..normally 1\16oz. I personally feel like not having bottom feedback is a benefit...but then again I'm not working this on bottom much usually I'm swimming it or hopping it up off bottom.

[Ohioguy25]

2 hours ago, leinad said:

put me in the lighter the better group with the zman 1/20 or 1/15 head for 90% of my time on moving water. my goal is to throw  the bait upstream and let it flow down stream as naturally as possible with a taut line and retrieve to keep the bait just above the rocky bottom. 

 

as stated this works for me most of the time but in very fast water i will increase the weight as needed , 1/10,1/8, 3/32 1/4. there is a section of water i fish with really fast rapids so i tried 1/3 heads and all i ever get with these is snagged , have not gotten many fish in that weight and in those condititions.

 

the river i fish, on average is 4 to 6' deep, 150' wide  with large areas of pools and moving water both slow and fast. smb are the major species followed by trout and lmb.

What do you use most often in current, 1/4?

[gim]

I am the opposite. I want to feel that jig head bumping bottom even in relatively heavy current so I use 1/6 or 1/5 size. The Zman elaztech on it is either a TRD or a tube so it’s buoyant anyways.

 

Areas of stagnant or minimal current are void of smallmouth where I fish too. A lighter jig head would work there but to a moot point with no fish present.

[Cgolf]

I go with a jig that bumps the bottom and does hang up from time to time. Yes I will lose some jigs for sure. Chasing smallies it seems you get more bites bumping bottom and I have caught numerous fish after popping a bait loose off a snag.
 

Picking the right weight depends on the current and whether your using a salted non buoyant Ned or something like Zman baits can impact your jig choice. There really isn’t an easy answer. Some of the non buoyant salted Ned baits are pretty heavy, so I use a 1/16 ounce jig and it casts as far as I need it on the river I fish. When I fish a crawbug on the same system a 3/16 slider head is the right weight for that bait. 

 

so in your case it sound like a 3/16 is the weight to stick with. Sometimes reeling slower helps you feel the snags better/faster and doesn’t wedge them in there as good allowing you to save a few more jigs.