River guys - what weight Ned head do you use the most?

[Ohioguy25]

So I put the two contested Ned weights to the test this weekend, lighter - 1/8, and heavier - 3/16.  There are variances obviously in what people throw, with the majority on the lighter end being 1/10-1/16 (with some going as light as 1/32.)

 

Since discovering the power of the Ned rig, I have been throwing this 3/16 Owner EWG. The “weedless” Shroomz kept hanging me up in the rocky river I fish so I started Texas rigging and haven’t looked back.  
 

I found the 1/8 oz size to provide far less/no tactile feedback, where as the 3/16 I can feel everything on the bottom and when pebble bumping turns to light tugging I drive it home and catch way more fish.  People argue the Ned is supposed to be a contactless, slow falling bait but it seems to have evolved from the original “Midwest finesse” designed 40 years ago into a veritable technique with all sorts of different ways of presenting it.

 

Additionally, even with the 3/16 in even the most moderate current it still takes a solid bit of time to reach the fish.  The 1/8 takes forever.  

[PaulVE64]

Geez.

I'm throw as light as possible to keep snags to an acceptable level, usually 1/8 oz

If I lose one jig every hour I am okay. But if I threw 5/16 oz I would be retying almost ever cast.  

[Ohioguy25]

4 minutes ago, PaulVE64 said:

Geez.

I'm throw as light as possible to keep snags to an acceptable level, usually 1/8 oz

If I lose one jig every hour I am okay. But if I threw 5/16 oz I would be retying almost ever cast.  

3/16, and Texas rigged. I only retie every 10 casts or so, I’m getting better though so last trip only retied 3 times in an 8 hour float! Granted I wasn’t throwing Ned the entire time but I used it at every hole.

[gim]

I will be river fishing on Saturday and a mushroom head jig either with a TRD or a zman tube will be my throw-back lure (behind my topwater or subwart).  I will be using a 1/5 or 1/6 size jig head.  There is relatively moderate current in this river and I need to bump the bottom.  A lighter jig head won't work in these areas.  It might work in areas with minimal or no current, but there's no fish there.

[Ohioguy25]

3 hours ago, gimruis said:

I will be river fishing on Saturday and a mushroom head jig either with a TRD or a zman tube will be my throw-back lure (behind my topwater or subwart).  I will be using a 1/5 or 1/6 size jig head.  There is relatively moderate current in this river and I need to bump the bottom.  A lighter jig head won't work in these areas.  It might work in areas with minimal or no current, but there's no fish there.

Exactly I’ll never understand all these people throwing 1/32 or even 1/16. Must be lake guys.

[gim]

9 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Must be lake guys.

Most likely.  I would be using a lighter jig head if I wasn't fishing in current.

[FishTank]

Fishing in current I go as heavy as possible, maybe 1/4 oz. I don't fish rivers and streams often but if the water is moving in my area so is the bait and with the ned rig I want the bait to sit so there is no slack line or I don't want it to drift off the bottom.  I also try to use the current to my advantage and choose baits that will wiggle when still.  

[PaulVE64]

We all fish our own conditions. So when I go fishing in a buddies waters I try to listen and absorb his tactics and rhythms.

To each his own.

[leinad]

just the opposite of every post prior to this one , 1/15 zman jig head thrown into riffles that run the interior 3/5ths of the river then bring out to the remaining 1/5 th ( on my side of the river) which is 3-5' deep and VERY SLIGHT CURRENT to average 7 smallies an hour ( i keep a log so i can give accurate info on this ). i search out water with current adjacent to pools and eddys. when the current is very fast in this example i will go as heavy as 1/8th. i don't want my ned sitting on the bottom but just deep enough to tick the rocky bottom on my retrieve.

[padon]

2 hours ago, leinad said:

just the opposite of every post prior to this one , 1/15 zman jig head thrown into riffles that run the interior 3/5ths of the river then bring out to the remaining 1/5 th ( on my side of the river) which is 3-5' deep and VERY SLIGHT CURRENT to average 7 smallies an hour ( i keep a log so i can give accurate info on this ). i search out water with current adjacent to pools and eddys. when the current is very fast in this example i will go as heavy as 1/8th. i don't want my ned sitting on the bottom but just deep enough to tick the rocky bottom on my retrieve.

exactly. every river is different and constantly changing. i want my ned or tube to drift with the current and just tic rocks. occasionaly it will grab bottom but a slight lift of the rod frees it and continues the drift. if it goes to bottom and sits there its too heavy and will get snagged constantly.I use the outcast perfect ned head weedless version. usually 3/32 or 1/8 . sometimes 3/16 and rarely 1/16