Ned rig for smallies

[galyonj]

One could, if so inclined, use the power ned.

 

[TnRiver46]

21 minutes ago, galyonj said:

One could, if so inclined, use the power ned.

 

[MickD]

Canada craw.  I just don't understand ned jigs with weed guards.  The weeds on mine are almost always at the line tie/head, not on the hook. 

[MN Fisher]

11 minutes ago, MickD said:

The weeds on mine are almost always at the line tie/head, not on the hook. 

That was my experience yesterday dragging a Ned through weed-beds. Almost always on the line-tie, very rarely on the hook.

[TnRiver46]

The weed guard is for logs and rocks, aptly named 

[galyonj]

53 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

The weed guard is for logs and rocks, aptly named 

 

If somebody could make a snotless presentation I'd be interested. 

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, galyonj said:

 

If somebody could make a snotless presentation I'd be interested. 

I know - that stuff is the worse to clear off...

[Junk Fisherman]

10 hours ago, galyonj said:

 

I've not noticed that my hookup ratio is affected, but hook size – which necessitates some thoughts about the type of hook – absolutely affects my confidence level with this presentation.

 

It's safe to say that, with a lot of soft plastics, the secret ingredient is crime secondary action.

 

Given that, I want as little hook going through the plastic as I can get, because I want as much of the plastic free to move as possible.

 

 

R to L: Mule Fishing Mule Jig (1/16oz head with #4 hook), @Siebert Outdoors Morel Jig (1/16oz with #1 hook), Siebert Outdoors Morel Widegap (1/16oz with 1/0 EWG)

 

The only time I'll ever rig a 3" plastic with a hook as big as that EWG is for this photograph. I use those for 4" or larger plastics like dead ringers or finesse worms.

 

If I have to be weedless, like @Junk Fisherman, I ain't fishing a ned rig.

 

Ned Kehde said his preferred jig was a 1/16th oz with a #4 hook.  I don't notice much difference when using a #2 vs #4 with bites so I stick with a #2 hook.  But if the vegetation is heavier or if I am using a thinner bait, I'll go to the #4.  The #4 hook on a TRD goes through weeds surprisingly well.  I make my jigs so I've played around with hook size quite a bit.  Most of my 1/0 Neds have been turned into hair jigs since that hook was way too big for TRDs, Hula Sticks, and Hawgs.

[PaulVE64]

In my river any bottom presentation has a high risk of snagging. 

Most of my plastics are texas rigged.

[Dye99]

For me it's mixed. Ill throw a ned and catch fish, then the next day it turns off.

I try to keep a swimbait, ned, senko, tube rig and drop shot all on the boat.

 

Neds definitely are smallmouth slayers though. I just think since everyone is throwing them now you have to switch up..

[TnRiver46]

8 hours ago, Dye99 said:

For me it's mixed. Ill throw a ned and catch fish, then the next day it turns off.

I try to keep a swimbait, ned, senko, tube rig and drop shot all on the boat.

 

Neds definitely are smallmouth slayers though. I just think since everyone is throwing them now you have to switch up..

Exactly! Everyone is nedding all the time

[galyonj]

27 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Exactly! Everyone is nedding all the time

 

It's turtles ned rigs all the way down.

[ChrisD46]

On 6/8/2023 at 8:42 AM, Texas Flood said:

The combo below has been killing it for me on the SM.

 

 

 

 

Nice combo - what weight do you prefer in the Owner EWG Block Head above ?

[dytmook]

I've T-rigged ned baits with 1/16 bullet sinkers and 1/0 hooks and caught fish this year. Gives a nice flutter down. 

 

I usually fish weedless ned heads that I pour. The hook doesn't go too deep so I think there is still good secondary action. Also I let the river do a lot of the bait moving so I don't think it matters "as much". Then again I'm a ham and egger in terms of catching

 

[Texas Flood]

39 minutes ago, ChrisD46 said:

Nice combo - what weight do you prefer in the Owner EWG Block Head above ?

Thanks! Right now Ive been using 1/8oz but once the water levels go down, I'll probably switch to 1/16.

[Junk Fisherman]

On 6/14/2023 at 10:19 PM, Dye99 said:

For me it's mixed. Ill throw a ned and catch fish, then the next day it turns off.

I try to keep a swimbait, ned, senko, tube rig and drop shot all on the boat.

 

Neds definitely are smallmouth slayers though. I just think since everyone is throwing them now you have to switch up..

 

Agreed.  I always mix in a Neko too and have a hair jig handy as well. 

[A-Jay]

I haven't thrown a Texas rig for SMB is a while.

Not that it doesn't get bites, just that there's mostly open water where I'm hunting brown bass.

Either way, I have been known to fling that Ned rig around here & there . . . .

#elephantseatpeanuts

A-Jay

 

[MGF]

I'm fishing a shallow rocky river that also has some weeds and wood. I use a ewg splitshot rig quite a bit but I also use a ned. It just depends. There's even been times when I t-rig a tube

In some cases a weedless setup is a real life saver but the way I fish a ned it's pretty snag "resistant".

 

I try to use a weight that lets the jig just barely bounce off the bottom as it moves down river. Using fluorocarbon seems to help keep the nose of the jig down and the hook up. I NEVER spool an entire reel with fluorocarbon so it's a fluoro leader on braid. Given the shallow water a 12 or 15 ft leader pretty much negates any effect of the braid...except that I fish the same spool of line for a couple of years.

 

My wife seems to get hung up more than I do so I'd also say that how you stay in touch with the jig has something to do with staying off snags.

[Turtle Angler]

On 6/7/2023 at 10:25 PM, blanked said:

So whats the go to lure on the ned?

 

weedless or open hook?   I dont understand why anyone would use a open hook myself

As others have said, open hook for me in sections of the creek/river without grass, otherwise weedless.

 

My open hook of choice is Z-Man Ned Lockz HD Jig Head that I tend to pair with a Savage Gear Ned Craw since my shallow creeks have lots of rock and crawfish. For weedless, it's the Z-Man NedLockz Weedless Head paired with Savage Gear Ned Minnow that I can also swim through shallow vegetation.

 

As you can see, I prefer Savage Gear ned baits over Z-Man, and I rarely use a bait over 3" in size (for example, the Z-Man Big TRD).

[Junk Fisherman]

22 hours ago, MGF said:

 

My wife seems to get hung up more than I do so I'd also say that how you stay in touch with the jig has something to do with staying off snags.

 

Maybe this is common knowledge but I unsnag many of my Ned hangups in rocks, up to 50%, by snapping the braid.  I grab the braid, pull it back creating a lot of tension, and then release it.  It's crazy how effective that is.   

[padon]

On 6/8/2023 at 9:01 AM, galyonj said:

 

 

@Texas Flood I've been meaning to try that Xzone plastic. I love their stick worms.

 

If I have to have a weedless presentation, I'm generally not gonna be throwing a ned rig, for which I want the smallest hook I can get away with. I want as much of that plastic swinging free as I can get.

 

My jighead of choice for a garden-variety 2.75" - 3" ned rig plastic is a 1/16oz mushroom head with a #4 hook. Specifically this one from Mule Fishing.

 

Even though it's an open hook, it's surprising what you can work it through if you're careful.

 

And what you can bring into the boat with it.

 

the xzone ned bait has almost completely replaced the zman bait for me. no it doesnt catch 100 fish per bait but its so much easier to work with and that tail stands straight up.

[galyonj]

Well now the bait monkey's chittering in my ear. lol

[MGF]

Is the xzone buoyant?

[Turtle Angler]

14 hours ago, MGF said:

Is the xzone buoyant?

Yes, almost all of X-Zone's baits are buoyant, including their 11-inch Blitz Worm

[Bdnoble84]

On 6/14/2023 at 4:52 PM, MickD said:

Canada craw.  I just don't understand ned jigs with weed guards.  The weeds on mine are almost always at the line tie/head, not on the hook. 

Uts for rock. A small wire guard makes a world of difference. Weedguard is deceiving, its really a im sick and tired of getting wedged in rocks and breaking off or bending out sort of deal

On 7/2/2023 at 8:47 AM, Junk Fisherman said:

 

Maybe this is common knowledge but I unsnag many of my Ned hangups in rocks, up to 50%, by snapping the braid.  I grab the braid, pull it back creating a lot of tension, and then release it.  It's crazy how effective that is.   

Im not convinced that the stress from that method on the rod isnt significant. I just inexplicably had my st croix snap and i feel like its maybe that i introduced stress fractures from popping the braid repeatedly