Neko Problems

[Ibock]

Every time I catch a fish I lose my worm along with my nail weight.  This is starting to get expensive.  My setup is a VMC Crossover Rings size 7mm with a 5-inch Berkley Max General or a 5-inch Senko.  What am I doing wrong?  Are the rings too large?

[BayouSlide]

1 hour ago, Ibock said:

 What am I doing wrong?  Are the rings too large?

 

Yup. Try a #5 or 6. You need to go at least a size tighter than whatever VMC recommends.

[Ibock]

24 minutes ago, BayouSlide said:

 

Yup. Try a #5 or 6. You need to go at least a size tighter than whatever VMC recommends.

 

Why would they recommend a 7 then...idiots

[FryDog62]

Be sure to run the hook through both the ring and meat of the worm. The more surface area you hook, the tougher it is to tear out. 

[ChrisD46]

2 hours ago, Ibock said:

 

Why would they recommend a 7 then...idiots

It could be that the Max General is a little thinner diameter than a Yammy Senko , Big Bite Baits Trick Stick , etc. so the advice is good to drop down to a #6 or #5 VMC Cross Over Rings to tighten that fit up a bit .

[Brian11719]

I have a cheap yum wacky ring tool with some vmc o-rings and use them on senkos and haven't had this happen too much...although it still can. Also for the nail weight one thing I saw on youtube a while back (wish I remembered the channel but I don't) is you can put the nail weight in the side of the worm towards the top instead of putting it directly into the top and then pull the worm around it. Doing it this way seems like it helps a bit in terms of preventing the nail weight itself from falling out.

[gim]

5 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

Be sure to run the hook through both the ring and meat of the worm. The more surface area you hook, the tougher it is to tear out. 

Kind of defeats the purpose of using the crossover ring. It has a specific slot on top for the hook.

[FryDog62]

9 hours ago, gimruis said:

Kind of defeats the purpose of using the crossover ring. It has a specific slot on top for the hook.

That’s why I don’t use them… a standard O-ring or a plastic tubing sleeve are better IMO. You need to hook both the ring and meat of the worm to last more than a fish or two… 

[gim]

7 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

That’s why I don’t use them… a standard O-ring or a plastic tubing sleeve are better IMO. You need to hook both the ring and meat of the worm to last more than a fish or two… 

I’ve never actually used them either. I’m considering them though. I currently use the double o ring overlap and then slide the hook underneath where they cross. It works pretty good. I can usually wacky or neko rig with one or two stick baits for half a day of fishing this way.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Try a big TRD. You dont need to use an o ring and they dont really tear easy.  

[MickD]

1 hour ago, GetFishorDieTryin said:

Try a big TRD. You dont need to use an o ring and they dont really tear easy.  

You can stick a Neko weight into one?  I can't get one onto a cast jig keeper, only a thin wire keeper.  ??

[RRocket]

4 hours ago, MickD said:

You can stick a Neko weight into one?  I can't get one onto a cast jig keeper, only a thin wire keeper.  ??

I heat up a paperclip end to red hot and use it to make a pilot hole in the worm for the weight.

 

But these days I use the Geecrack Neko Hack for any delicate worms. If it works in a Bellows Stick, it will work on anything! 

[txchaser]

+1 on the geecrack neko hack

[ATA]

For so long I am using electric tape to be specific 3M waterproof 😂 and it is really working very well and I never use any of those fancy products. No matter what plastic dimension I am using, I just wrap it with two layer and I guaranty you'll have it till some fish or you rip it off.

[fin]

How much are you guys paying per rig for a worm, O-ring and nail weight? Like $1.50-$1.75?

[gim]

I buy the o rings in bulk.  Honestly I don't even remember how much they cost per pack.

 

I primarily use yum or yamamoto stick baits.  Yum seems to have better durability and they cost less.  I use Yum dingers when I am neko rigging with a lead nail weight.  The weighted end gives the stick bait the action.

 

When I am wacky rigging (no weight), then I prefer to use a yamamoto for the natural fall rate.

 

I don't lose that many stick baits overall.  Generally, after a period of time, there is just a weak point in the middle where the o rings have been and it eventually tears there.

[MN Fisher]

9 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I buy the o rings in bulk.  Honestly I don't even remember how much they cost per pack.

I buy them off Amazon - $8.39 for 100 so $0.08 each

For 3" and slender finesse worms

For 4"-5" worms

[gim]

10 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

I buy them off Amazon - $8.39 for 100 so $0.08 each

 

That's pretty dirt cheap.  I'm honestly more acute to the plastic pollution those things (along with soft plastic lures) are having than I am of the cost.  Sometimes you lose one and there's nothing you can do though.  When I see one beginning to tear, I remove it and use a new one.

[MN Fisher]

7 minutes ago, gimruis said:

When I see one beginning to tear, I remove it and use a new one.

If I'm using them with Yama Senkos - I lose more worms than rings...the worm will part in half, but fairly often the ring is still dangling from the hook when I bring it back in...load it on the tool and use it again.

[JackstrawIII]

I had the same problem with O-rings. I no longer use them. I switched to the Geecrack Neko Hack. They're AWESOME. The other day I caught like 8 fish (two of which were over 4 lbs) without losing my bait. 

 

That's the best tip I can give you. You're welcome. 

[FishTank]

On 5/19/2024 at 8:53 PM, RRocket said:

I heat up a paperclip end to red hot and use it to make a pilot hole in the worm for the weight.

 

But these days I use the Geecrack Neko Hack for any delicate worms. If it works in a Bellows Stick, it will work on anything! 

What size would you recommend for a senko?

[Bird]

Love those VMC crossover rings.

I use them for Wacky and Neko and only occasionally lose a worm, rarely.

 

.004 for finesse worms 

.006 for Senko 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

On 5/19/2024 at 4:32 PM, MickD said:

You can stick a Neko weight into one?  I can't get one onto a cast jig keeper, only a thin wire keeper.  ??

Absolutely.  A more aggressive shape like a pagoda nail will hold better, but I use Damiki neko weight and they work fine.  You just want to use a hook to make a sort of pilot hole and then insert the weight.  Once the weight is on, grab neck and stretch it down, almost over the weight before letting go.  That will get the plastic to bite on the keeper a little better.  Its important that the keeper and weight is straight, so do your best to line it up right.

[ATA]

This working for Neko rig as well.

[RRocket]

10 hours ago, FishTank said:

What size would you recommend for a senko?

I've used small and medium. Small puts the hook hole near center. The medium puts the hook hole in the top 1/3rd of the worm. I prefer medium.

 

Photo 1) Cross section with a small.

 

Photo 2) Worm diameter and the size recommended on the package.

 

Photo 3) Cross section with medium