The vast majority of bass heads are still unaware of what a Ned Rig is and how to set one up, despite the fact that it is rapidly growing in popularity among anglers.
The”Ned Rig” (AKA the”Midwest finesse rig”), has taken the bass world by storm. It has quickly established itself as an essential presentation for anglers fishing in challenging conditions or crowded waters in many parts of the nation. The Ned Rig excels when the going gets tough because it has a small profile, a subtle action, and can be used to mimic a variety of bass food sources.
To that end, here is everything you need to know, including detailed rigging instructions and lots of tips on how to use and catch fish on a Ned Rig.
What is a Ned Rig?
Ned Kehde is credited with creating the Ned Rig, a small plastic that is typically 2 to 3 inches long and has little else attached to it. It is rigged on a mushroom head jig. Basically, the original was a Yamamoto Senko half threaded onto a mushroom head.
The Ned Rig is named for Lawrence, Kansas resident Ned Kehde. I grew up in Sedalia, Missouri., Kehde fished in the nation’s Ozarks. While pursuing his graduate degree at the University of Missouri, Kehde worked as a guide at Carrington’s Two Waters Resort on the Gravois arm of the Lake of the Ozarks.
Normally, it is caught using a spinning rod and reel, and light line. As a result of its versatility, different retrieves work at various times. The profile imitates so many aspects of a bass’s natural environment that it appears unobtrusive and natural to fish. Therefore, they are not dubious. Just an easy snack, in their eyes. And usually bite.
How to Rig a Ned Rig?
Knowing how to assemble a Ned Rig is necessary before you can start catching bass on one. It’s not difficult, but for the best outcomes, you must do it correctly. Therefore, adhere to the detailed instructions below.
- Choose a weedless Ned head or one with a visible hook. Surprisingly, even with exposed hooks, Ned Rigs are snag-resistant when used near rocky cover. However, in and around vegetation and wood, the weedless versions do perform better.
- Choose a soft plastic lure. Even though there are countless options today, such as craws, bugs, grubs, leeches, minnows, and others, the traditional Ned bait, which resembles the end of a regular soft plastic stick bait, still performs.
- Put the soft-plastic bait next to the hook to determine where the point should emerge. The hook bend and point should be exposed, and the bait should stand up straight.
- Insert the hook point through the soft plastic’s middle. Once you’ve reached the planNed extrusion spot in the middle, slide the bait up onto the hook.
- Remove the hook point from the bait. After that, raise the bait’s head so it is affixed to the bait keeper.
- Lastly, make sure the bait is rigged straight on the hook with the hook bend and the point exposed. If not, start over by taking away the bait and re-performing steps 4 and 5 as necessary.
How to Fish a Ned Rig?
The Ned can be fished successfully in almost any hardcover situation as long as it is fished on a slack line, so once you have it set up, the rest is simple.
Points, bluff banks, boat docks, rip rap, and other areas where bass frequently congregate are excellent places to fish the Ned.
Simply throw the Ned out there and let it sink on a slack line once you’ve identified a likely location. Keep an eye out for the telltale “tick” that signifies a fish as it falls. Often, even though you don’t see any signs of a fish biting, there will be a fish on when you reel up to move the bait.
Despite being simple to use, anglers should be aware of one important fact when using the Ned Rig: the hook shouldn’t be set conventionally. If you really jerk on the hook, the tiny gap on the device has a propensity to escape the mouth of the bass.
Instead, simply lean in and begin reeling as soon as you sense the bite. Although it seems absurd, the fish will hook themselves.
Where and When to Use Ned Rig?
The fact that Ned Rig fishing is effective year-round across much of the nation is one of the reasons it has grown so popular. Although it works especially well for catching spotted and smallmouth bass in shallower water during their spawning seasons, it is primarily desigNed to be fished in more than 10 feet of water.
It can also be useful for teasing summer bass that has withdrawn to deer habitats. However, a Ned Rig performs best during the winter when it is used to catch sluggish bass in deep, cold, clear water.
During this time, fish will frequently be huddling close to a hard bottom and avoiding more aggressive presentations. Rocky points, humps, and bluffs are all excellent locations to use a Ned Rig to catch winter bass.
Start focusing on seawalls and banks with a 45-degree transition as you enter the prespawn. In addition, during the pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn periods, a weedless Ned Rig performs admirably in and around brush, docks, and submerged vegetation.
Final Words: Ned Rig
Many bites on a Ned Rig are simply pressure changes. If they pick up your lure and come closer to you, it either feels suddenly heavier or occasionally lighter. Therefore, a sensitive rod with a quick-action tip is best for throwing small lures, and it should have enough backbone to pressure-set a hook on fish as they swim away with your bait.
Wherever you are and however you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you can head out to the nearest bass water, rig one up, and get bit on it the same day if you’re eager to start fishing a Ned Rig. It’s that effective.
FAQs
What is a Ned Rig Good For?
Ned Rig fishing has become one of the most popular finesse techniques and fishing rigs for catching bass all over the world. It is a straightforward, ineffective-looking rig that has been demonstrated to be appealing to largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass across the nation and abroad.
What’s the Difference Between a Ned Rig and a Shaky Head?
Ned Rigs are especially effective at triggering big bites from clear water smallmouth, and they’re far more productive than a shaky head in those situations. The profiles of the baits rather than their sizes account for a portion of this.
What Rig is Best for Fish?
Running Sinker Rig. The rig consists of a sinker threaded onto the mainline above a swivel and a length of trace line leading down to a hook. The entire rig can be tied with just one kind of knot, like a clinch knot or a locked half-blood. This may be the fishing rig that is most frequently used.
