Zman Baits On The Ned Rig

[danop69]

dtrs5kprs. Bought some of those mushroom head jigs 1/16 oz in purple and dark gr with # 2 gama hooks from Gopher Tackle. Also picked up some ZinkerZ in pb&j, EZ Money, and Watermelon/Candy. In your opinion is the #2 large enough? Seems kind of small next to the ZinkerZ. Thanks for all the info! Really excited to give it a shot in a month!

[dtrs5kprs]

dtrs5kprs. Bought some of those mushroom head jigs 1/16 oz in purple and dark gr with # 2 gama hooks from Gopher Tackle. Also picked up some ZinkerZ in pb&j, EZ Money, and Watermelon/Candy. In your opinion is the #2 large enough? Seems kind of small next to the ZinkerZ. Thanks for all the info! Really excited to give it a shot in a month!

Gamakatsu's in a #2 or #1 will do nicely, although the 114 models (light wire) definitely look tiny in hand. Don't be concerned about the hook gap with respect to the ZinkerZ. That is about the bulkiest bait we use and I could not begin to guess how many bass have been in my boat with that exact bait and a variety of hooks from #1 all the way down to #6. A lot of the basics of this system fly in the face of things we think we "know" about rigging and fishing. We are all used to looking at something with the girth of a senko and automatically thinking "4/0 hook". I was nervous as heck about the little hooks at first but quickly got over it once a few nice keepers made it safely to the boat.

Going up to a 1/0 starts to kill the action (think less bites), and keeps you stuck to cover and bottom. I know this because I tried to force larger hooks on the system at first and gave up on them.

You will not frequently lose fish due to the small hooks, but more often due to getting too aggressive with the fish. Stick them, and let them pull, with a soft rod and loose drag most will make it to the boat. If you need reassurance, look at all the pics on Ned's blog. Some very large fish make it to the boat on those little hooks.

[dtrs5kprs]

dano...to give you an idea of how the #2 or #1 will bury into a fish...

[danop69]

Gamakatsu's in a #2 or #1 will do nicely, although the 114 models (light wire) definitely look tiny in hand. Don't be concerned about the hook gap with respect to the ZinkerZ. That is about the bulkiest bait we use and I could not begin to guess how many bass have been in my boat with that exact bait and a variety of hooks from #1 all the way down to #6. A lot of the basics of this system fly in the face of things we think we "know" about rigging and fishing. We are all used to looking at something with the girth of a senko and automatically thinking "4/0 hook". I was nervous as heck about the little hooks at first but quickly got over it once a few nice keepers made it safely to the boat.

Going up to a 1/0 starts to kill the action (think less bites), and keeps you stuck to cover and bottom. I know this because I tried to force larger hooks on the system at first and gave up on them.

You will not frequently lose fish due to the small hooks, but more often due to getting too aggressive with the fish. Stick them, and let them pull, with a soft rod and loose drag most will make it to the boat. If you need reassurance, look at all the pics on Ned's blog. Some very large fish make it to the boat on those little hooks.

Plan on using a 6-6 medium action spinning rig with 8 - 10 lb fluoro. Half of the fun for me is enjoying that fight to the boat with the lighter equipment. What a blast. Guess I just needed a little reassurance. Thanks a bunch! Can't wait to get down there and give it a try!

[danop69]

Nice! Thanks for the pics! Hopefully I will have some of my own to post in a month! Thanks again my friend!

[dtrs5kprs]

Plan on using a 6-6 medium action spinning rig with 8 - 10 lb fluoro. Half of the fun for me is enjoying that fight to the boat with the lighter equipment. What a blast. Guess I just needed a little reassurance. Thanks a bunch! Can't wait to get down there and give it a try!

That may be too much line, especially the 10#. You can do it with 8#, but going to 6# will dramatically bump up the number of bites. Like double the number. Running 4# is not out of the question when it is tough. If you are going to walk on the small side, walk all the way.

Those fish are all on 6# Invizx, and I throw it with impunity in wood, docks, brush, you pick it. Even flipped it in willows during the high water in 2011. Have the feeling some of the folks who have tried it without success are probably slow to run it on the sissy thread, and maybe fishing it too fast.

[danop69]

That may be too much line, especially the 10#. You can do it with 8#, but going to 6# will dramatically bump up the number of bites. Like double the number. Running 4# is not out of the question when it is tough. If you are going to walk on the small side, walk all the way.

Those fish are all on 6# Invizx, and I throw it with impunity in wood, docks, brush, you pick it. Even flipped it in willows during the high water in 2011. Have the feeling some of the folks who have tried it without success are probably slow to run it on the sissy thread, and maybe fishing it too fast.

If I can get away with the lighter line I'm all for it. I use 8# and 10# Invizx now........looks like I need to get some 6# as well especially if will increase the number of bites. Sounds like a no brainier to me. Thanks for the advice.

[Jacob W]

I don't chime in often, but the 6# invisx will get you more casting distance and way more bites. I used to use the avacado colored stingray grub on bull shoals and norfork paired with the same jigheads dtrs talks about and its killer 365 days a year.

[dtrs5kprs]

I don't chime in often, but the 6# invisx will get you more casting distance and way more bites. I used to use the avacado colored stingray grub on bull shoals and norfork paired with the same jigheads dtrs talks about and its killer 365 days a year.

Yep. The hard part is finding the old stingray grub. Nothing wrong with the smoke one either. They will do some work on cold water brownies.

If I can get away with the lighter line I'm all for it. I use 8# and 10# Invizx now........looks like I need to get some 6# as well especially if will increase the number of bites. Sounds like a no brainier to me. Thanks for the advice.

You will be just fine with the 6#. Just be nice to them and lip will meet thumb. About the only time I ever pop one is when I am a bit heavy on the hook set, or that tenth throw after I thought about a re-tie. Do you have a "drop shot" rod? Those are usually about the right blank.

[danop69]

Yep. The hard part is finding the old stingray grub. Nothing wrong with the smoke one either. They will do some work on cold water brownies.

You will be just fine with the 6#. Just be nice to them and lip will meet thumb. About the only time I ever pop one is when I am a bit heavy on the hook set, or that tenth throw after I thought about a re-tie. Do you have a "drop shot" rod? Those are usually about the right blank.

I have a number of medium action spinning combos ranging anywhere from 6-7' in length and baitcasters combos in the same lengths in med - med heavy. Usually use the 7' spinning rig for drop shot.