The Little Bait That Can!

[gitnby]

If you don't have any Zinkers or run out, you can use a 5" grub or even a chomper instead. Just snip off the tail/tails and/or the tentacles.

Not quite the same, but it will work! I even modified a brush hog by trimming it to resemble the Zinker, and it too will work.

I've found that if I pinch the bait at the top a bit, causing it to bulge, I can cut the bulge which "cups" the top and it snugs up on the head better.

could even shoot some super glue up in there like some guys do.

[dtrs5kprs]

Super glue is the ticket. Loctite gel, blue/silver or blue/black package.

Rich...if you run it on a ML spinning rod, like a drop shot rod, with some 6# fluorocarbon, you will go from 12-15 fish towards the 30 fish range.

Guys...just a reminder, please be good to these fish. Now is about the time they will start to really eat the little rig deep. Keep their welfare in mind.

[moguy1973]

Can I ask why this rig works better than say a shakey head rig with a half a senko on it?? Not doubting the effectiveness of the Ned Rig, but it really doesn't look like much and why it works over any other short plastic that is jiggled on the bottom....

[Rhlabs]

What are you driving? I'll look for you this weekend.

Rps,

I have a white, red and black Legend Alpha 211 pulled by a white 02' Dodge diesel. I'm stayiing at Table Rock Landing. I'll be hitting it hard starting tomorrow night through Friday. The wife is going home and my Okie fishing buddy is coming over Thursdar morning. Unfortunately I have to head back Saturday morning.......

Look us up! We'll be out there!

Rich

[Rhlabs]

Super glue is the ticket. Loctite gel, blue/silver or blue/black package.

Rich...if you run it on a ML spinning rod, like a drop shot rod, with some 6# fluorocarbon, you will go from 12-15 fish towards the 30 fish range.

Guys...just a reminder, please be good to these fish. Now is about the time they will start to really eat the little rig deep. Keep their welfare in mind.

Dtrs5,

I'll give it a try! I'll just use my drop shot spinning setup. Problem is i didnt bring much light stuff like a dummy....

Thanks for the advice!

Rich

[dtrs5kprs]

Can I ask why this rig works better than say a shakey head rig with a half a senko on it?? Not doubting the effectiveness of the Ned Rig, but it really doesn't look like much and why it works over any other short plastic that is jiggled on the bottom....

Jim...it is much smaller than a shakey head, much more subtle. I'll take some pics and post to illustrate. Even my small home made shakeys are huge by comparison. We are talking 3/0 or 4/0 hooks vs. #4-#1 or so. Crappie size basically. Senko, Dinger, etc will work, but there is a tremendous updgrade in action, "shimmy", flash, and texture with the Zman or Strike King Elaztech baits. The regular plastic baits just sort of hang there (I actually take advantage of that in water below 40 degrees, by using things like a cut fish doc or french fry).

There is also the option of slow swimming, glide and swim, etc with the little rig, not letting the bait touch bottom at all. This is almost 100% the case when throwing the 1/32oz head, or the bodies without salt. It is kind of like a feather floating through the air.

It does not look like much at all, yet somehow manages to look a little like everything a bass might decide to put in its mouth. Just have to fish it to get your head around it. You can go down a stretch behind good anglers throwing shakeys, grubs, etc., and thump them on the little rig. You can do the same from the back of the boat behind someone throwing a shakey. There is a super article in the 2013 In Fisherman Bass Guide (about color as it happens) that describes using hard to see, hard to find colors to trigger the hunting instinct in bass. Basically, the harder it is for them to see, the more they are triggered to hunt for it, or so goes the theory. Think this may be part of why the little rig works. Certainly it is at least part of why it works in muddy water (it's not just for clear lakes ).

Before I was fortunate enough to meet Ned, and pick up the basics, I considered myself a finesse guy...lots of 6# line, shakeys, smoke grubs, split shot, hand pours, etc. Caught a ton of bass that way. This is an entirely different level and concept of finesse. Shakeys, hula grubs, tubes, etc. are almost power fishing by comparison. Doing this the boat may never move. There is no intent to cover water. The intent is to catch every fish in a single area.

[dtrs5kprs]

Dtrs5,

I'll give it a try! I'll just use my drop shot spinning setup. Problem is i didnt bring much light stuff like a dummy....

Thanks for the advice!

Rich

Drop shot stick will do nicely. I use a rod that is basically a drop shot rod (actually a walleye rod from St Croix), and have a drop shot blank to build into a Ned rod when time allows this summer.

Accuracy really is not key. Just toss it out and let it do its thing by whatever is on the bottom. Let us know if it makes a difference for you.

[fishingaddiction]

Hey fishingaddiction you fishin out of a Lowe boat?? What a great smallmouth gonna try the Ned out this weekend

I do fish out of a 2010 Lowe 18' roughneck semi v hull. It's not much for creature comfort, but it has some storage, and is deep enough to handle the rough water. I have hummingbird fish finders front and console with gps. I don't try and run all over the lake, which forces me to slow down, and try to really work a good area.

I fish the Ned on a light action carrot stick spinning rod at 6'6" on 6 lb. fluoro. I think the fluorocarbon makes a huge difference in feel, and the depth you can get the rig down to. It is also necessary to be able to make long cast at times since I try and keep the boat at 20 to 30 fow depending on the contour of the bank.

Dave, you are correct about taking care of the fish, because they are taking the Rig very deep. I had quite a few fish that I had to cut the hook off of the jig head in order for the fish to have a chance to live. So everyone please take care of these fish as we want them to live, lay eggs, and have a good spawn.

I worked the Rig with a swimming, gliding motion very close to the bottom, and most were hooked up on the fall when you take the slack up. The loctite gel really works to secure the zinker z to the jig head, and it helps to trim the cut portion of trailer that goes up to the head. Try it you'll like it. Good Luck!

[jerry241]

Thought I recognized the console. I just bought a Lowe 2072 with a 115 merc. Like you say not a lot of creature comfort but lots of room. Haven't had it on the water since test drive. Hope to get it out this weekend.

[dtrs5kprs]

Ned Rig side by side with some smaller "regular" finesse TR staples. Specifically on the left a 1/8oz shakey with Zoom Finesse Worm (4/0 hook), a 1/4oz stupid tube with a regular 4" tube, and a 1/4oz head with a 4" smoke grub. Right hand side shows some Ned Rig variations.

Couple of things to notice right off...There is simply a lot "less" going on with the Ned...no skirt, less body, no swim tail. The Ned Rig is bulky in relation to length, ties in to a lot of preferred prey concepts. Hook size is dramatically different, hooks in the pictured little rigs are #2 Gamakatsu 604's, and a well worn Daiichi in #2. The shakey set up in the pic is probably about average on hook size, light on head, on the small end of the bait choices. You can imagine running the cut stick worm up on the shakey head, even with a smaller 3/0 hook. Will cut into the amount of worm that is free to move around

For the flippers, I do intend to play a bit this summer using the cut ZinkerZ as a punch bait with an appropriate hook and weight combo. Should be an interesting look at how much the small size of cut body affects the bite. Will be a small grassy lake deal, but might apply to bed fish next year.