First time using a ned rig

[fishinwrench]

I'll say one thing, it has become THE bait of dock owners all over around here. If you see a guy fishing off his dock there is a 90% chance that he is rigged with the Ned.

And if you even say "Hi, doing any good?", they will put on a seminar for you.

People are really excited about it, and there's nothing wrong with that at all, but it is kinda funny.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Makes we wonder with everyone throwing it now if the fish will get wise to it. So far they don't seem to be.

They haven't in the last 40 years.

If you look at any crank, spinner, buzz bait, or all the other hot soft plastics, have they ever stopped or slowed down hitting them?

I think it is more of the hype reporting that slows down but the bite stays as hot as it ever was.

Well except the Helocopter. And maybe the Banjo Minnow. No amount of hype could save them.

[jtram]

So which makes you a better fisherman?

Catching hundreds of little fish that takes no skill?

Nothing but adult fish that takes skill?

Or something in between?

IMO, being confident in what/how you fish, as well as being happy with yourself at the end of the day on the water makes you a great fisherman.

I feel like I'm a great river fisherman, many would likely disagree, I try to be a competent lake angler, but will likely always suck at it.... as a result of being on the river too much where I am a "self" revered GREAT! LOL

[jtram]

One of the funniest lines I've read here in a while.

Most of us are in that boat with you. A very few can consistently threaten 20#, and a whole bunch more fool themselves into thinking they can. That is how the very few rake up the "donations" the others make with their entry fees.

I thought I could a couple times, donated a bunch of money to the real fishermen on Grand a couple summers ago.....then I went to the creek where I can beat myself regularly for the cost of a 12 pack and some gas.

[Chief Grey Bear]

IMO, being confident in what/how you fish, as well as being happy with yourself at the end of the day on the water makes you a great fisherman.

I feel like I'm a great river fisherman, many would likely disagree, I try to be a competent lake angler, but will likely always suck at it.... as a result of being on the river too much where I am a "self" revered GREAT! LOL

I subscribe to that 1000%!

[Mitch f]

I think the Ned Rig/Ned Head, is Dave's baby....Just like the craw is my baby. I end up trying to use it in every situation where there is a soft plastic application. I try to develop new ways of rigging it, new ways of fishing it, and probably use it in more situations than I should. After all, it's what makes me happy.

[dtrs5kprs]

So target the small easy ones to compensate?

Nope, just learn to fish better, smarter, and harder.

I target places where fish should be given the conditions, and occasionally some odd places that I've learned work too. Targeting specific sizes of fish is a great way to hang up a goose egg.

Actually, the numbers of shorts on the Ned are way overblown. Late May into June the little brown fish get on the banks to fatten up, and you will run into a bunch of them. Moving deeper usually fixes that. They are not really a problem earlier in the spring. My boat ratio would have been something like 3:1 short to 15" plus fish this spring, with a lot of the shorts being solid 13"-14" fish. Hardly caught any of the little dudes until our June trip.

If you can't have fun catching 12"-14" brownies, with good numbers of 16"-18" fish thrown in, you clearly do not love smallmouth. Blacks are a bit different, have to go dig them out of trees in the creeks/pockets with bigger rock and more vertical banks. K's are sort of all over, but tend to be in the LM places, or deeper on the flat stuff than the brown fish.

You will catch more little fish swimming it, or moving it, than you will fishing it deeper and slower.

And no, none of that is for the Chief's benefit, but somehow the Ned detractors stir up some of the most informational threads covering it. No doubt some folks have learned a thing or two from this one.

[MOsmallies]

I think the Ned Rig/Ned Head, is Dave's baby....Just like the craw is my baby. I end up trying to use it in every situation where there is a soft plastic application. I try to develop new ways of rigging it, new ways of fishing it, and probably use it in more situations than I should. After all, it's what makes me happy.

The craw is SWEET!

[Chief Grey Bear]

I think the Ned Rig/Ned Head, is Dave's baby....Just like the craw is my baby. I end up trying to use it in every situation where there is a soft plastic application. I try to develop new ways of rigging it, new ways of fishing it, and probably use it in more situations than I should. After all, it's what makes me happy.

So are you going to call it the Mitch rig?

I think you are sorta going to have to.

[dtrs5kprs]

What's a Ned rig?

Dave would you please explain?

LOL, yeah lots and lots has been written about it. And it's not just here, it has been a topic of conversation on the national boards also. And it seems to have been universally named the Ned rig, nobody, except a few on here, calls it the little rig or little varmint.

Makes we wonder with everyone throwing it now if the fish will get wise to it. So far they don't seem to be.

Yeah, it is all over the place...BBC, Bass Fishing Forums, etc. Bunch of places I've never posted a thing about it. Maybe one of them needs a new troll.

A lot of folks are also falling all over themselves to see who can rig it the least effectively. Big hooks, big line, longer baits, regular plastic, you name it. Kind of funny, but I feel bad for them too. They are just trying to catch more fish like the rest of us.