Nice Ned Rig article by Keith Jackson

[vernon]

5 hours ago, Ham said:

Being really successful with the Ned will do that to you BUT it is not always the one thing going and it is at time NOT the best thing to be throwing. I struggled to believe that but I have now seen it several times. I do feel a little bad saying it, the Ned is not always your BEST option.

NO, NO, NO!!!  YOU ARE WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!  NED IS ALWAYS THE BEST CHOICE!!!  IF THEY'RE HITTING TOPWATER JUST SPEED UP YOUR RETRIEVE!!!  NED COULD CATCH FISH OUT OF MY KITCHEN SINK!!!!  I am now plugging my ears with my fingers and chanting, puppies and bunny rabbits, puppies and bunny rabbits, puppies and..........

Actually, I do throw the other stuff.  Spinnerbaits and jigs in particular.  But it's tuff to not go back to Ned when they're not working the way I think they should sometimes.  The little centipede and 1/8 oz screw in bullet sinker was my default bait for many years but Ned has about obsoleted them.

BTW, I always enjoy you and Dave's exchanges - keep em' comin'!

[rps]

After the spawn, life is really simple for those of us lucky enough to live on the lake. You go out at 0 dark 30 and fish 2 or 3 top water baits. If none produce, you try reaction baits. If that doesn't work, you give the Ned a serious trial. If that doesn't work you drag worms or troll cranks for walleye. When it becomes hot, if you are still not catching fish, you go in.

Of course, spending ten years on the lake to learn where these things need to be done means nothing.

[Blll]

A question for you Ned experts. I've been having some luck with Dave's jigs most of the spring. My question is: is the ned rig primarily a cold/cool water bait? When does it become a second or third option? WT on Beaver right around 70. I'm still using it but wondering if it is time to put it down. Can it catch em all year? 

[Ham]

Just now, Blll said:

A question for you Ned experts. I've been having some luck with Dave's jigs most of the spring. My question is: is the ned rig primarily a cold/cool water bait? When does it become a second or third option? WT on Beaver right around 70. I'm still using it but wondering if it is time to put it down. Can it catch em all year? 

it works all year. I have caught fish on it all 12 months of the year. It works everywhere I have tried it (Ar, La, Tx, Mo, and OK so far. Fresh water or salt water.

All kinds of fish: Smallmouth Bass, LMB, Spotted Bass, Ozark Bass, Shadow Bass, Rock Bass, Longear Sunfish, Green Sunfish, White Bass, Drum, Longnosed Gar, Channel Cat, Blue Cat, Flathead Cat, Redear Sunfish, Bluegill, Redfish, Flounder, Speckled Trout, Black Drum, Croaker, Walleye, Sauger, Black Crappie, White Crappie, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Logpearch are fish I have caught or that have been caught with me in the boat. I know it would catch another dozen species that I can think of, but I haven't seen it happen yet.

 

[dtrs5kprs]

36 minutes ago, Ham said:

it works all year. I have caught fish on it all 12 months of the year. It works everywhere I have tried it (Ar, La, Tx, Mo, and OK so far. Fresh water or salt water.

All kinds of fish: Smallmouth Bass, LMB, Spotted Bass, Ozark Bass, Shadow Bass, Rock Bass, Longear Sunfish, Green Sunfish, White Bass, Drum, Longnosed Gar, Channel Cat, Blue Cat, Flathead Cat, Redear Sunfish, Bluegill, Redfish, Flounder, Speckled Trout, Black Drum, Croaker, Walleye, Sauger, Black Crappie, White Crappie, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout and Logpearch are fish I have caught or that have been caught with me in the boat. I know it would catch another dozen species that I can think of, but I haven't seen it happen yet.

 

It only stops working if you stop throwing it.

As to whether it is always the best thing going, no, not always. The key deal is that it is always going at least a little bit. It's like having a get out of jail free card in your pocket.

[Johnsfolly]

I know I am coming late to this party by never fishing a Ned rig. Is this bait best fished from a boat going away from the shoreline into deeper water? Can it be effective while wading or bank fishing?

[Ham]

1 minute ago, Johnsfolly said:

I know I am coming late to this party by never fishing a Ned rig. Is this bait best fished from a boat going away from the shoreline into deeper water? Can it be effective while wading or bank fishing?

It is the best bass fishing technique I have found in my 50 years of fishing. If the river had stayed manageable for us a couple of more days, I would have given you a crash course. I hope we can get together relatively soon and I can get you lined out on a few key points. It's crazy good. 

[dtrs5kprs]

6 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

I know I am coming late to this party by never fishing a Ned rig. Is this bait best fished from a boat going away from the shoreline into deeper water? Can it be effective while wading or bank fishing?

Short answer is "yes".

I fish it from every angle out of the barge. 90 degree casts at the bank or offshore structure are basic, but at times you need to fish it parallel or uphill.

Once hot summer hits, and the boat stays in the garage for football practice, we do quite a bit of pond walking, and small lake fishing. It might very well be the best bank fishing bait going. Easy to carry, with a weedless head it fishes well in reasonable amounts of cover, and just works.

[Champ188]

On 5/12/2016 at 2:15 PM, Ham said:

Not all of it is yellow, some of it is white.

No to white line. YES to  white rods!

[Ham]

1 hour ago, Champ188 said:

No to white line. YES to  white rods!

Pshaw