A few years ago, Midwest angler Ned Kehde introduced a little do-nothing looking bait to bass anglers, and finesse fishing changed forever. The Ned rig, aptly named after its inventor, took centerstage of the finesse fishing world and hasn’t relinquished that spot yet, cementing itself among some of the other genre staples like the shaky head, drop shot, and wacky rig.
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A very simplistic bait and presentation at its core, the Ned rig is the most nothing-looking deal I’ve ever seen, but it’s one of the most effective fish catchers I’ve ever seen as well. When I first saw the bait and heard all the hype, I was skeptical and shrugged it off as the new shaky head. ‘Sure, it catches fish,’ I thought. ‘But it’s for novice anglers, not someone like me who has been fishing for a long time. What would I need a bait like that for?’
Well, my pride likely got in the way of a lot of potential bass catches because, inevitably, when the buzz didn’t die down and I started to see hard-core anglers using a Ned rig in tournaments, I finally caved and gave it a shot. What I found surprised me. The Ned rig outperformed its competition around three bites to one in a head-to-head matchup with a shaky head.
What is a Ned rig?
The central component of a Ned rig is the jig head or Ned’s head. A Ned’s head has a flat surface to it so that the bait will stand up when dragged across the bottom. The line tie is always at a 90-degree angle to the hook shaft, again to help the trick stand up as you pull it along the bottom. From there, you now have dozens of choices as to which soft plastic you want to use to pair with Ned’s head, but it wasn’t always that way.
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In the early days of the Ned rig, the most common thing was to take a regular size soft plastic stick bait, like the Strike King Ocho, and cut it in half, using the tail end to complete the Ned rig. Again, this doesn’t look like much, but I found quickly that it’s a highly effective little bait at getting bit. The beauty of it not looking like much means it looks a little like everything. And the size of it is really what makes it so effective. It’s not an intimidating bait to bass, rather an easy little morsel to scoop up off the bottom.
When and where to throw a Ned rig?
A Ned rig is highly versatile and can be fish throughout the year. It’s effective at catching all species of black bass across many different types of fisheries. There are two key things to look for when deciding when and where to throw a Ned rig. You want to make sure fish are relating to the bottom and that the base is relatively clean, though neither of these is a complete deal-breaker, rather good general rules of thumb.
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The basic Ned rig has an open hook, which means it’s the exact opposite of weedless. Surprisingly, however, the bait still does a great job coming through rocks and another small cover. The primary reasons for that come back to the design of the bait’s head and the hook’s orientation being up and away from the body. But if you want to get off in the cover a little more, many companies now offer Ned heads with weed guards, and these weedless versions allow you to fish more and denser bodies.
What gear do I need to fish a Ned rig?
Spinning gear is the best option for a Ned rig. Not to say you can’t throw one on a baitcaster, especially some of the larger versions out there now. But I’d venture to say 99% of the best anglers with a Ned rig would suggest spinning gear, and that 1% outlier is probably being generous.
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I use the same rod for a Ned rig for a drop shot, a 6- foot, 9- inch medium action Fitzgerald Versa Series Spinning Rod. Some anglers prefer a little longer and stiffer rod, but this one does excellent, in my opinion. If I were going to try to make a lot of really long casts or fish the bait deep, though, I might step up a little in length and power to ensure a firm hookset.
A good spinning reel is essential for a Ned rig. I love the Shimano Stradic Ci4+. It’s a robust and smooth casting, long-lasting reel. The Stradic also has a perfect drag system, critical when fishing with light wire hooks and light lines. I like to have my drag set a little tight for the hookset to ensure I can drive the turn-in, and then I’ll back off on the pain as the fish nears the boat. Knowing you have a reliable, predictable, and easy to adjust drag system makes those battles near the ship a little easier to stomach.
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As for line, a braided mainline to a fluorocarbon leader would again be the choice of 99% of anglers. The braid allows you to cast farther and ensures a better hookset. And the low visibility of the fluoro leader near the bait generates more bites. I prefer a 15-pound Sufix 832 Braid mainline with around 8- feet of Seaguar InivizX 8- or 10- pound fluoro for the leader. Depending on the cover, clarity, and size fish around you, though, you may want to move up or even down a little.
A Ned rig is one of the easiest baits out there to throw, generating bites by being dragged along the bottom. This makes it an excellent bait for beginners. But its effectiveness also makes it essential for tournament anglers and other seasoned vets of bass fishing. With the number of boats on the water these days, a sound bite getter like this is helpful in the hands of all anglers.
Selecting the right gear is vital. A good spinning setup paired with a braid to fluorocarbon leader, and you’ve got most of what you need. Select an open hook or weedless Ned head for your particular conditions, and then pic your plastic. You can go old school and make something work by cutting a chunk off a regular-size bait. Or you can dabble in the dozens of soft plastics out there now made explicitly for a Ned rig. The options are near limitless, but one thing’s for sure. If you’re throwing a Ned rig, get ready to get bit.