A Complete Guide to the Ned Rig

The Midwestern finesse rig, or Ned rig, is one of the most reliable ways to catch a bass when the bite is tough. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about this technique, including which gear to use and how to fish it.

What is a Ned rig?

The Ned rig consists of a soft plastic bait rigged onto a jig head to help it sink to the bottom. It’s similar to a shaky head, but the bait is typically smaller. Also, the bait is threaded onto the jig head instead of being rigged weedless, so the hook point is left exposed.

Bait and jig head

Generally, your bait should be 2 – 4" long. Craws, stickbaits, minnows, grubs, bugs, lizards... they’re all fair game. Elaztech baits are popular because their buoyancy helps keep the bait upright, but regular plastisol baits work too.

Your jig head should weigh between ¹⁄₃₂ – ¼ oz, depending on how deep you're fishing. The Z-Man Finesse Shroomz is a popular choice because the mushroom-shaped head provides good sensitivity when making bottom contact. Additionally, the 90-degree line tie helps the tail of the bait rotate upwards as you’re dragging it along the bottom.

However, you don’t have to use a mushroom jig head. If you’re fishing a rocky area, for example, a football jig head would be a better choice. A round jig head also works fine if you're in a pinch. Ultimately, you can use pretty much any style of jig head that's built for making bottom contact.

Here's our rule of thumb for choosing what size bait and jig head to use:

• The length of the jig head should be no more than 50% of the length of the bait.
• The gap should be at least the same as the height of the bait, or more.
• The jig head should be light wire (i.e., it should have a wire gauge of 1.1 mm or less). This will allow the hook to penetrate the fish's mouth easier.

For example, the Z-Man Finesse TRD pairs well with the 1/0 Keitech Tungsten Super Round jig head, as shown below.

Rod and line

Most Ned rigs weigh between ⅛ and ⅜ oz (including the weight of the bait). Therefore, we recommend using either a medium or medium-light spinning rod. This will ensure that you're able to cast decently while still having enough power to land a big fish.

As a finesse technique, the Ned rig often draws subtle bites rather than aggressive strikes. Therefore, a fast or extra-fast action rod is ideal for maximum sensitivity.

For line type and test, here's what we recommend:

• For straight monofilament or fluorocarbon: use 4 – 8 lb test.
• For straight braided line: use 10 – 20 lb test.
• For a braided mainline with a fluorocarbon leader: use 10 – 20 lb braid and 4 – 8 lb leader.

The third option is not necessary, but it does offer a few advantages. The braided mainline provides extra sensitivity and is thinner than fluoro or mono, allowing you to cast farther. Meanwhile, the fluorocarbon leader is invisible underwater, making it easier to trick line-shy fish into biting. You get the best of both worlds.

When to fish it (and when not to)

Unfortunately, there’s no secret formula for choosing the best rig in a given situation. That being said, here are a few factors to consider if you’re thinking about tying on a Ned rig.

Bottom Composition

As a bottom-oriented technique, the Ned rig is more effective on some lake beds (or riverbeds) than others.

Tall grass is a no-go because the small bait will bury itself, making it difficult for bass to find. Similarly, if you’re fishing a lake with a silty bottom then your bait will completely disappear in the muck.

Therefore, we recommending stick to spots with a clean, semi-hard bottom such as clay, sand, gravel, and rock.

Cover

Because of the exposed hook point, Ned rigs are prone to getting snagged. If you're surrounded by logs, brush piles, or thick vegetation, a Ned rig may not be the best choice. Offshore lake structures like points and humps tend to have sparser cover, so they're often good spots for this technique.

Tough Conditions

As a finesse technique, the Ned rig is known for catching fish even they're less active. There are a ton of factors that affect bass behavior, but here’s a few situations where the Ned rig really shines:

• Heavily-pressured waters
• Extreme heat or cold
• Rising barometric pressure
• Post-frontal weather
• Any time the bass just don't seem that hungry

Water Clarity

The Ned rig performs best in clear or stained waters with about 2’ of visibility or more. In very muddy waters, bass locate prey using their lateral line more than their eyesight, so it’s better to choose a "louder" bait and save the Ned rig for another time.

Targeting Multiple Species

The compact bait of the Ned rig makes it great for catching not just largemouth, but other species as well. Smallmouth, spotted bass, shoal bass, catfish, perch, walleye, crappie, bluegill, and trout will all eat a Ned rig. That's part of what makes it so much fun to fish.

Techniques and Retrieves

Figuring out what the fish want on any given day takes some experimentation, but here are two simple retrieves you can try.

The Vertical Drag

1. Cast your bait out. Let it sink to the bottom.
2. Point your rod toward the bait at the 2 o’clock position. Reel up any slack.
3. Now, slowly pull back on the rod while pivoting the tip up toward the sky. You should feel the jig head dragging along the bottom, ticking against small objects and divots as it goes.
4. Once your rod tip reaches the 12 o’clock position, repeat Steps 2 and 3.
5. When you feel a bite, quickly lower your rod tip, reel up the slack, and set the hook.

There are a few reasons why this retrieve works so well. First, as you’re dragging it along, you’re bumping into small objects like rocks and twigs. This causes the bait to erratically kick and twitch, triggering tons of reaction strikes.

Second, you’re lifting the rod vertically (from 2 o’clock to 12 o’clock) as opposed to sweeping horizontally (from left to right). This helps the tail end of the bait to stand up off the bottom, attracting more attention.

Lastly, the bait momentarily pauses as you transition the rod from 12 o'clock back to 3 o'clock. This creates a “stop-and-go” action that bass can't resist. You’ll notice that the bite often comes as soon as you resume dragging.

The Lift and Glide

1. Cast your bait out. Let it sink to the bottom.
2. Point your rod toward the bait at the 2 o’clock position. Reel up any slack.
3. Now, quickly lift the rod tip to the 1 o’clock position. Hold it there for a couple of seconds without reeling.
4. Once the bait hits the bottom again, repeat Steps 2 and 3.
5. When you feel a bite, quickly lower your rod tip, reel up the slack, and set the hook.

This is a more energetic retrieve, and it allows you to cover water a little bit quicker than the previous one.

The key is that with each lift, you want the bait to glide towards you instead of falling straight back down. Keep your rod movement controlled during the lift—the tip should only move about a foot and a half—and don’t allow too much slack during the glide.

Conclusion

There's a reason the Ned rig gets so much attention from anglers—it catches fish when nothing else will. To summarize the key points of this article:

• The Ned rig is one of the best options for catching bass and other species, even when the bite is tough.
• Choose a soft plastic between 2" and 4" long.
• Choose a light wire jig head that's designed for making bottom contact.
• Ensure the length of your jig head is no more than 50% of the length of the bait. Ensure the gap is at least equal to the height of the bait.
• Choose a medium or medium-light spinning rod with a fast-action tip.
• Use the Ned rig when the bottom composition is relatively clean and hard. Avoid spots with lots of submerged wood and vegetation.
• Avoid fishing the Ned rig in super muddy water.
• Hopping, gliding, and dragging retrieves all work well. Experiment around, and let the fish tell you what they want.

Good luck!🪝🐟