The “Ned Rig” has become widely known as one of the best fish-catching baits of today’s modern era. What was once perceived as simply a classic mushroom-style jig head paired with a small, do-nothing plastic, the Ned Rig has now branched out into several unique versions with their own specified applications. In this video, Z-Man’s own Cory Schmidt runs through 7 different Ned Rig jig and plastic setups that are proven fish catchers throughout the country and beyond.
TACKLE USED
SETUP 1 (tube Ned)
- JIG – Z-Man Ned LockZ HD Ned Head
- PLASTIC – Z-Man TRD TicklerZ
The Tube Ned is a small play off of the original Ned Rig, with a twist. Utilizing the classic mushroom-style jig head and adding a skirted plastic, like the TRD TicklerZ, the Tube Ned brings more life to an otherwise “boring” Ned setup.
SETUP 2 (football Ned)
- JIG – Z-Man Football NedZ
- PLASTIC – Z-Man Baby Goat
A new favorite of Elite Series Pro Jeff Gustafson, The Football NedZ is the ideal head design for fishing around large rocks and boulders. The football-shaped head is notorious for getting in and out of hard cover with ease, rolling off and over rocks on bottom. In the video, Schmidt pairs this up with a Baby Goat for increased action.
SETUP 3 (weedless Ned)
- JIG – Z-Man Finesse BulletZ
- PLASTIC – Z-Man TRD CrawZ
A great option when finesse fishing in and around snaggy cover, the Finesse BulletZ combines an EWG-style hook onto a Ned head. Pair this with your favorite ElaZtech finesse bait and you have one of the best ways to present a weedless Ned Rig.
SETUP 4 (Tiny Child Rig)
- PLASTIC – Z-Man Finesse TRD
- WEIGHT – Z-Man ShroomZ Neko Weight
- HOOK – VMC Finesse Neko Hook
Created by Wired2fish’s Kyle Peterson, the Tiny Child Rig is an extremely versatile bait, mainy excelling in and around cover. By taking a slender bait such as the TRD and inserting a nail weight in one end, and Texas rigging the opposing end, the Tiny Child Rig slips in and out of weeds, wood, and other types of cover.
SETUP 5 (finesse Damiki Ned)
- JIG – Z-Man Finesse ShroomZ Ned Head
- PLASTIC – Z-Man Finesse ShadZ
A smaller profile of an already finesse technique in the Damiki rig, the Finesse Damiki Ned takes a mushroom-style head and a smaller minnow-profiled that entices fish into biting. The Finesse ShadZ is a great option for a plastic that has little action, but just enough tail movement to get a lot of bites.
SETUP 6 (swing head Ned)
- JIG – Z-Man Texas Eye Finesse Head
- PLASTIC – Z-Man TRD MinnowZ
This newer head design is becoming more popular through all genres of bass fishing. By disconnecting the head from the hook, Z-Man increased the amount of free-swinging movement your bait of choice has in the water. Schmidt also relays that a free-swinging head helps keep fish pinned because they aren’t able to get the leverage needed to throw the bait.
SETUP 7 (Damiki Ned)
- JIG – Z-Man Finesse EyeZ Jig Head
- PLASTIC – Z-Man DarterZ
OTHER
- JIG BOX – Gruv Fishing Big Jig Box
A technique that has gained a lot of attention with the advancements in technology is the Damiki rig. Z-Man’s Finesse EyeZ Jig Head serves as the ideal Damiki head, in which you can pair your favorite Ned or minnow profile bait with.
