Ned Rig: Finesse Technique for Finicky Bass

Ned Rig: Finesse Technique for Finicky Bass - Kurt Dove : Remastered

Kurt Dove is an accomplished BASS and FLW tournament angler and Lake Amistad fishing guide. Today, he's on the water to discuss a little rig that catching lots of bass. It's called the Ned rig. This simple finesse lure is great for fishing clear water and pressured/innactive bass. In this fishing instructional video, Kurt talks will get you started on the road to success with fishing the Ned rig.

Few techniques have been as widely adopted in recent years as the Ned Rig. In this seminar, Kurt Dove dives into his setup for the technique, when to fish it, and much more. “The Ned Rig provides a way to have a very finesse presentation to elicit strikes from fish that often don't take other baits,” said Dove. Unlike the shakey head, the Ned Rig offers anglers a way to present a smaller-profile bait, typically with an exposed hook, which can allow for a better hook-up ratio. This technique consists of using a smaller stickbait on either a ball or mushroom-style jig head to hop or drag across the bottom. Like many anglers, Dove opts to use a spinning rod with light line, specifically using a braid-to-fluorocarbon leader. In the seminar, Dove discusses the different types of cover he fishes Ned Rigs around, such as brush, rocks, and especially docks. He also highlights the different types of jig heads and baits you can utilize the next time you’re on the water.

Kurt provides some tips on rigging your bait, keeping the bait up on the jighead and ensuring your soft plastic is on straight. Then he discusses approaching the cover, presenting/casting/skipping the bait and how to work the bait after it hits the bottom. The learning continues with what to do when Mr. bass decides to bite your Ned rig. Dove talks about the hookset to employ with this light wire hook finesse technique, controlling the fish with light tackle and special considerations for getting fish out of cover. Obviously your biggest ally in fishing finesse tactics with lighter test line is the reel drag. You will learn how to employ the drag to ensure you get good hooksets, have control to get fish away from cover, but have enough give to ensure you don't break them off.

Dove moves to some docks & rocks to demonstrate working the Ned rig around docks and shaded areas. He answers the question some people may ask, "Why fish a Ned rig around docks and cover that you could fish with a jig, squarebill crankbait or other soft plastic?". On the rock, Kurt Dove changes to a Bigger Z Man Big T.R.D. and Hayabusa Baby Shooting Ball Football Jighead. See how he fishes the bait differently fishing around rocky banks for bass.

The Ned rig can also be fished in submerged cover and open water situations. Kurt shares a number of tips for casting this light bait to offshore cover and how to detect bites and land bass with this bait. He also shares a tip for what NOT to do when fighting a fish to the boat on light wire hooks.

Lastly, learn what species of bass seem to love the Ned rig the most, and strike the lure the most violently. Ultimately though, the Ned rig is a great technique for catching all types of bass: largemouth, smallmouth, spotted and even other species!