The deadliest finesse technique for difficult bass — a tiny bait on a light jighead that stands up on the bottom and drives pressured fish crazy.
Best For
Clear water lakes with heavy fishing pressure, post-frontal conditions, midday sun, any time conventional baits get ignored
Break a 4-5 inch soft stick bait (Senko-style or ElaZtech) in half — the Ned rig uses just the front half
Thread the broken end onto a 1/16 to 1/4 oz mushroom jighead with a short shank hook — just enough to hold it
Use a light spinning rod (6.8 to 7.2 ft, medium-light) with 8-10 lb fluorocarbon or 10 lb braid with a 10 lb fluoro leader
Cast to hard bottom — rock piles, gravel points, road beds, brush piles — and let the Ned rig sink to bottom on slack line
The bait will stand straight up on the bottom on its own. This is the magic — just leave it there for 5-10 seconds
Hop it forward with small rod tip lifts, letting it fall back to the bottom and stand up again. Pause between hops.
Bites feel like a soft tick or the line starts moving sideways. Reel down to feel weight, then set the hook firmly — small hook requires solid pressure
🎣 Pro Tip
Dead stick it completely — cast out, let it sink, and do absolutely nothing for 15-20 seconds. This counter-intuitive approach is often the most effective retrieve when fish are inactive.