Last Updated: June 2026

What Is It?

The Ned Rig is a finesse technique from the Midwest that has become one of the most reliable bass catchers in the country. A tiny mushroom-shaped jig head pairs with a short, buoyant ElaZtech stick bait that stands straight up off the bottom. The result is a subtle, almost motionless presentation that drives pressured and clear-water bass absolutely crazy.

When to Use It

Season	Year-round — especially effective in cold water and post-front conditions
Best For	Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, walleye
Water Clarity	Clear to slightly stained
Ideal Cover	Rock, gravel, sand, hard bottom — any open or lightly covered structure
Depth	4–25 ft

How to Rig It

Select a mushroom jig head — 1/16 oz for shallow/calm water, 3/32–⅛ oz for medium depth, 3/16 oz for deeper or windy conditions.
Thread a 2.75–3.5 inch ElaZtech stick bait or finesse worm onto the hook.
Push the bait about ⅓–½ way up the hook shank so it sits snug.
Leave the hook point exposed for most applications.
For grass or wood, use a weedless mushroom head with a wire weed guard.
Cast to structure, let sink on a slack line, then shake in place with tiny rod-tip movements.

Hook & Weight Sizes

Situation	Jig Weight	Hook (built-in)
Shallow calm (1–6 ft)	1/16 oz	#1
Medium (6–12 ft)	3/32–⅛ oz	1/0
Deeper (12–20 ft)	3/16 oz	1/0–2/0
Wind/current	¼ oz	2/0

Pro Tips

💡 Do almost nothing. The Ned Rig works on the fall and while sitting still on the bottom. Resist the urge to hop it aggressively.
💡 Use ElaZtech material specifically — regular soft plastic won't stand up on the bottom the same way. The buoyancy is the whole point.
💡 Try a drag-drag-pause retrieve along rocky bottom — drag 6 inches, pause 3 seconds, repeat. Strikes almost always come on the pause.