I am having a hard time getting fish in the boat with a Ned Head. Current set up: Med light 6-0 spinning rod , 8lb floro line on a Lews spinning reel. Drag set light. I have tried several different brands of Ned Heads. Different styles of hooks.
I would say I loose 60 to 70 percent of the fish I set the hook on.
I Like the darn thing but!!
Help !!!!
Billy K. Stringer
SFC, USA (Ret.)
I use the ZMan power finesse shrommz 1/5z jighead and usually have no issue with fish coming unbuttoned. Also I use a 6'10" ML rod and I tighten my drag a little more than light.Originally Posted by 410th
I used to lose a few fish on other Ned jigs but a couple of years ago switched over to Shur-set 3/32 oz Ned Head. Have caught numerous fish, not lost any. Incredibly sticky hook, almost a PIA to unbutton the fish after being caught.
Could be a multitude of things. I use a 6’6 ML (acts more like a Med under load), ardent spinning reel, 10lb braid to 8lb floro leader and basic zman ned heads or ones I pour myself. With a 6’ Med lite there’s a lot of play in the rod, then you have light floro that stretches, and light drag that’s peeling I would think you basically don’t have any pressure on the fish.
for starters try tightening the drag just a little, enough to where if you set the hook some goes out but as you’re fighting the fish it stays locked unless the fish dives
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I've used a bunch of the 1/5 oz. ned rig heads from lure parts online & they have worked great. I also use a wide gap version mande by a fellow on custom baitd forum & it works pretty good too.
How light is light with the drag? Are you using straight fluoro, or braid to leader? I'll echo others in thinking you're not getting the hook home.
I've learned that 8 lb line can take a lot more than we give it credit for when it's in good condition. I've always aimed to set my drag to where it slips just a bit when I lean into a fish like ECobb says, then I can loosen it while fighting the fish if need be. And since it sounds like straight fluoro: Even though fluoro stretches less than mono (in fishing applications...), it still stretches. Braid to a leader takes out a lot of stretch from the equating meaning whatever force you get into your hook set transmits more directly to the fish. With light drag combined with the fluoro stretching, you're probably just not getting that hook home. A longer rod would probably help with this too.
A couple other things not mentioned:
I've found that fish sometimes clamp down really tight on a Ned rig, smallmouth especially but it seems that way in general. This is another reason for braid to leader and a little tighter drag of course. I also think it means the hook set matters more. For me, I'm always thinking "lean" as I set the hook: Reel down and do much more of a "pull and lean" than a "jerk" like many of us are used to doing in other scenarios It's really similar to what I do on a drop shot, though I think it's even more important here. If the fish is clamped down hard, the lean lengthens the motion to where you get the hook home when the fish releases that pressure. And of course it's much smoother so doesn't have the jarring effect of popping the bait out of its mouth.
A more minor thing might be the size of the head. If you're throwing around a heavier head mated to that little hook it gives the fish more leverage to toss it, and the extra lead eats up your hook gap. The name of the game with the Ned rig--for me, and I think for Ned himself--is to use the lightest weight you can. If you can feel what your bait is doing, it's too heavy. I've always figured that the vast majority of that is to get the Ned rig presentation the way it was intended, but think some of that is hookup and landing percentages too. That's obviously not to say that heavier heads don't work, people above have luck with them and in general they obviously catch fish on them all the time. It's just that at that point I think you're more in the realm of a shakey head where a larger hook wouldn't really change much with your presentation and would certainly help with the leverage and hook gap problems.
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Agree I use 8lb straight floro and a 1/16th ball head tungsten jig head. Also use mlxf pole. I found you dont want to use a hard hook set, just let the fish take it and then increase pressure and they hook themselves. To fast and you pull it out. I would say 90% of my hooksets are on the edge of the upper lip of the fish. So its close to being lost. Ned is about patience let the fish do the work.
Please release me,let me go.
Its either the rod your using is too soft, or your drag is set too loose.
Thanks
This information helped me today. Tight the drag up and new rod a little more stiff at the tip seemed to do the trick. Granted only caught one 2lb fish but put it in the boat. Going to try it again tomorrow
Thanks
Last edited by 410th; 05-27-2022 at 08:57 PM.
Billy K. Stringer
SFC, USA (Ret.)
I've always used a 6'6"-7' medium action rod with braid to flouro leader. Zman finesse shroom 1/10oz and finesse trd are my favorites and seldom lose a fish. I usually set my drag pretty tight and set the hook pretty hard.
Glad it's better! Uncle Ned has become my go to rig. I would guess you just need to keep more pressure on the fish.
My setup is a 6'10" ML X-fast action rod & a 15000 size reel. I spool the reel with 12# braid & connect about 9' of 6# flouro leader with a crazy Alberto knot.
Maybe a few things to consider.
1) When setting your drag...tie a loop in your line, hook it to something solid, back off 20 or so feet & set it so that it starts to give just as the rod is under full load. Your drag is going to work as designed & it allows your rod/reel/line system to put maximum pressure on the fish without taxing the line. in addition to the largemouth, smallmouth & spotted bass I catch, I've landed several 10-15# freshwater drum & 5-8# catfish on a Ned rig with a 1/10th oz. Z-Man Finesse Shroom head. Never had a hook bend out & land probably 98% of the fish I stick.
2) Make sure your hooks are sharp!!!! If they will not dig into your fingernail almost immediately when drug across it, break out a hook file & touch it up. Check that hook point at the start of your fishing day, any time you get it back after hanging it up on anything & after every fish. It's those little details that separate success from heartbreak.
3) The hookset. Read the book "Charlie Brewer on Slider Fishing" or do a YouTube search & watch the hookset segment from Charlie's old video. He advocated a sweep set & demonstrates how this style of hookset transfers power & momentum to the hook without imparting undue stress to the light line. (Slider fishing was originally done with 4-6# mono back then)
3) Be patient. Too many guys get in a hurry. Get the fish into open water & let the system do the work.
Hope this helps,
Nathan
P.S. - Charlie's book is a great read for getting into the finesse mindset in general. I highly recommend it.
I use a 7-6 ML rod. Length helps, braid to flouro too.
X2 on the Charlie Brewer book. Good stuff.
I lean into them and reel. I decided I was ripping to big a hole in the fishes mouth and they could get off easier. I just put enough on it to stick 'em now.
Agree. It's almost like drop shot hook set for me.
Mike Smith
There’s an old saying, still holds true too this day. Wimpy rods, catch wimpy fish….
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Lol. I've caught a bunch of big brown fish on a fairy wand.
Mike Smith
Like everyone else, go to braid with flouro leader, and tighten the drag. I fish them on a 7-1 Medium, 15lb braid and 6-8lb leader. Only time I seem to loose fish is if I use the EWG style jig heads around grass. Open hook has much better percentage for me
Fish have fins, they swim
I get hung up in rocks regularly with the ned. I have to check the hook sharpness regularly and sharpen it if necessary. And tighten the drag a bit.
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