Neko Rig is Something All Bass Anglers Should Have In Their Arsenal

I am a self admitted finesse hater. However after getting beat time and time again by finesse techniques in tournaments I spent the last few weeks really working on different finesse techniques. I settled on the Neko Rig. After a week of getting acquainted with it, it clicked last weekend. I was using it in deeper water (20-30 ft) in a very clear metro lake just off a steep break, casting to the outside weed edge. I’m not sure I’ve ever caught more bass in one spot in my life. In the area of an acre maybe, I pulled up 20 fish in about an hour including a 3 and 4 lb smallmouth and a 4 lb largemouth as well. Really excited to use it in my next tournament and see how things shake out.

If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend it.

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Do you weight it at all? Seems tough to get down that deep.

Might give this a try this weekend.

Edit…..never mind. Should’ve opened the pic.

Great topic, I am using Neko where I used to Drop-shot or Wacky-Rig routinely. Doesn’t replace those techniques entirely, but I’m finding much more productive where they overlap… and you can fish them a lot faster..

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Matt Moen wrote:

Do you weight it at all? Seems tough to get down that deep.

Might give this a try this weekend.

Edit…..never mind. Should’ve opened the pic.

If I’m up shallow I use a 1/16th oz nail weight. If I’m deep I’m using a 3/32. It’s all about the fall with this rig. Half of the fish I’ve caught have hit it on the initial fall. If they don’t you pop it a few times and let it fall again just like you would with a regular wacky rig.

Frydog, how do you like the skirted weights? Notice any difference with them opposed to regular nails?

Neko is the bomb… I have traditionally used both drop-shot and Ned-rigging when bass are bottom-oriented. Problem is with a usual 3.5 inch drop-shot worm and a 2.5 inch Ned – they can get pecked to death by small sunnies, tiny bluegills and little perch.

So when fishing for largemouth, and needing something with a larger profile to keep the little panfish away and yet still entice the big bucketmouth – I upsize the game and Neko is a great option. Here are some of the better options I’ve used:

•6 inch Big Bite Shaking Squirrel (Bold Gill Chartreuse rocks)
•6.5 inch Zoom Trick Worm (lots of colors, cheap, 20 in a bag lasts a long time)
•7.5 inch Yum Genie (incredible stand up worm with awesome undulating tail action)
•8 inch Big Bite Finesse Worm (maybe the best option when you need to upsize)

A lot of times I use a 1/16 or 1/8 oz nail weight depending on how fast or slow fall rate and depth you are targeting. Or along the lines of upsizing to keep the little peckers away, I’ll mix in a VMC skirt again in 1/16 or 1/8. Too bad the skirts are more expensive, but like women …

FryDog62 wrote:

Neko is the bomb… I have traditionally used both drop-shot and Ned-rigging when <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>bass are bottom-oriented. Problem is with a usual 3.5 inch drop-shot worm and a 2.5 inch Ned – they can get pecked to death by small sunnies, tiny bluegills and little perch.

So when fishing for largemouth, and needing something with a larger profile to keep the little panfish away and yet still entice the big bucketmouth – I upsize the game and Neko is a great option. Here are some of the better options I’ve used:

•6 inch Big Bite Shaking Squirrel (Bold Gill Chartreuse rocks)
•6.5 inch Zoom Trick Worm (lots of colors, cheap, 20 in a bag lasts a long time)
•7.5 inch Yum Genie (incredible stand up worm with awesome undulating tail action)
•8 inch Big Bite Finesse Worm (maybe the best option when you need to upsize)

A lot of times I use a 1/16 or 1/8 oz nail weight depending on how fast or slow fall rate and depth you are targeting. Or along the lines of upsizing to keep the little peckers away, I’ll mix in a VMC skirt again in 1/16 or 1/8. Too bad the skirts are more expensive, but like women …

Ever power-shot Frydog? I don’t drop shot much but that has yielded me some better size in the drop shot technique. Also the Big TRD’s from Zman have gotten me bigger fish in regards to the ned rig.

I was thinking what a neko rigged 7 or 8 inch power worm would do. Middle of summer is such a great time for big worms it could be really good!

Yes, as the summer goes on and the weeds get thicker I do go to the Power-shot or Bubba-Rig… but honestly started experimenting last year with a Chicken-Rig (kind of a combination of a Neko and Texas-Rig). I seem to be gravitating towards the vertical, stand-up worm and undulating tail with the Chicken-Rig to get strikes – versus Bubba which is a bit more horizontal… so am using the Chicken-Rig more… but might be a confidence thing as I think both work well..

I need some more pointers on this Neko rig. I was on a metro lake today and gave it a try without any luck. I was just hanging out with the family so it wasn’t a concerted effort but I don’t know if I was doing right.

I was parked off a couple weed edges that were in 8 to 12 feet. I was off them in 16 to 20 casting in and letting it fall. Are you working to the weeds and then lifting and falling again? How far off the weed edges and how vertical should the fall be? I felt like I was too far off and the bait was dropping at too much angle.

I’m going to try this again on a north metro lake I know better in a couple weeks.

Def have to experiment with distance, fall rate and angle. Casting to the weed edge works well, sometimes I’ll cast parallel and stay in the strike zone longer. As summer moves on they may be farther in the weeds, can try the Chicken Rig then (basically a Texas rigged Neko)

As the water warms do they typically bury deeper in the slop?

Seems like post post spawn they stay shallow, then push a bit deeper, then back in shallow?

I cannot get into bass fishing…..I can’t afford it.

Yes, think of the July hot sun and you wanting to get under an umbrella by the pool. Same thing for the big bass to get under the pads in deeper, dark water. And it doesn’t have to be that expensive to go after them when you can buy a bag a 20 Neko worms (Zoom Trick worms) for $4.50 and fish all day…

Everything FryDog said is what I would’ve echoed. I do both, casting up to the weed edge or parallel to it. It doesn’t hurt to put it a couple feet into the edge also. I’ve noticed that with as light of weight as I use it tends to sit on top of the weeds until I hop it off of them. I tell myself every time on the initial fall that a fish has hit it because about half of the fish I catch are on the initial fall. If your line never goes slack (like it would when the lure hits the bottom) chances are a fish has it already.

Oh, and Matt, bass gear is a lot cheaper than muskie gear. Just saying, it could be worse.

How does this look or work different than a texas rig or jigworm?

Thanks

Ever rig a chigger craw the same way? I’ve heard good things.

Baitcaster or spinning reel?

ssaamm wrote:

Baitcaster or spinning reel?

Spinning for sure. Especially if using it in deep water. You want it to fall on completely slack line on the initial fall. Tough to do that with a baitcaster.

tim hurley wrote:

How does this look or work different than a texas rig or jigworm?

It stands up more than a Trig or jig. The closest thing to it would be a shaky head. It stands up with the nail weight in the head but they the rest of the worm kind of bends over looking extremely natural. That being said, the thing that sets it apart is the way it falls. That’s what entices the bites.

ssaamm wrote:

Baitcaster or spinning reel?

Well, many people prefer spinning – but I only use baitcasting gear. I’m missing a bone and ligament (arguably some chromosomes too in my right wrist so I switched to 100% baitcasting about 2 years ago.

I will say this – spinning is a little easier to “work” a lure and add finesse type of action. But once you actually HOOK a fish, baitcaster is a bit better IMO to fight a fish, pull them away from cover, etc.

Bottom line is – use what you’re most comfortable with… but if around cover, don’t go into a gun fight with a butter knife..!

Still hammering them on the deep weedlines here in my neck of the woods….such a great weapon to have!

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Between Neko and Ned on the outside weedline too, I was able to find both LMB and SMB on Sunday on a West metro lake… Livescope help hone in on them at 8-12 fow.

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I keep wanting to try it out, but I’ve only been able to fish in the evening. The topwater bite has been too good to try anything else.

FryDog62 wrote:

Between Neko and Ned on the outside weedline too, I was able to find both LMB and SMB on Sunday on a West metro lake… Livescope help hone in on them at 8-12 fow.

Nice fish! I’ve only run into a couple smallmouth on the lake I’m fishing and they both were nice fish 3+ lbs and came unbuttoned at the boat. Been surprised I haven’t run into more on the lake I’ve been fishing.

Don’t know if it’s the hook I’m using but I switched to a VMC weedless Neko #1 hook this year and I don’t know that I’ve lost any. I also ditched the specific Ned jigs for Texas-rigging said Neko hook and nail weights on TRD’s. Great landing ratio and no more snags!

FryDog62 wrote:

Don’t know if it’s the hook I’m using but I switched to a VMC weedless Neko #1 hook this year and I don’t know that I’ve lost any. I also ditched the specific Ned jigs for Texas-rigging said Neko hook and nail weights on TRD’s. Great landing ratio and no more snags!

I use #1 and just picked up some 1/0 to use with big worms. Not weedless though. Never liked em. I picked up some 7 1/2 inchers but I may need to use finesse style worms because I think senkos that big might hinder the action. We’ll see when they get in the water. Excited to try them though.

I tried it out today. Most were caught on the fall. My hook up ratio wasn’t stellar. I was using an old Berkley heavy weight senior Stryker worm. Had to 6-8inches. When I lost em a couple times the worm was all wadded up on the hook. Might go with a smaller worm next time. Kinda fun tho to try something different.

Senko- style worm i meant.

ssaamm wrote:

I tried it out today. Most were caught on the fall. My hook up ratio wasn’t stellar. I was using an old Berkley heavy weight senior Stryker worm. Had to 6-8inches. When I lost em a couple times the worm was all wadded up on the hook. Might go with a smaller worm next time. Kinda fun tho to try something different.

I highly suggest using the wacky rings so you’re not hooking the worm. It saves your plastic from getting fouled up a lot. I’ve never had a worm hook itself or get fouled up using the rings.

Glad you found some success with it!

Oddly enough I was using an o-ring. I need to improve my skills.

I’ve experimented with worm thickness and hook up ratio. I’ve been using the Big Bite 8 inch finesse worm lately. Medium to thin body and tail floats straight up nicely. With the VMC Neko hook in size #1 I honestly don’t think I’ve missed one yet in 3-4 trips. Other big worms that are thick can be quite a mouthful I think and you might lose some..

Went out tonight and used a sleeker worm. Much better results. Might of waited a bit too long to set the hook. A couple had em pretty deep. Good time.