Rough day today was on a lake in Eastern Wright county got 7 decent bass. Got stuck in the wind squalls came fast and quick scary roughest ride I have had got the fish in 10 FOW ned rigging with craw style plastics. Then at night went to another lake could not find them shallow or on the weed edge. Casted spinnerbaits over the slop got 5 good bass one was 22 inches.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
I swear if you get a neko rig anywhere near a school of bass you will catch most of them.What size nail weight do you normally use?
1/16th for me as well.
A friend and I caught 44 bass this morning. I was actually in a muskie tournament and couldn’t keep bass of all sizes off. Tons of 12-16 inchers. At one point I caught fish on 4 consecutive casts. We also had four doubles. Nothing huge but just constant, endless action. The two primary lures were a spinner bait and chatter bait, reeled fast. I think it’s the most I’ve caught in one outing in years.
No muskies, no follows.
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Good stuff
Congrats on the 22incher MrPike-that is a hog!
Think I know that spot-SMBs are extra points out there. Rocky? No comment.
Nice try, 😁
Fished mille lacs today. Target was smallies. Not a single thing on plastics. Seen them on top of reefs, shallows and other spots. Threw tubes, neds, jerk baits, jigs, and everything inbetween. Gave up and walleye fished with slip bobs, leech and a bobber was game on for both smallies and eyes. Smallies wanted the small jig and leech,
it was on a 12 ft reef or 3 ft bed.
Felt like I cheated. But I ended up the victor either way.
Legit 3 to 4 ft rollers on the ride back the launch was quite entertaining to say the least. Wow does that lake beat you up.
Odd one out, I fish out of a tiller 17ft and I looked like I showered with clothes on when I got back to my truck
Fished mille lacs today. Target was smallies. Not a single thing on plastics. Seen them on top of reefs, shallows and other spots. Threw tubes, neds, jerk baits, jigs, and everything inbetween. Gave up and walleye fished with slip bobs, leech and a bobber was game on for both smallies and eyes. Smallies wanted the small jig and leech,
it was on a 12 ft reef or 3 ft bed.
Felt like I cheated. But I ended up the victor either way.
Legit 3 to 4 ft rollers on the ride back the launch was quite entertaining to say the least. Wow does that lake beat you up.
Odd one out, I fish out of a tiller 17ft and I looked like I showered with clothes on when I got back to my truck
Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one that can’t figure out Mille Lacs smallmouth. I don’t get up there a lot which I’m sure is the issue but I barely catch any when targeting them and like you said, the second I start pulling a crawler harness or slip bobber for eyes I start nailing them…….
Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one that can’t figure out Mille Lacs smallmouth. I don’t get up there a lot
Your not the only one. I only go up there about 2-3 times/season (usually in the spring) and it has become more difficult each season, especially using artificial lures. The water is clear and the pressure is very high on those fish. It used to be easier but once the Elites had events two years in a row and everyone saw those toads being caught on TV, the word was out. Then Bassmaster ranked it as the top bass lake in the country two years in a row too. It’s not a secret anymore. Even Seth Feider admitted “you can only catch those fish so many times.”
I feel pretty good when I can boat half a dozen nice fish out there in an outing on artificial lures. Makes a guy wonder how tournament anglers can constantly keep bringing in 20 pound bags out there…
Thanks Tim!
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mahtofire14 wrote:</div>
Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one that can’t figure out Mille Lacs smallmouth. I don’t get up there a lot
Your not the only one. I only go up there about 2-3 times/season (usually in the spring) and it has become more difficult each season, especially using artificial lures. The water is clear and the pressure is very high on those fish. It used to be easier but once the Elites had events two years in a row and everyone saw those toads being caught on TV, the word was out. Then Bassmaster ranked it as the top bass lake in the country two years in a row too. It’s not a secret anymore. Even Seth Feider admitted “you can only catch those fish so many times.”
Well it wasn’t exactly bassmasters fault. They shut walleyes down and had to save the resorts so it went very public on how the smallie bite was. And typically I do well out there on artificial baits, specifically black with red flake tubes. But I have seen it now 2 times where I can not get a single bite until I use live bait.
I swear if I target smallies I only get eyes and if I go for eyes I get smallies. So for now on I’m walleye fishing that lake lol. I really don’t have to much interest in the walleyes but I will never complain when they show up on shallow rocks. You wouldn’t catch me fishing flats for them at all.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>tim hurley wrote:</div>
Think I know that spot-SMBs are extra points out there. Rocky? No comment.Nice try, 😁
What???? Just sayin that on the lake he is on getting a SMB is a rarity. #s are low, size can be very big though. But I am guessing the lake.
I got out fishing this morning for about 3 hours of fishing and had one of, if not the best day of bass fishing ever. We lost count of the 18”+ fish we caught. I would guess we had 10-12 fish over 19” and 4-5 over 20 with a 20.75 the biggest. It was by far the best average size fish outing. I would guess the average size to be over 18.5” and this was for over 50 fish. I also broke off two big fish. I need to upsize from the 8lb. Fluor leader I was using. I committed to fishing the Neko rig today and boy did it pay off. I now know why so many people are fishing them. I know I’ll have one tied on the rest of the season. It pulls double duty as well. Take the nail weight out and it’s a great weightless rig for fishing shallow water and skipping under trees and docks. Today all fish in normal summer pattern. Outside weed edge. Also caught fish on the jigworm and dropshot. Fish were really schooled up. A week ago this lake had hardly any fish on the outside weededge. The shift to the summer pattern seems to be complete. I hope you all have a chance to get yourself out and have a great day of your own.
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Looks like a great day FishThumper! It really is a great rig. And for as much spouting off I do about it I still don’t think it’s a very common rig around here. I think that’s partly why it works so well.
Jeez thumper. That last one your holding horizontally looks like a friggin tank.
Looks like a great day FishThumper! It really is a great rig. And for as much spouting off I do about it I still don’t think it’s a very common rig around here. I think that’s partly why it works so well.
Ya I had played around with it some but had not given it a real chance. Found out I was working it way to much. Much like the dropshot often less is better. Today most of the fish came after it had been sitting for a rather long time ( 30-45 seconds. It helps when you know your throwing it where there are fish for sure. My buddy is excellent at searching with the jigworm ahead of me ( about all he fishes ) I still need to fine tune the technique but think I’ve now got a decent start on it. I hate losing a bait. Not because of the bait but because of the nail weight. Those things are not cheap. Not the tungsten ones anyway.
Jeez thumper. That last one your holding horizontally looks like a friggin tank.
It was not our longest fish but one of the heaviest ones for sure. I broke off two fish that I think were bigger ( dumb mistake- to light of a Fluor leader ) just ordered some 12lb. Test leader material. The fish in this lake are crazy healthy and strong. Once they get feeding heavy on panfish they will get even healthier. I would bet a 18-19 fish here is a 1/2 lb or more heavier than on most other lakes. If these fish make the jump to 21” fish they are going to be monsters. Fished this lake during the spawn. Could not find a fish over 17”. Not sure where these big fish spawn out there, but haven’t been able to find them in 3 season of looking.
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I swear if I target smallies I only get eyes and if I go for eyes I get smallies. So for now on I’m <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleye fishing that lake lol. I really don’t have to much interest in the <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes but I will never complain when they show up on shallow rocks. You wouldn’t catch me fishing flats for them at all.
Bearcat, I found myself in a similar situation today. I was catching more bass early this morning trolling a spinner rig for walleyes…
It worked as a great search method though. After the walleye bite slowed I grabbed the drop shot and burnt through two packages of drop shot worms in 15-17ft on the deep weed edge.
There were large schools of crappies and sunfish with bass, walleyes, and pike all on the edge of the basin. I would say summer patterns are most definitely happening now.
Nice fish and a good day Fishthumper!. This weekend for me was not to bad as others found almost all bass on outside weed edge. A few small bass up by the docks it felt like almost August fishing already. Most on wacky worm right over the weed edge tops or a spinner bait burned parallel to the edge. We also had really good luck with the Ned rig using Rage craws got crappies a nice walleye and lots of bass. For me I did not find them as schooled up. One lake was so nutty with recreation boaters we just left the fish were buried down deep and not moving.
Losing the nail weights is frustrating. The rings do help as they keep the worms from tearing but you still lose a few here and there.
I’m finally getting out tomorrow morning for more than a couple hours so I’ll be seeing what else is working out there.
The rings do help as they keep the worms from tearing but you still lose a few here and there.
I use the o-rings too. On rare occasion the entire stick bait will slide off the o-ring though. I have heard of some people using two o-rings over top of each other and put the hook under the portion where they cross.
When I’m wacky rigging I still like to use the original yamamoto brand because it has a faster sink rate. When you stick a nail weight in there, what brand of stick bait do you like to use mostly? If it has the weight in there already, then sink rate of the actual stick bait doesn’t seem as important.
When I’m wacky rigging I still like to use the original yamamoto brand because it has a faster sink rate. When you stick a nail weight in there, what brand of stick bait do you like to use mostly? If it has the weight in there already, then sink rate of the actual stick bait doesn’t seem as important.
About the only bait I’ve tried on the neko rig so far is the yum Dinger. I have also been using the O rings from VMC. They seem to work and hold up rather well. I’ve also been using the tungsten nail weights from VMC. If I start going through lots of weights I may have to look for a cheaper version.
As far as will the original Yamamoto sink fast enough without a nail weight. Two things. 1 – It will still sink much slower and in deeper water, that may take awhile to get to the bottom. 2 – I think part of the thing with the niko rig is the way it falls and sits on the bottom. Totally different fall action between a weightless Senko and a nail weighted other bait.
I’m going to find a stick worm with more buoyancy. I think having that bait on the bottom with the unweighted tail sticking strait up and twitching will be even better. I think some of the Zman plactics will be the ticket. Plus they will hold up muck longer and save on lost nail weights.
I think some of the Zman plactics will be the ticket.
Absolutely, z man’s elaztech is buoyant and durable. Definitely worth a try.
I am thinking a zinker, big TRD, or maybe even the giant TRD. I have never used the giant TRD but have to imagine only a big bass would go after that one lol.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>gimruis wrote:</div>
When I’m wacky rigging I still like to use the original yamamoto brand because it has a faster sink rate. When you stick a nail weight in there, what brand of stick bait do you like to use mostly? If it has the weight in there already, then sink rate of the actual stick bait doesn’t seem as important.About the only bait I’ve tried on the neko rig so far is the yum Dinger. I have also been using the O rings from VMC. They seem to work and hold up rather well. I’ve also been using the tungsten nail weights from VMC. If I start going through lots of weights I may have to look for a cheaper version.
As far as will the original Yamamoto sink fast enough without a nail weight. Two things. 1 – It will still sink much slower and in deeper water, that may take awhile to get to the bottom. 2 – I think part of the thing with the niko rig is the way it falls and sits on the bottom. Totally different fall action between a weightless Senko and a nail weighted other bait.
I’m going to find a stick worm with more buoyancy. I think having that bait on the bottom with the unweighted tail sticking strait up and twitching will be even better. I think some of the Zman plactics will be the ticket. Plus they will hold up muck longer and save on lost nail weights.
The only plastic worm I seem to consistently catch them on is the Yum Dinger. Frydog and I have been going back and forth using many plastics trying a bunch of different ones. Seems like the favorites are the Dinger, Daiwa Neko Fat, and the Genie from Yum. At least that’s what I remember from last season. I am going to try some PowerBait power worms with the ribbon tails tomorrow just to see what happens.
I’ve also noticed with yum dingers, when they stopped salting the worms they started packaging them dry. However every now and then I seem to get a pack that has an oily feel. These slide right out of the o rings on the hookset so be aware of those.
I like the Yum dingers the best and economical. Elders magic is my favorite color or watermelon flake. I have had some that are packed dry if they are in the sun for just a few minutes they get oily just as Mahtofire said but they do come that way as well. I just make sure to keep them in a storage unit. I sure go through them though. If they are not to bad I cut them in half or thirds and use for Ned rigging they don’t last long but work well. Had some Excite wacky worms they were to stiff actually threw them couldn’t get a fish on them. just my 2 cent’s
I’m a huge fan of using worms with floating tails for Neko. You don’t need to overwork the bait to get it to undulate and get noticed. Stays more upright or 45 degrees (realistic “feeding” angle).
I also like fatter worms to attract bigger fish and keep the little panfish away. This one has ribs too and takes a few air bubbles down with it which adds to getting it noticed.
Casts well or skips like a dream with a 1/16 oz weight. For those of you using nail weights that are falling out, try pushing the nail in from up the worm down towards but not quite to the tip. Something I saw Gussy do. Stays much more secure.
I use Cadman’s shrink tubes and when rigging will hook on one side of the shrink tube, underneath into the worm, and back out the other side. I probably average 3-4 fish per worm, sometimes only 1-2 but other times as many as 6-8.
Lastly, a weedless #1 or #2 VMC Neko Hook – best I’ve used yet.
There you have it – secrets out of the bag now. Fish are starting quiver in fear already 
https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/GrandeBass_Airtail_Rattler_Stick_Baits_8pk/descpage-GBAIRRA.html
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I just orders some Z-man bang sticks to try.
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I just watched a interesting you tube video on Neko rig discussing hook up or hook down. You want to rig it with the hook point facing the tail ( Not towards the nail weight end. This way it comes through cover better, doesn’t snag on wood or rocks, and keeps the hook point sharper. You can check out the video here:
I’m a hook point up guy, some aren’t like Iaconelli. But what he does he know compared to me – ha!
I’ve been saying Neko wrong 
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