How to Fish the Neko Rig, One of the Best Ways to Catch Big Bass

On the earth of bass fishing, you may strive lots of of strategies and 1000’s of baits. This could make it difficult to search out your tried and true favorites, however evidently most bass anglers I do know have two or three strategies and baits that they lean on when the chew will get powerful. For me, a Neko rig with a mushy plastic stick bait is a type of mainstays.

I overtly admit that I’m not very affected person, which could not make me the perfect angler on this planet. Energy fishing is the place I thrive because of the fixed motion and motion that retains me centered. However everyone knows that turning to finesse ways is a should when the circumstances aren’t proper.

For my fishing type, a Neko rig is my favourite possibility after I have to decelerate and attempt to trick finicky bass into biting. Certain, a drop shot, wacky rig, or Ned rig can get the job finished, however these strategies require lots of endurance and refined rod actions. A Neko rig, nonetheless, is the proper energy fisherman’s finesse tactic. You possibly can fish it aggressively whereas sustaining a finesse presentation’s feel and appear.

The Neko Rig

At first look, a Neko rig may look so much like a weightless wacky rig, however the secret to this rig is the nail weight. Moderately than a refined shimmy because it falls by the water, the burden causes a Neko rig to nostril dive towards the underside. You possibly can hop it alongside the underside, drag it, or just let it sit on a slack line.

Since I like to make use of it as a finesse energy fishing possibility, I’m a fan of aggressive hops close to cowl like dock pilings, laydowns, or boulder fields. Because the weighted finish of the rig skips throughout the underside, the non-weighted finish floats and wiggles simply above the underside, simulating a dying baitfish or fleeing crayfish. And that motion drives the bass nuts.

The flexibility of the Neko rig is why it has gained a lot recognition lately. You possibly can go for a light-weight nail weight like a 1/32 ounce possibility for a slower fall charge and extra finesse presentation, or you may jack up the burden to a 1/4 ounce and actually preserve backside contact as you fish by your favourite spot. That versatility, paired with its skill to catch fish virtually wherever within the nation, makes it vital method to have in your repertoire.

How one can Rig a Neko Rig

A Neko rig ought to take no multiple minute to be able to fish. The longest a part of the method is attaching the O-ring to your stick bait of alternative. Here’s a step-by-step information on the right way to rig a Neko rig.

Step 1: Choose your hook. The most suitable choice is a straight shank hook in a 1/0 dimension. Some choices embody weed guards, which will be useful when fishing round heavy cowl.

Step 2: Take your stick bait of alternative and slide it into an O-ring tool. With this device, you’ll merely slide the O-ring down the shaft and place it in the course of your stick bait. VMC offers specialized Neko rig O-rings that assist preserve your hook in place, too. They’re very useful and comparable in value to a standard O-ring.

Step 3: Choose your nail weight. Merely stick the nail weight absolutely into one finish of your stick bait. A useful tip is to place super glue on the nail weight earlier than inserting it into the bait. The glue ensures the burden doesn’t slide out throughout an extended solid or whilst you’re combating a fish.

Step 4: Thread your hook between the O-ring and stick bait. Make certain the hook is working parallel to the stick bait and the purpose is dealing with the non-weighted finish of the rig. The bass will usually chew the non-weighed finish, leaving your hook level completely positioned to get pinned to the roof of their mouth in the course of the hookset.

Step 5: Utilizing a Palomar knot, tie your line to the hook.

What Makes the Neko Rig so Efficient?

As I discussed earlier than, the flexibility of the Neko rig is what makes it one of the crucial efficient finesse shows on the market. Relying on the dimensions of your nail weight, you may fish it shallow, deep, and wherever in between. I usually consider it by way of how efficient a wacky rig is on shallow bass in the course of the spawn and easily take that thought course of and apply it to deeper bass within the post-spawn. In essence, it’s a deep water wacky rig with slight variations.

Crucial variation is the hook placement. Moderately than the hook being perpendicular to the stick bait like a wacky rig, the parallel hook presentation results in a lot better hook units and fewer misplaced fish in the course of the struggle. By merely acknowledging how bass are likely to inhale a Neko rig, we may give ourselves a greater probability of touchdown them with the parallel hook.

One other, extra apparent variation is, after all, the nail weight. Whereas you should buy weighted wacky hooks, the motion between a weighted wacky rig and a Neko rig is kind of totally different. A weighted wacky rig nonetheless shimmies evenly because it descends within the water column, however the Neko rig all the time nostril dives in direction of the underside, giving the bass a distinct look, and in my view, a extra pure look.

Baitfish and different prey nostril down on the underside and dig for his or her meals. The Neko rig replicates this movement extremely nicely. Whether or not they assume the stick bait is a baitfish or crayfish I’m undecided, however ultimately, so long as it will get bites for me, it doesn’t matter all that a lot.

Within the post-spawn, as bass go away the shallows searching for their summer time haunts, they have a tendency to hone in on prey near the underside. Merely put, it’s simpler for them to ambush and eat that prey versus chasing faculties of baitfish out within the open water. Whereas being drained and rundown after the spawn, they’re all the time up for a simple meal. The Neko rig is the proper method to reap the benefits of that feeding sample.

For a deep dive video on the Neko rig, take a look at this nice video from TacticalBassin.

Neko Rig Fishing For Bass: Every little thing You Want To Know!

When to Throw a Neko Rig

Most bass fishing strategies have one comparable trait: you may throw them just about year-round and get bites. A Neko rig is not any totally different, however there’s positively a main time of yr to focus your efforts on to maximise bites — the post-spawn.

With the bass feeling worn out after the spawn, they’re on the lookout for simple meals lurking alongside the underside close to their favourite ambush areas. Whether or not it’s a stump, laydown, dock piling, or a rock hump out off the financial institution, these areas are usually loaded with bass ripe for the choosing within the early post-spawn.

The explanation behind the bass favoring a lot of these cowl is especially because of the skill to ambush prey, however in addition they really feel secure when tucking themselves away behind or in dense cowl. As I discussed, most bass will probably be fairly drained after a month of creating beds, spawning, after which fry guarding. fter all of that arduous work, discovering a spot to simply relax and chill out whereas ready for a simple meal is simply what the bass physician ordered.

Your Neko rig falling close to or hopping into that ambush zone signifies the simple meal that can pull the bass just a few ft away from their hideout and trick them into biting. Because you’ll usually be getting bites close to cowl, the gear you select to fish your Neko rig with performs an vital function within the method as a complete.

The Gear You Must Rig and Fish a Neko Rig

Selecting the Proper Rod

Finesse ways just like the Neko rig typically require a finesse rod to solid the sunshine baits. I search for a reasonably lengthy spinning rod to make lengthy, correct casts, however I additionally need the rod to have a stable spine to maintain the bass from swimming again into the duvet after my hookset. My favourite rod for this doesn’t break the financial institution both. The Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite at 7 foot 2 inch in a medium energy and quick motion offers me with sufficient sensitivity to really feel the chew and a stiff sufficient energy to horse a cussed bass away from a laydown or dock piling. I additionally just like the motion on this rod because it hundreds properly after I reel set with the Neko rig versus a sweeping hookset I would use with different strategies.

See It

Selecting the Proper Reel

For the reason that rod you employ must be delicate, but in addition have some energy to maneuver bass away from cowl, the reel you select must be up for the same job. Particularly, you’ll want a great, high quality drag that offers you the power to tighten on the preliminary a part of the struggle, however loosen rapidly when you’re in a position to get the bass into open water. My reel of alternative is the Daiwa BG 2500 spinning reel. With 13.2 kilos of drag obtainable and a big deal with, this reel means that you can modify the drag rapidly and get proper again to combating the fish with out skipping a beat.

See It

Neko Rig Baits  

In my expertise, the saltier the stick bait, the longer a bass will maintain on after a chew. With that in thoughts, I’ve virtually solely used a Yamamoto Baits Senko. The excessive salt content material of their mushy plastic stick bait simply appears so as to add extra motion and will increase the autumn charge when in comparison with another stick baits. In the event you’re on the lookout for an alternative choice so as to add to your stick bait arsenal, I’ve additionally had some nice luck with a Berkley PowerBait MaxScent The General Worm. Whereas the salt content material may not be fairly as excessive, the addition of the MaxScent can generally be the ticket, particularly when fishing extra closely pressured our bodies of water.

So far as the dimensions of your stick bait goes, choosing between a 4- or 5-inch bait is all you actually need. I personally choose the 5-inch choices as they have a tendency to supply extra motion, however will go together with a 4-inch bait if I’m fishing a smaller pond or lake that provides smaller baitfish. At all times attempt to match the dimensions of your bait to the everyday baitfish within the physique of water. It’s additionally vital to remember that you may fish a Neko rig with different mushy plastic worms other than a standard stick bait, I simply usually follow the stick bait as a result of I’ve been profitable with it.

See It

Neko Rig Terminal Deal with

The terminal deal with you employ together with your Neko rig is simply as vital because the rod, reel, and bait you select. Deciding on an affordable hook, or utilizing one which isn’t made for this method, can result in misplaced fish and frustration on the water. The identical will be mentioned in your O-rings and weights. Beneath are my favourite choices for terminal deal with in the case of fishing a Neko rig.

The Greatest Neko Rig Nail Weights: VMC Neko Weight (1/16 to 1/4 ounce)

The Greatest Neko Rig Hook: VMC Neko Wacky Hook (1/O)

The Greatest O-Rings: VMC Crossover Ring

The Greatest O-Ring Device: VMC Crossover Pliers

Line

The final piece of drugs you’ll want is the road in your reel. Avid bass anglers typically fish spinning reels with a braid-to-fluorocarbon chief. For my braided line, I prefer to go together with 10-pound Daiwa J-Braid, however most braided traces will do the trick. As for the fluorocarbon chief, I lean on 8-pound Sunline FC.

Last Ideas and Tips about How one can Fish a Neko Rig

Whereas the Neko rig may simply seem to be an off model wacky rig, it’s vital to appreciate the variations in how and the place you fish it. A wacky rig is nice in the course of the spawn when bass push extremely shallow, however in the event you endure from impatience like me, it loses its luster within the post-spawn when the bass pull again off the financial institution. The Neko rig has crammed a a lot wanted hole in my finesse ways lineup and change into a mainstay on my boat.

If you’re out fishing a Neko rig, keep in mind to concentrate to your line as you gained’t all the time really feel a chew. Typically the bass will merely decide it up and begin swimming in direction of you, making it powerful to really feel the chew. Your line zipping by the water is often a great indication that it’s time to set the hook.

Learn Subsequent: How to Fish a Wacky Rig

In the event you’ll be fishing a Neko rig for the primary time this yr, focus your efforts on the post-spawn round cowl. You’ll be pleasantly shocked with how efficient this rig is at fooling massive bass throughout that point of yr. A lighter Neko rig can even make for an extremely efficient comply with up bait for topwater or massive swimbaits this time of yr. In the event you miss a strike, fireplace out a light-weight Neko rig in that basic neighborhood and cling on. You gained’t be upset with the outcomes.