On the planet of bass fishing, you’ll be able to strive a whole bunch of methods and 1000’s of baits. This will make it difficult to seek out your tried and true favorites, however plainly most bass anglers I do know have two or three methods and baits that they lean on when the chunk will get robust. For me, a Neko rig with a tender 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 as a result of 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 once I must decelerate and attempt to trick finicky bass into biting. Certain, a drop shot, wacky rig, or Ned rig can get the job executed, however these methods require a whole lot of endurance and refined rod actions. A Neko rig, nonetheless, is the right energy fisherman’s finesse tactic. You’ll be able to fish it aggressively whereas sustaining a finesse presentation’s appear and feel.
The Neko Rig
At first look, a Neko rig would possibly look so much like a weightless wacky rig, however the secret to this rig is the nail weight. Slightly than a refined shimmy because it falls via the water, the burden causes a Neko rig to nostril dive towards the underside. You’ll be able to 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 reputation lately. You’ll be able to go for a lightweight nail weight like a 1/32 ounce possibility for a slower fall fee and extra finesse presentation, or you’ll be able to jack up the burden to a 1/4 ounce and actually preserve backside contact as you fish via your favourite spot. That versatility, paired with its potential to catch fish virtually wherever within the nation, makes it vital approach to have in your repertoire.
Rig a Neko Rig
A Neko rig ought to take no a couple of 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 learn how to rig a Neko rig.
Step 1: Choose your hook. The most suitable choice is a straight shank hook in a 1/0 measurement. Some choices embrace 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 instrument. With this instrument, you’ll merely slide the O-ring down the shaft and place it in the course of your stick bait. VMC affords specialised Neko rig O-rings that assist hold your hook in place, too. They’re very useful and comparable in price to a traditional O-ring.
Step 3: Choose your nail weight. Merely stick the nail weight totally into one finish of your stick bait. A useful tip is to place tremendous glue on the nail weight earlier than inserting it into the bait. The glue ensures the burden doesn’t slide out throughout a protracted solid or when you’re combating a fish.
Step 4: Thread your hook between the O-ring and stick bait. Be sure the hook is operating parallel to the stick bait and the purpose is dealing with the non-weighted finish of the rig. The bass will usually chunk 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 efficient finesse shows on the market. Relying on the dimensions of your nail weight, you’ll be able to 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. Slightly than the hook being perpendicular to the stick bait like a wacky rig, the parallel hook presentation results in significantly 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 likelihood 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 sort of totally different. A weighted wacky rig nonetheless shimmies evenly because it descends within the water column, however the Neko rig at all times nostril dives in direction of the underside, giving the bass a unique 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 effectively. 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 in quest of 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 at all times up for a straightforward meal. The Neko rig is the right approach to benefit from that feeding sample.
For a deep dive video on the Neko rig, try this nice video from TacticalBassin.
Neko Rig Fishing For Bass: The whole lot You Want To Know!
When to Throw a Neko Rig
Most bass fishing methods have one comparable trait: you’ll be able to throw them just about year-round and get bites. A Neko rig isn’t any totally different, however there’s undoubtedly a chief time of 12 months to focus your efforts on to maximise bites — the post-spawn.
With the bass feeling worn out after the spawn, they’re in search of simple meals lurking alongside the underside close to their favourite ambush places. Whether or not it’s a stump, laydown, dock piling, or a rock hump out off the financial institution, these places are usually loaded with bass ripe for the selecting within the early post-spawn.
The explanation behind the bass favoring a lot of these cowl is especially as a result of potential to ambush prey, however in addition they really feel protected when tucking themselves away behind or in dense cowl. As I discussed, most bass might be fairly drained after a month of creating beds, spawning, after which fry guarding. fter all of that tough work, discovering a spot to simply chill and calm down whereas ready for a straightforward 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 a number of 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 position within the approach as a complete.
The Gear You Must Rig and Fish a Neko Rig
Selecting the Proper Rod
Finesse ways just like the Neko rig usually 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 quilt after my hookset. My favourite rod for this doesn’t break the financial institution both. The Bass Professional Retailers Johnny Morris CarbonLite at 7 foot 2 inch in a medium energy and quick motion supplies me with sufficient sensitivity to really feel the chunk 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 once I reel set with the Neko rig versus a sweeping hookset I’d use with different methods.
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. Specifically, you’ll want , high quality drag that offers you the flexibility to tighten on the preliminary a part of the struggle, however loosen shortly when you’re capable of get the bass into open water. My reel of alternative is the Daiwa BG 2500 spinning reel. With 13.2 kilos of drag accessible and a big deal with, this reel means that you can modify the drag shortly and get proper again to combating the fish with out skipping a beat.
Neko Rig Baits Â
In my expertise, the saltier the stick bait, the longer a bass will maintain on after a chunk. With that in thoughts, I’ve virtually completely used a Yamamoto Baits Senko. The excessive salt content material of their tender plastic stick bait simply appears so as to add extra motion and will increase the autumn fee when in comparison with another stick baits. In the event you’re in search of 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 Normal 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, selecting between a 4- or 5-inch bait is all you really want. I personally want 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 gives smaller baitfish. All the time attempt to match the dimensions of your bait to the everyday baitfish within the physique of water. It’s additionally vital to needless to say you’ll be able to fish a Neko rig with different tender plastic worms other than a standard stick bait, I simply usually keep on with the stick bait as a result of I’ve been profitable with it.
Neko Rig Terminal Deal with
The terminal sort out you employ along 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 system, can result in misplaced fish and frustration on the water. The identical will be mentioned to your O-rings and weights. Under are my favourite choices for terminal sort out on the subject 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 Instrument: VMC Crossover Pliers
Line
The final piece of drugs you’ll want is the road in your reel. Avid bass anglers usually 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.
Remaining Ideas and Tips about Fish a Neko Rig
Whereas the Neko rig would possibly simply look like an off model wacky rig, it’s vital to comprehend 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 should you undergo 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 stuffed a a lot wanted hole in my finesse ways lineup and turn out to be a mainstay on my boat.
Once you’re out fishing a Neko rig, bear in mind to concentrate to your line as you gained’t at all times really feel a chunk. Generally the bass will merely choose it up and begin swimming in direction of you, making it robust to really feel the chunk. Your line zipping via the water is usually indication that it’s time to set the hook.
Learn Subsequent: Fish a Wacky Rig
In the event you’ll be fishing a Neko rig for the primary time this 12 months, focus your efforts on the post-spawn round cowl. You’ll be pleasantly shocked with how efficient this rig is at fooling huge bass throughout that point of 12 months. A lighter Neko rig also can make for an extremely efficient comply with up bait for topwater or huge swimbaits this time of 12 months. In the event you miss a strike, fireplace out a light-weight Neko rig in that normal neighborhood and hold on. You gained’t be disenchanted with the outcomes.
