How to Set Up a Fishing Rig for Bass: The Ned Rig

When winter cold fronts blow through, it helps to know how to set up a fishing rig for bass that will still entice bass to bite when conditions are challenging. The Ned Rig is one type of bass fishing rig you can try when water temperatures drop and slow presentations are in order.

The Ned Rig can be one of the best fishing rigs to use during the fall and winter months when largemouth get lethargic. Small finesse-style baits will be better producers in these conditions because bass simply won't want to chase big baits with a lot of movement.

Before you learning how to fish with the Ned Rig, you will need to learn how to set up your soft plastic bait and jig head. All you have to do is follow three easy steps to learn how to set up a fishing rig for bass that you can use in tough conditions.
 

1. Take a 3-inch soft plastic bait and insert the hook portion of a 1/16-ounce mushroom jig head (made with a size 1 or 2 hook) into the top of the bait.
2. Push the hook down about 1-inch through the center of the bait and out the side of the bait so that the hook remains exposed.
3. Attach the Ned Rig to 6 feet of 8-pound fluorocarbon leader material and then attach to it your main line using a line-to-line connection, such as the Uni-to-Uni knot.

One of the best bass fishing rod setups to use with the Ned Rig is a 6 1/2-foot light to medium-power spinning rod with fast action. These finesse bass fishing rod setups should be paired with a 1000 series spinning reel that has been made to handle fine diameter lines (8 to 10-pound braid).

Last, but certainly not least, when fishing with finesse rigs, make sure you have your drag set light enough. When setting the hook, all you need to do is reel tight and lean into the fish.

Now that you know how to set up a Ned Rig and which rod setup to use, you can check a few local fishing reports or check our map for fishing forecast to see where most of the largemouth bass are being caught near you.