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other fathers of finesse—Chuck Woods, Guido Hibdon, Harold Ensley, etc.—than acknowledge his own

momentous role in bass fishing’s backstory.

Such modesty can be misinterpreted, but in Kehde’s case simply underscores the exceptional skill with
which he practices the method known more broadly as ‘Midwest Finesse.’ Friend and former NASCAR
driver Terry Bevins says, “Ned’s one of the best finesse anglers in the country. Put him in the back of the
boat with one of his finesse jigs, and he’s likely to whoop your butt.”

To hear Kehde tell it, the bass-catching power of his “little jig” is so great there’s simply no reason to

change it. “In years past, we’ve experimented with just about every new rigging refinement you can
think of.” notes Kehde. “In the shallow impoundments we fish, none have been so fruitful as an
exposed-hook, mushroom-style jig dressed with half a ZinkerZ or other finesse worm. Day after day,
season after season, it inveigles dozens and dozens and dozens of bass.”

The Ned-Miki

Interestingly, the same simple motivation to catch more bass has inspired anglers across America to
create unique and individualized versions of the Ned Rig framework—both in retrieve and the way they
fasten a finesse bait to a hook.

Longtime Ned Rig fan
Joey Nania, professional
angler and Alabama

based fishing guide, has
devised a couple key
mods to the
presentation. Recently,
he’s guided clients to
loads of spotted,
largemouth and striped

bass, wielding a
concoction he calls the
Ned-Miki Rig. “As bass
fans know, the Damiki Rig
has been a money
presentation for enticing
shad-focused bass
suspended in 15 to 30

feet,” says Nania. “But
you need a really well-
balanced, 90-degree
jighead and a compact
shad-shaped bait to pull it
off. Having fished the Z-
Man NedlockZ HD jighead