The Ned Rig has really taken the fishing world by storm. All across the country, novices and pros alike are finding out just how effective this unassuming little bait can be. The effectiveness of the Z-Man Finesse TRD rigged on a Finesse ShroomZ head really has to be seen to be believed. But there are times when it pays to upsize.
Day in and day out, a halved ZinkerZ or a Finesse TRD is the most effective finesse bait in my arsenal. It catches numbers of bass, and on occasion it will catch a big one.
It may seem counterintuitive to upsize a finesse rig, but there are times when upsizing just a bit will help you catch bigger fish without getting away from the finesse approach that is working. Here are my three most effective baits for upsizing my Ned rig.
Hula StickZ-The Old Standby
The Hula StickZ has been around a few years, but it’s a dynamite option. With a 3” inch stick bait body and 1” tentacles, it’s presents just a little bigger bite than the 2.75” TRD TubeZ. While I do catch largemouth on the Hula StickZ, there’s just something about it that appeals to smallmouth. It’s no secret how much smallmouth love tubes. I like to rig up a Hula StickZ when I’m getting lots of bites from little smallmouth, but I know there are bigger ones around.
Typically, I will rig the Hula StickZ on a 1/15 oz. to a 1/10 oz. Finesse ShroomZ.
The New Big TRD
If I’m catching loads of smaller bass on a Finesse TRD, the new Big TRD is what I reach for when I’m on the hunt for a lunker. Smallmouth and largemouth both love the Finesse TRD. Since the profile is so similar, it’s really a no-brainer to upsize to the Big TRD. Why change what’s working!
I like to rig the Big TRD on a 1/10 oz. to a 1/6 oz. Finesse ShroomZ, depending on depth and wind. The Big TRD is dynamite on a wacky jig. I’ll use the same jighead and simply rig it through the middle of the bait. It’s a quick switch on the fly if I have a hunch the fish want a different presentation. And being made of super-tough ElaZtech, you can catch numbers of fish on the same bait, even rigged wacky!
Punch It Up
The Punch CrawZ may have been designed to punch through vegetation with big flipping weights, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t an effective finesse bait as well. When rigged on a Finesse ShroomZ jighead, it’s a super-realistic crawfish imitation. The claws float up in a defensive position, but at only 3.5” it’s an easy meal for bass.
Rig the Punch CrawZ on at least a 1/10 oz. Finesse ShroomZ. I’ll go heavier if I need to fish a bit deeper. But I find rigging it on as light a jighead as possible will help it snag less and give it a slower fall to appeal to lethargic bass. I’ve found time and time again this diminutive craw imitation will selectively catch a little bigger class of bass in an area I’m fishing.
Need to Power Up Your Jighead?
I have a lot of confidence landing most any fish in my area on the Finesse ShroomZ jighead. But if you’re in an area with some really big fish, consider upsizing to the Power Finesse ShroomZ.
With a heavy-duty 3/0 hook designed just for the Big TRD, you can have the confidence to land any fish that bites.
Casey Kidder
Z-Man Pro Staff