BEMIDJI, Minn. (November 8, 2022) – In pole-vaulting, it was Dick Fosbury who changed the sport with the Fosbury Flop. In ice skating, American Olympian Dorothy Hamill left her mark with the Hamill Camel. And, in fishing, writer and innovator Ned Kehde developed a finesse bass fishing bait that’s now a household name – the Ned Rig.
Combining a mushroom style jig head with a small, buoyant soft plastic, Kehde’s brainchild is responsible for countless catches over the last decade plus. Rather unassuming at first blush, the jig and plastic combo causes curious bass to investigate and slurp what appears to be a small baitfish, crawfish, or aquatic invertebrate.
Now, Northland comes to the table with a custom jig conceived specifically for Ned Rigging. The new Elite Series Nedster Jig and Weedless Nedster Jig feature a mushroom shaped head, designed so that when paired with the right bait, the plastic and hook stand up off the bottom to imbue realism and promote positive hooksets. Speaking of the hook, all Nedster Jigs are established on an incredibly sharp and strong 1/0 Gamakatsu hook. Northland worked with pros to select the perfect gauge wire that is thin enough for quality hooksets on spinning tackle, yet strong so it won’t disappoint when you need to fight through cover and boat a slob bass.
Rigging-wise, your preferred plastic is locked in place with the Nedster’s clever wire bait keeper. Its precision placement and supreme architecture won’t tear up your baits.
Recent history teaches that Ned Rigs succeed when others fail. Even moody fish succumb to the innocent appearance and action. More engaged fish quickly suck it to the back of their mouth. Better carry some pliers to pop that jig out…
Operating a Ned Rig is elementary, too. The simplest technique is casting, let the Nedster hit the bottom, and begin a sequence of short hops with pauses in between. It’s not unusual for Ned Rig partisans to let the bait sit still for ten seconds or longer. Speed up or slow the process depending on fish activity or how much water you need to cover. Nedsters can be fished faster than a dropshot, too, while still falling in the finesse category.
Northland’s Nedster Jig functions effectively over sand, gravel, and bounced off rocks – classic smallmouth bass habitat. The Weedless Nedster Jig takes the baton when confronting largemouth bass in vegetation, too. Its durable, titanium weed guard allow the Weedless Nedster to easily travel through short bottom grass and along weededges, not to mention navigating through timber. Note, too, that the titanium weed guard will keep its strength and perfect positioning fish after fish.
A Ned Rig is a worthy choice all year long. With that said, there are times and places it steals the show, especially when other presentations fail. The Nedster does wonders on pressured fish and in clear water where bass are suspicious of everything. Moreover, the Nedster Jig excels during cold water periods when fish are less active, as well as in the fall and winter when bass go deep and hug the bottom.
The marketplace is chockfull of plastics developed specially for Ned Rigs as well. The key to these baits is their buoyancy, diminutive size and subtle, but easily achieved action.
Nedster Jigs are best fished on spinning gear. Choose a medium-light spinning rod in the 7-foot range. Pair it with a 2000 or 2500 size reel spooled with 8- to 10-pound braid finished with a fluorocarbon leader to promote invisibility.
The new Nedster Jig and Weedless Nedster Jig are available in 4 sizes (1/8-, 3/16-, ¼-, and 5/16-ounce) and 4 colors (Black, Chartreuse, Green Pumpkin, and Rusty Craw). Nedster Jigs come 3 per pack, Nedster Weedless Jigs 2 per pack. MSRP for both is $5.99.
Both models will be available in late 2022.
ABOUT Northland® Fishing Tackle
In 1975, a young Northwoods fishing guide named John Peterson started pouring jigs and tying tackle for his clients in a small remote cabin in northern Minnesota. The lures were innovative, made with high quality components, and most importantly, were catching fish when no other baits were working! Word spread like wildfire, the phone started ringing… and the Northland Fishing Tackle® brand was in hot demand!
For 40 years now, John and the Northland® team have been designing, testing and perfecting an exclusive line of products that catch fish like no other brand on the market today. Manufactured in the heart of Minnesota’s finest fishing waters, Northland® is one of the country’s leading producers of premium quality jigs, live bait rigs, spinnerbaits and spoons for crappies, bluegills, perch, walleyes, bass, trout, northern pike and muskies.
ABOUT Bagley Bait Company
The personality of any company comes from its founder. Jim Bagley was an inventive, fun-loving, passionate fisherman who became one the most respected legends in the fishing tackle industry. In late 2010, Jarmo Rapala and a group of investors bought Bagley Bait Company. As an admirer of Jim Bagley for his attention to quality and of his product ingenuity and innovation, Jarmo initiated significant changes in operations, enhanced production processes and quality control.
Now in 2020, Northland® Fishing Tackle, along with Jarmo as its Chief Lure Designer, maintain the legacy of creating premium balsa crankbaits and topwater lures, as well as jigs and spoons for both freshwater and saltwater anglers.