Tackle
The Ned rig: a small piece of plastic that stands up on the bottom
The least impressive-looking rig in the box, and the one that saves days when nothing else gets bitten.
By Sawyer V. · Last updated · How we pick
The short answer
A Ned rig is a short, buoyant stick bait on a light mushroom-head jig, usually 1/16 to 1/5 oz. The flat head sits on the bottom and the buoyant plastic stands vertically above it, so the bait hovers nose-up like something feeding. It is the highest-percentage rig in fishing on a hard day.
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Why it stands up
Two properties combine, and both are necessary.
The head is a mushroom shape — flat-faced, with the hook exiting the top. Dropped on the bottom, a flat face is stable and the head sits squarely rather than tipping over.
The plastic is buoyant. Most soft plastics sink; the ones designed for this rig float. With a flat head anchored on the bottom and a floating bait attached, the bait rises to vertical and hangs there, tail up.
Use a sinking plastic on a mushroom head and you get a small jig lying on its side. It still catches fish. It is not a Ned rig.
Why a small, boring bait works
A Ned rig is genuinely unimpressive to look at: a stub of plastic, two or three inches long, with no tail action, no rattle and no flash.
That is the point. Every other lure in the box is trying to trigger a reaction — flash, vibration, speed, aggression. A Ned rig is trying to look like something small and edible that is not going anywhere.
On heavily fished water and in tough conditions, fish that have refused a spinnerbait and a crankbait all morning will eat this without hesitating. It asks nothing of them.
The trade is size. You will catch more fish and, on average, smaller ones. That is a real cost, not a detail.
Head weight, which is the whole tuning
| Weight | Use in |
|---|---|
| 1/16 oz | Shallow, calm, clear water. The slowest fall |
| 1/10 oz | The default. Most water down to about 12 ft |
| 1/6-1/5 oz | Deeper water, wind, or current |
Go as light as you can still fish effectively. The slow fall is a large part of why the rig works, and a heavy head both kills that and stops the bait standing up properly.
These weights are far lighter than most lures on this site, which has a direct consequence for tackle: a medium rod rated from 1/4 oz cannot cast 1/10 oz. See our rod power and action page for why the printed lure rating is a hard limit rather than a suggestion.
How to fish it
Cast it, let it sink on a slack line, and then do almost nothing.
Drag it a few inches. Stop. Wait several seconds. Drag it again. Most bites come while it is sitting still, and most anglers move it far too much.
A useful variation is a slow, steady swim just off the bottom — the plastic’s buoyancy keeps it riding nose-up, and it is a good way to cover a flat when dragging is too slow.
Bites are usually subtle: pressure, a tick, or the line moving sideways. It is not the rig for anyone who needs a dramatic strike.
Gear, and the one thing that must be right
Spinning gear, light or medium-light power, and light line. Six to ten pound fluorocarbon is standard, or braid to a fluorocarbon leader in deeper water.
The rod has to be rated for the weight. This is the point people get wrong: a heavy rod will not cast a 1/10 oz head, and a stiff tip will pull a small hook out of a fish that ate quietly. A light rod with a soft tip is not a preference here, it is a requirement.
Because the hook is small and exposed, the hookset is a steady sweep rather than a snap. A hard vertical set on light line and a small hook usually ends badly.
Where it fits alongside the other finesse rigs
| Rig | Bait sits | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Ned rig | On the bottom, standing upright | Fish are on the bottom and inactive |
| Drop shot | Hovering above the bottom | Fish are off the bottom or suspended |
| Shakey head | On the bottom, worm standing up | Fish are on the bottom around cover |
The Ned rig and the drop shot are the two to learn, and they answer the same question at two different heights.
So what do I actually buy?
The plastic has to be buoyant and the head has to be light. Those two properties are the rig; everything else is preference.
Strike King Tour Grade Shakey Head
$5.99The closest relative in the registry — a light head that stands a worm up on the bottom.
#ad how this is funded · price as of October 12, 2026
Seaguar InvizX Fluorocarbon Line
$25.99Light fluorocarbon is the standard line here: invisible, and it sinks with the bait.
#ad how this is funded · price as of October 12, 2026
Ugly Stik GX2 Spinning Rod (5 ft Ultra Light, 2-piece)
$55.32A rod rated 1/32-1/4 oz will actually cast a 1/10 oz head. A medium rod will not.
#ad how this is funded · price as of October 12, 2026
Questions people actually ask
What is a Ned rig?
A short, buoyant soft-plastic stick bait on a light mushroom-head jig, usually 1/16 to 1/5 oz. The flat head sits on the bottom and the floating plastic stands upright above it.
Why does a Ned rig stand up?
Two things together: a flat-faced mushroom head that sits stably on the bottom, and a plastic that floats rather than sinks. Use a sinking plastic and you get a small jig lying on its side instead.
What weight head should you use for a Ned rig?
1/10 oz as a default, 1/16 oz in shallow calm water, and up to 1/5 oz for depth, wind or current. Go as light as you can still fish, because the slow fall is a large part of why it works.
What rod do you need for a Ned rig?
A light or medium-light spinning rod whose printed lure rating actually includes 1/10 oz. A medium rod rated from 1/4 oz cannot load properly on a Ned rig head, and no amount of practice fixes that.
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