Ned rig – By Cliff Pirch

Although it traces its roots to midwest fisheries, the humble Ned rig has flourished throughout Eastern U.S. waters. Notably, Pirch said that, while his earliest exposure failed to impress him, he would realize what he was missing farther down the road.

“I think that watching spotted bass guys get ‘em really good on this bait is what caught my eye,” he said. “I learned about the Ned rig a long time before it got really popular, but I wasn’t smart enough to realize how good it was. In 2006, a guy showed it to me in South Carolina while fishing for suspended spotted bass, but I didn’t like it.

“I didn’t catch them very good on it that day, but if I would have picked it up and played with it some more, I would have made some headway before it got popular. Some guys made a lot of money on the Ned rig before too many people knew about it, but I’ve only been using it the last few years.”

Noting that he’s caught Ned rig fish on rock, wood and in open water, Pirch said he uses the Hyabusa Brush Easy head for lighter presentations, while a homemade head poured by an Arizona pal gets the call for heavier deals. A cut-down piece of a Big Bite Baits Trick Stick is the typical bait choice.

“Anytime I’m fishing for spots or smallmouth, it’s in my arsenal,” he said. “I’ve caught smallmouth pretty good on Lake Champlain and I’ve caught spots pretty good a Lake Logan Martin, but it’s a standard tool in my boat. I always have one in those types of fisheries.”