ACCESSORIZING — NOT JUST A FASHION THING
For Bassmaster Elite Series pro John Murray, a simple addition to a classic finesse rig dramatically improves the performance, just like the right belt, bag or bracelet will spice up the ensemble.
In short form, the Neko rig is basically a nail-weighted wacky rig; but that simple adjustment of sticking a little shard of tungsten in the bait’s head creates a unique appearance that fish can’t resist — especially when the bite becomes challenging.
“The main reason I’d throw the Neko rig over other techniques is that the fishing has gotten tough,” he said. “If you have highly pressured fish, a lot of people out fishing, that’s when I’d go with that rig instead of a shaky head or dropshot.
“There’s a lot less weight and hook. It’s just a smaller profile and a more natural look.”
As Murray points out, the Neko rig boasts a couple of clear benefits:
Diversity: “You’re limited only by your imagination. The plastic bait could be anything — a craw, a lizard, a worm, a (soft stick bait). It’s usually a pretty small hook — a No. 1 or 1/0 — and about a 1/4-ounce nail
weight, but the bait is open to
whatever you want to try.”
Different Look: “The way
it falls to the bottom; it sort
of glides, as opposed to just
plummeting down like a jig or a
football head. If you ever see
a crawdad come up off the
bottom, they just glide back
down.
“That’s a big key, the way
the Neko rig falls through the
water column. When you
move it across the bottom,
it has a totally different
action. It creates a little puff
every time you lift it up. It’s not dragging across the mud or silt — it’s just a different look than a normal worm.”
ASSORTED APPLICATIONS
Murray shared his top-3 uses for a Neko rig:
DEEP WATER SMALLMOUTH OR SPOTTED BASS
SPRING 2016
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