Who's using the neko rig?

red neck richie

Senior Member
I fish most of my soft plastics weightless. But have had success with Carolina and Texas rigged presentations. I don't fish wackey much but was wondering if anyone has had success with the neko? And if so where and when and what conditions you were successful?
 
I find the Neko rig is mainly just a switch up type of presentation, when you've thrown the T-rig for the past 45 minutes without a single hit, fish seem finicky, and want something just different enough that they'll take a chance on it. I've seen in some circles it's popularity is growing to rival that of the t-rig as far as starting with it in plastic situations. But I'll always fish the T-rig first personally. If you're enjoying the Neko, you might also want to look into VMC's glide jig. That's also a light weight, soft plastic presentation that's catching on tough days as well.
 

TripleXBullies

Senior Member
I think that the neko rig is more of a switch up to a skakey head than a t rig.
I've fish it a little. I've caught one fish on it lol. I might be throwing it this weekend if it's as slow as I think it might be.
 

TripleXBullies

Senior Member
Well. The Neko won the tourny for me on Saturday. I caught two 4.5 LM and a couple smaller ones at Bartlett's Ferry. I caught fish on a chatter bait, crank bait and one of the 4lbers hit a buzz bait in 51* water. She smashed it but I didn't get a good hook set. Threw back with the Neko and got her. I was using a green pumpkin rage craw and caught them on rocky points and concrete ramps. My boater was throwing a shakey head, mojo rig, jig, spinner bait and didn't get a fish. That neko destroyed it from the back of the boat.
 

TripleXBullies

Senior Member
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red neck richie

Senior Member
Well. The Neko won the tourny for me on Saturday. I caught two 4.5 LM and a couple smaller ones at Bartlett's Ferry. I caught fish on a chatter bait, crank bait and one of the 4lbers hit a buzz bait in 51* water. She smashed it but I didn't get a good hook set. Threw back with the Neko and got her. I was using a green pumpkin rage craw and caught them on rocky points and concrete ramps. My boater was throwing a shakey head, mojo rig, jig, spinner bait and didn't get a fish. That neko destroyed it from the back of the boat.

That's awesome. Congrats. I am going to spend some time with it the next time I get on the water. Some of these fish are so pressured it seems the slightest difference in presentation can make a big difference.
 

brunofishing

Senior Member
Well. The Neko won the tourny for me on Saturday. I caught two 4.5 LM and a couple smaller ones at Bartlett's Ferry. I caught fish on a chatter bait, crank bait and one of the 4lbers hit a buzz bait in 51* water. She smashed it but I didn't get a good hook set. Threw back with the Neko and got her. I was using a green pumpkin rage craw and caught them on rocky points and concrete ramps. My boater was throwing a shakey head, mojo rig, jig, spinner bait and didn't get a fish. That neko destroyed it from the back of the boat.

I have been up there the past three days and my thumbs are literally bleeding! I think I might be feeling sick lol, might miss a few days of work this week. Fish are bitting!
 

TripleXBullies

Senior Member
That's awesome. Congrats. I am going to spend some time with it the next time I get on the water. Some of these fish are so pressured it seems the slightest difference in presentation can make a big difference.

I'd definitely get a little more familiar with it. In the last 16 months I've added it, Ned and drop shot to my list of regulars. I drop shot a LOT now even in really shallow water.
 

King.Of.Anglers.Jeremiah

Fishing ? Instructor!
Only ever tried it with straight tail worms and stick baits like senkos. Works well though. Almost like a big Ned rig
 

TripleXBullies

Senior Member
Ned uses a mushroom jig head. It's set up totally different but the still or shaking action is similar. You use a Zman for a Ned to help it to stand up since they float. You can make a Neko stand up by keeping tension on it. The falling action is quite different. A Ned normally spirals down and a neko would generally go straight down. You can use a big bait on a ned but I don't know how a small Zman TRD would do neko style...
 
If you want a stand up style presentation I like roboworms. Another option would be a screw in bullet weight on the tail end of a nico to get the tail end to sit down and stay down but let the mid section move and the top section to float.

The ned rig is a half senko designed by z man to flat on a super light wire and light mishroom head style jighead. Were talking 1/16 of an oz jig head. The concept is the slow fall causing strikes and the ability to soft twitch it and get just a tiny bit of movement also causing strikes. Instead of hopping this like you would a texas rig you twitch it slowly back to you more so like fishing a jig.
 

TripleXBullies

Senior Member
If you want a stand up style presentation I like roboworms. Another option would be a screw in bullet weight on the tail end of a nico to get the tail end to sit down and stay down but let the mid section move and the top section to float.


Is there another way to fish a neko?
 

TripleXBullies

Senior Member
I use an o ring because I have them. Other than a Yamamoto Senkos benefit more from them because they are a little more delicate than other soft plastics. I wouldn't say you need them.
 

brunofishing

Senior Member
I didn't use any O ring and it worked good for me, just a different way to hook it wacky! Skips better and I didn't loos near as many hooks!
 
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