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I was browsing the aisles of a local Bass Pro Shop for lures several years ago when a friend that worked there approached me about a new finesse tactic he was employing. He told me that the fish were all over his new presentation and he wanted to share it with me. I looked at it inquisitively and let him know that I would try it out. As a fanatic about finesse presentations like the Ned rig, weightless lizards, wacky rig, and other small creature baits, I was intrigued by it. He called this contraption the “Neko rig” and it was very similar to the wacky. The difference was in how the hook was inserted, parallel to the worm, and there was a small weight in the head of the worm. medical heat shrink tubing
After researching this finesse technique I found out that it had been used for several decades in Japan by recreational anglers but had not caught on with professional bass anglers until bites became more difficult to come by there. The word “Neko” in Japanese means cat. It is pronounced “neck-oh” but most of us here in the States call it a “neek-oh” rig. When retrieved along the bottom of a lake the Neko rig mimics the action of a cat pawing the ground.
One of the advantages of this rig is that it has a faster fall rate than the wacky rig because of the weight inserted in the nose of the worm. This gives it the ability to be fished much more quickly and cover more water faster. It does take a little more time to rig but is still one of the most effective finesse presentations out there. And it will catch just about every species of freshwater fish.
I proceeded to give this presentation a try on a local lake soon after that visit. It didn’t take long to hook into a fish; the Neko rig is an amazing fish attractor and the hook up ratio was very high. Using a Z-Man Fishing Products Big TRD 4-inch worm proved to be the ticket. At first, I used a larger VMC hook with a weed guard . But I switched to drop shot-style hooks with no weed guard, as the hook is mostly protected from strands of vegetation or snagging on rocks or submerged branches by the way the bait hides the hook.
I pretty much kept this rig to myself the first year I used it as I was competing in local bass fishing tournaments and wanted to see how it would perform against the numerous power fishing anglers in the area. Sure enough, it would help me catch a lot of bass, big and small. I placed high and even won a few tournaments that year. The clients that I was guiding on kayak fishing trips were easily catching them as well.
News spread fast and I would show fellow anglers what I was doing to catch good numbers of bass when the bite was challenging for everyone else. Pretty soon, more anglers were using this technique and improving their catch rates. The Neko rig is now very popular in the upper Midwest where finicky bass are being caught with it.
Since then, the Neko rig has become a staple finesse presentation for me and I have developed numerous hacks that made it even better. Some of these I created myself and others came about when fishing with fellow Neko Rig aficionados. Below are several of these Neko rig hacks that will help improve your overall finesse fishing skills.
There are a multitude of brands and sizes of stick baits available that can easily be modified into a Neko rig. What you use depends on the water conditions and what the fish want. A thin profile and natural colors work better in clear water. In discolored water, a larger profile in darker colors can trigger those bites you are looking for. Craw style baits, creature baits and even flukes can be modified and fished Neko-style.
I like to use the Z-Man Big TRD . It is so durable and displaces a lot of water. But don’t rule out the Z-Man Bang StickZ , Senko , or Yum Dinger . If you want to use a thinner profile, the Roboworm and Missile Baits Magic Worm are excellent choices. They will all work, but the TRD is definitely a game changer when it comes to the Neko rig.
There are a myriad of types and styles of weights including actual nails, screws, BB’s, springs, half moon , button , and nail-style weights that will work with this rig. With these weights the angler can modify the action of the presentation in a multitude of ways. Tungsten nail weights are a great option, especially with skinnier worms. Because tungsten is denser than lead, a much smaller profile weight can be inserted, which helps keep the integrity of the worm. One other option is to take a cheap crappie jig head, cut the hook shank off and straighten it out. Then bend it into a small “v” shape which will help keep it pinned to the worm. Don’t worry about the jig head as it will still get bites.
My favorite is the button head that resembles the head of a creature and matches perfectly to a TRD or Senko. I make these myself, and the demand for them has been increasing as more anglers see the success we are having with them. While the 1/8 ounce version is the most popular, the smaller 1/16th ounce size works with trick-style worms as well. We even paint them to the color that will match the worm. Whatever style of weight you prefer, it’s a good idea to pre-rig these worms with the weights before you hit the water.
An issue with inserting a weight in the head of a worm is that it would fall out easily after catching a fish. The head shake of a bass would instantly fling the weight into the water, but there is a solution to that. First, insert the weight. For the Z-Man TRD you will need to heat up the nail part of the weight to insert it as ElaZtech is not easy to penetrate. A small lighter works well for this. Or you can use the Z-Man Rattle-Snaker tool . It is specifically designed to work with the ElaZtech plastic (but will work will other types of soft plastic baits) and makes inserting weights or rattles into even tough baits easy.
Once you’ve made your hole using heat or the Rattle-Snaker, place a couple of very small dabs of super glue gel on the weight and insert it quickly. It will stay in the worm and keep you from going through all your weights in a short period of time.
Over the years we have experimented with several styles and brands of hooks and come up with two that have become staples for the Neko rig. Some anglers prefer small, offset hooks for a better hook set. The Berkley Fusion19 offers a super sharp barb and the 2/0 size is perfect for pinning bass after a bite. Another option is the Owner Sniper hook that is a little thicker in diameter but the sturdy design is very effective. We have used the VMC Neko hooks with the longer shank but the points tend to dull up when fishing near rock. Of course, any hook can become dull over time and you should check the points frequently. The “Red Line” VMC version is a much higher quality hook.
There are also weedless versions of hooks available specifically designed for the Neko rig. They include a wire or plastic guard for fishing in brush or vegetation to decrease the number of snags. The Gamakatsu G-Finesse Cover Neko Hook is a great option as a weedless presentation. It also features an attached barrel swivel that will eliminate line twist and a wire keeper can keep your plastic bait in the position you like best.
The next hack will help you keep the hook in the worm longer. I can’t tell you how many worms I lost right away by just skin hooking them. Of course, Elaztech is very tough and allows you to fish with some confidence that the worm will stay put. But even the toughest compounds have their limits. Fortunately, there are a variety of methods that can keep the hook attached to the worm.
My favorite method is using a section of black heat shrink on darker colored worms. This hack was discovered by my friend Rus Snyders, who is one of the top anglers in the country. I have found it to be very successful in keeping the hook in place. Get some 3/8-inch diameter heat shrink tubing from your local hardware store, and cut it into strips no wider than a 1/4 inch. Insert the worm into it and slide it into the position you desire. A quick burn from a lighter will shrink it into place. Then, take your hook and skin hook the worm underneath the heat shrink and out the other side. This will give you more use of the worm. There is also a VMC Crossover Ring that you can rig either a wacky or Neko-style worm with.
For lighter colored worms or creatures I like to use the Geecrack Neko Hack plastic inserts. These work very well and are just about invisible to the fish when inserted properly. You just stick it through the plastic, insert the hook through the small slot and cut off the point. The underside of this plastic insert has a flat bar that will hold it in place.
Other methods include clear silicone tubing and those mini rubber bands that are used to make ponytails in hair. The only drawback of these two methods is that the ElazTech style baits will not cooperate with them and melt. They are perfect for stick baits that are made from plastic. The silicone tubing will need to be spread with either a special spreading tool or your needle nose pliers. Be sure to double up on the rubber bands for added durability.
One other method includes a centering pin . You can screw the pin into the plastic and turn the eye the direction you want your hook to go. This method gives you the option of a wacky or Neko-style presentation. It also allows the worm to slide up when the fish gets hooked, helping keep it away from the fish’s mouth and preventing it from tearing it up. All of these methods will extend the life of your bait on the hook.
The action of the Neko rig can be changed by moving your hook from the center to an offset position. When the hook is placed in the center, it provides a balanced fall in the water with a very natural gliding action on the way down. Offsetting the hook, such as moving it closer to the weighted portion of the worm, will create a more erratic fall. This can be very effective in triggering a reaction strike.
There are even more hacks you can try to get bites from hesitant bass. There are various small blades such as the Z-Man TRD SpinX with either a willow or Colorado blade you can insert in the end of the worm to create more flash and vibration. This hack can give you more bites in the fall. I’ve used these several times with great success. The blade creates flash and enough vibration to attract fish from further away. It is especially effective around docks.
If you decide to use a stick worm, the tail can be trimmed to create more vibration and make the bait look more “nervous” in the water attracting fish to bite. I’ve even split the tail with a small cut to enhance the action as well. Experiment on your own to see what looks best for you.
Inserting rattles can give the Neko bait a sound effect that imitates the clicking sound a crawfish sometimes makes. Using a tool like the Rattle-Snaker mentioned above makes this easy. The best part of the bait to insert the rattle would be near the head of the bait. You can also insert it into the tail. Be sure to place a small dab of super glue to keep the rattle in place.
One creative method I’ve come up with to hack my Neko rigs is taking rubber skirt strands and threading them through a Z-Man TRD to look like a hellgrammite. It’s easy to do and very effective. I just take a regular hook, thread the rubber strand through the eye, stick it through the worm, pull it out the other side and thread through the plastic. Once I pull it through, I cut the side near the hook and even the strands out. Just be sure to use rubber and not silicone so it doesn’t react with the material of the worm.
You can also stretch out a Z-Man TRD and it will become even more flexible. I usually only stretch out the last two thirds of the worm so that it stands up better when on the bottom. This may even release a few air bubbles when submerged that can draw fish from further away.
Adding scent or color is another great hack. One of my favorites is Bait Fuel . This attractant is odorless to humans but not to fish. I’ve had great success with it, but there are numerous other scents out there. I suggest using them to get fish to hang on the worm longer. In pressured waters, dyes are a great option as well. Remember though that some of the dyes out there don’t mesh well with ElaZtech and will melt the worm instantly. Dyes work well on other plastics though. Orange and Chartreuse are two of my favorites.
The right line will enhance the Neko presentation. Fluorocarbon fishing line is preferred by most anglers because of its near-invisible nature and sensitivity. If you want even more sensitivity you can start with braid and add the fluoro leader. It will also give you better hooksets.
My favorite line to use is Suffix 832 braided line in neon color. It comes in a variety of sizes and 10, 15, or even 20 pound tests are all okay depending on what you are using and where you are fishing. For the leader, Sunline Sniper is an excellent choice from 10 to 16 pound test. It is super durable and sensitive. I also like to use Seaguar Gold Label for anything lighter in clearer water with 8 lb being my favorite. To join them together, an FG or Lefty Kreh knot will suffice.
As I mentioned before, the Neko rig can help you cover a lot of water quickly, and making long casts helps with this. The idea here is to cast it far and let it fall to the bottom before retrieving. You can then slowly drag or twitch it, imitating the natural movements of a crawfish, worm, or smaller fish. Some of my best catches have come from letting the bait just sit on the bottom, also known as “deadsticking” the bait, so don’t hesitate to let it sit for long periods between tugs. Give the bait a few small twitches and trigger a reaction bite.
With seasonal changes the Neko rig can still be very effective. In the spring and fall months the shallow water bite is excellent and lighter weights can be used. When the water warms in the summer, the Neko can be fished in deeper water with a heavier weight and slower presentation. You can even use the Neko rig in the winter, fishing it very slow with a very light weight.
The Neko rig is a proven finesse presentation and by incorporating some of these hacks you can definitely catch more fish. By manipulating the weights and hooks while working varying retrieves these hacks are a sure bet in getting bites! If you have thrown the Ned or wacky rig the Neko will be an easy transition for you. If you are a power fisherman and struggling to get bites the Neko rig is a great change up. Just give it a try and the results will amaze you!
Avid Kayak Angler and Bass Fishing Tournament angler, Marty Hughes hails from Auburn, Nebraska. He was one of the original guard blazing a trail in kayak fishing back in 1998 before there was such a thing as a “fishing kayak.” He’s a regular contributor and representative for Bass Pro Shops holding seminars and instructional on the water events all over the midwest getting new anglers into kayak fishing.
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