Buyer's Guide: Ned Rig Baits And Tips For Year Round Success!

The Ned Rig has become the most popular finesse presentation in bass fishing! There is something about that little worm standing up on the bottom that just gets bit when nothing else will. With its surge in popularity, every major brand in the industry has jumped on board, offering a variety of "Ned" style baits. With all these new baits, its getting harder to know which baits you can count on to actually catch fish. 

In today's Buyer's Guide we've narrowed it down to 7 baits and two heads to meet virtually any circumstance. If you want to narrow it down even further, you could pair it all the way down to two consistent baits then choose one "unique" bait to mix it up from time to time. This technique is very simple, don't let the hundreds of baits coming to market fool you into overcomplicating it. 

Below you'll find links to our favorite baits, in order of appearance. We've also included our top colors for each bait, our favorite heads, and the rods and reels we use to throw them. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Traditional Ned Baits... 

-Z Man Finesse TRD: http://bit.ly/2hs4RtR

Colors: Green Pumpkin Goby, Green Pumpkin

-Roboworm 3" Ned Worm: http://bit.ly/2j9F0Xy

Colors: MMIII, Desert Craw

Ned Baits with Action... 

-Z Man TRD TicklerZ: http://bit.ly/2mGyDAC

Colors: Green Pumpkin, Drews Craw

-Missile Baits Ned Bomb: http://bit.ly/2XCOGwd

Colors: Bluetonium Green Pumpkin Core, Watermelon Red Core

-XZone Ned Zone: http://bit.ly/2mRiYhF

Colors: Summer Craw, Green Pumpkin Purple

Creature/Craw Baits... 

-Z Man TRD CrawZ: http://bit.ly/2U9vx6P

Colors: Green Pumpkin orange, Canda Craw

-Z Man TRD BugZ: http://bit.ly/2oiavEE

Colors: Sprayed Grass, Canada Craw

Ned Heads... 

Tungsten- Swagger Flanders 1/10th oz: http://bit.ly/2KcIB6M

Lead- Owner Block Head 1/16 oz: http://bit.ly/2qL0A8n

Matt's Ned Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Reel- Shimano Ultegra 1000: http://bit.ly/2nfApml

Line- Power Pro Braid 10 lb: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Sunline Sniper 6 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Tim's Ned Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis Conquest 902: http://bit.ly/2BiGUNi

Reel- Shimano Stella 2500: http://bit.ly/2U8Pkzg

Line- Power Pro 10 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Sunline Sniper 5 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

Budget Ned Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Intenza 7'6" Light: http://bit.ly/2s7kaQn

Reel- Shimano Nasci 2500: http://bit.ly/2g278cC

Line- Sniper Fluorocarbon 6 lb: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Hat: https://bit.ly/31EYB8W

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

Previous Buyer's Guides... 

-Deep Diving Crankbaits: https://bit.ly/3kXuH6h

-Swimbaits: https://bit.ly/395vTT6

-High End Combos: https://bit.ly/35PNOeu

-$500 Combos: https://bit.ly/3lW1o5I

-$400 Combos: https://bit.ly/3lSfwwz

-$200 Combos: https://bit.ly/2USSCJv

-$100 Combos: https://bit.ly/37aupED

Buyer's Guide: Swimbaits and Glide Baits!

Today’s Buyer’s Guide is all about big swimbaits! There are so many options between Glide Baits, Multi-Joints, Boot Tails, Wedge Tails, Wakes, Crankdowns, and so many more… How do you know where to start?! Swimbaits aren’t cheap so making the right choices the first time is very important. Come along as we take a look at some of our favorites! 

We break our swimbaits into 3 primary categories: Trout/Kokanee,  Baitfish, and Bluegill Imitators. Trout baits are typically open water baits while baitfish and bluegill imitators are cover oriented, shallow water baits. Knowing how to use each style of bait effectively is an entirely different video. Luckily, we shot an in-depth video on this subject last month and have linked it below. 

In this video we’ve broken 9 baits down into these 3 categories and added 2 bonus baits. You’ll find all of the baits we discussed linked below. The links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. We’ve also included our favorite colors with each bait, hook recommendations for rigging where applicable, as well as links to some of our favorite swimbait rods and reels. 

In-depth Swimbait Video: https://youtu.be/oIck1onpMNs

Previous Buyer’s Guides… 

-High End Combos: https://bit.ly/35PNOeu

-$500 Combos: https://bit.ly/3lW1o5I

-$400 Combos: https://bit.ly/3lSfwwz

-$200 Combos: https://bit.ly/2USSCJv

-$100 Combos: https://bit.ly/37aupED

Trout/Kokanee/Open Water Baits…  

-Baitsanity Explorer Glide: http://bit.ly/33bQyxY

Favorite Colors: Raw, Rainbow, Kokanee

-Huddleston 8” ROF 5: http://bit.ly/2UVHiuQ

Favorite Colors: Trout, Hitch

-Huddleston 8” ROF 12: http://bit.ly/2azFTon

Favorite Colors: Trout, Hitch

Baitfish/Cover Baits… 

-G Ratt Sneaky Pete: http://bit.ly/2RYCPFe

Favorite Colors: Hitch, Gizzard Shad, Bone

-R2S S Waver 168: http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh

Favorite Colors: Bluegill, TW Phantom, Light Trout

-Megabass Magdraft 8”: http://bit.ly/2mc8bfK

Favorite Colors: MB Shad, MB Gizzard, White Back Shad

-Scottsboro 6” Swimbait: http://bit.ly/2Oy7CKH

-Owner 8/0 Beast Hook 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2ancP66

Favorite Colors: Mullins Madness, Natural Light, Ol Smakey

-Savage Gear Shiner Pulse Tail 7”: https://bit.ly/2SDD0Zl

Favorite Colors: Green Back, White, Shad

Bluegill Baits… 

-Savage Gear Pulse Tail RTF Bluegill: https://bit.ly/2xx1zjH

Favorite Colors: Bluegill, Ghost Bluegill

-Jackall Gantarel: http://bit.ly/2adZI3R

Favorite Colors: Ghost Gill, Spawn Gill

Bonus Baits… 

-Madness Balam 245: https://bit.ly/36T1epg

Favorite Colors: Laser Hasu, Clear Hasu

-Fish Arrow Riser Jack: https://bit.ly/30FMOqw

Favorite Colors: Biwasagi, Lemonade, Pro Blue

Rods… 

-G Loomis IMX Pro 966: https://bit.ly/3ktZFnF

-Dobyns Fury 806H: http://bit.ly/2bGvlVV

-Megabass Orochi XX Leviathan: http://bit.ly/2OSVNwH

Reels…

-Shimano Tranx 300 HG: http://bit.ly/2kYsvRw

-Shimano Curado 300K: https://bit.ly/2HbZ3E4

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Hat: https://bit.ly/31EYB8W

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

Buyer's Guide: Best $500 Rod and Reel Combos!

$500 Combos are the best "Bang For The Buck" in the entire industry! Some of these rods should be priced hundreds of dollars higher but thankfully, they remain very affordable. If you're looking to take your angling to the next level, any of these rod and reel combos will help you do it. From the Shimano Expride's incredible sensitivity, to the Megabass Orochi's incredible actions, there is something at this price point for every angler!

Every time you move up in price, you gain sensitivity and longevity. The jump in quality from $400 combos to $500, is the biggest increase at any price point in bass fishing. Some of these rods skip right over the middle and function as truly high-end rods. You won't find a more sensitive rod than an Expride without spending $400 or more! You won't find more refined components than on an Orochi at nearly any price. And you won't find more dialed, technique specific actions, than on the IMX-Pros. 

Below you'll find links to the 6 lines of rods we recommend, along with all of our top choices by technique. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 

Previous Buyer's Guides... 

-$400 Combos: https://bit.ly/3lSfwwz

-$200 Combos: https://bit.ly/2USSCJv

-$100 Combos: https://bit.ly/37aupED

Upcoming Buyer's Guides... 

-High End Combos

-Swimbait Guide

TOP 6 COMBOS...  

-Shimano Expride: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

-Shimano Chronarch MGL: http://bit.ly/2n8DghB

Favorite Models-  6'10" Medium, 7'2' MH, 7'3" XH, 7'6" Heavy

-Megabass Orochi XX: http://bit.ly/2OSVNwH

-Shimano Curado 70 MGL K: https://bit.ly/3jdrMqa

Favorite Models- Braillist, Extreme Mission Type F

-G Loomis IMX Pro: http://bit.ly/2lVATTC

-Shimano Curado 200K: http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Favorite Models- 845 CBR, 906 CBR, 966 Swim, 812 SBR

-St. Croix Legend Tournament: http://bit.ly/2Ap51x5

-Shimano Tranx 200A: http://bit.ly/2Tv0yCy

Favorite Models- Big Cranker, 7'4" Medium Heavy

-Savage Gear Black Ops: https://bit.ly/35Qfcc7

-Shimano Curado 150 DC: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Favorite Models- 7'1" Medium heavy, 7'3" Medium Heavy

-Dobyns Champion XP: http://bit.ly/29OVD4V

-Shimano Tranx 200A: http://bit.ly/2Tv0yCy

Favorite Models- 805 CB, 807 Mag, 806 Heavy

TOP MODELS BY TECHNIQUE... 

Jerkbait- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Lipless- G Loomis IMX Pro 845 CBR: http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Chatterbait- Shimano Expride 7'2" Medium Heavy Glass: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Dropshot- Megabass Orochi XX WhipSnake: http://bit.ly/2XkVoej

Ned Rig- Shimano Expride Spinning 6'10" Medium Light: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

ShakyHead- Shimano Expride 7' Medium: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Heavy Flipping- Shimano Expride 7'11" XH: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Light Flip- Shimano Expride 7'6" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Tail Spin- G Loomis IMX Pro 843 CBR: http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Blade Bait- Shimano Expride 6'10" Medium: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Keitech (4.8)- Shimano Expride 7'2" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Keitech (2.8)- G Loomis IMX Pro 862C SWBR: http://bit.ly/2x9kxuS

Jig (Pitch and Flip)- Megabass Orochi XX Braillist: http://bit.ly/2OSVNwH

Jig (Football)- Megabass Orochi XX Extreme Mission Type F: http://bit.ly/2OSVNwH

Big Swimbait- G Loomis IMX Pro 966 SWBR: https://bit.ly/3ktZFnF

Big Swimbait- Dobyns Champion XP 806/807: http://bit.ly/2aivwYX

Deep Crank (Tight Action)- G Loomis IMX Pro 906 CBR: http://bit.ly/2og0BmK

Deep Crank (Wide Action)- St. Croix Legend Tourn 7'6" MH Moderate: http://bit.ly/2Ap51x5

Deep Crank (10XD)- Dobyns Champion XP 805 Crank: http://bit.ly/29OVD4V

Squarebill- Megabass Orochi XX Flat Side Special: http://bit.ly/2OSVNwH

Spinnerbait- G Loomis IMX Pro 812 SBR: http://bit.ly/2QurcHi

Frog- Shimano Expride 7'3" Extra Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Topwater- G Loomis IMX Pro 843C MBR (7' Medium): http://bit.ly/2lVATTC

TOP REELS TO PAIR WITH... 

All Around- Shimano Curado 200K HG: http://bit.ly/2tHewEh

Cranking- Shimano Tranx 200 HG: http://bit.ly/2Tv0yCy

DC Performance- Shimano Curado 150 DC HG: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Light Baits- Shimano Curado 70 MGL: https://bit.ly/3jdrMqa

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Hat: https://bit.ly/31EYB8W

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G

Buyer’s Guide: Best $100 Rod and Reel Combos!

Today’s Buyer’s Guide is about finding the best “bang for the buck” amongst $100 combos. In recent years three brands have really stepped up, offering exception quality and value near the $100 price point. Whether you’re looking for your first quality bass rod, or an entire line up, you can’t go wrong with these three!

With dozens and dozens of brands offering rods and reels in this category, its hard to know which to try. We’ve spent an incredible amount of time trying new gear, getting to know the various models. We’re confident the St. Croix Bass X, Shimano SLX, and Daiwa Aird X, are the best you’ll find in this category. We’ve paired each with the best reels, while attempting to stay near the $100 mark. For those looking to branch out a bit further but don’t want to jump all the way to the $200 mark, we’ve included a bonus combo for you as well. 

You can’t go wrong with any of these lines but if you’re looking for something specific, we’ve included our favorite models from each group. Below you’ll find links to each item that go directly to Tackle Warehouse, where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of the models. We’ve also included a schedule of a few of the upcoming Buyer’s Guides so you can plan ahead. Keep in mind, these videos are going on every day throughout the holiday season so check back constantly to see what’s next!

Upcoming Videos… 

-$200 Rod and Reel Combos

-$400 Rod and Reel Combos

Combo #1…

Rod- Denali Ryker Casting Rods: https://bit.ly/31bKfgp

Reel- Lews Classic Speed Spool: https://bit.ly/2IRMVcB

Favorite Rod Models- 7’ Medium Heavy, 7’ Heavy

Combo #2…

Rod- Shimano Sellus Casting Rods: http://bit.ly/2XNYB3h

Reel- Abu Garcia Black Max: https://bit.ly/396HlO2

Favorite Rod Models- 6’10” medium, 7’2” Medium Heavy, 7’6” Heavy

Combo #3…

Rod- Daiwa Aird X Spinning Rods: http://bit.ly/2P7Z3Vu

Reel- Daiwa Revros LT: http://bit.ly/34nCGCj

Favorite Rod Models- 7’ Medium, 7’ Medium Heavy

Bonus Combo…

Rod- Dobyns Colt Casting Rods: http://bit.ly/2lU0LfV

Reel- 13 Fishing Origin A: https://bit.ly/3ny0I6S

Favorite Rod Models- 7’ Medium Heavy Cranking, 7’3” Heavy

NEW Tactical Bassin Apparel... 

TacticalBassin Hat: https://bit.ly/31EYB8W

TacticalBassin Reaper Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2TwBWs7

TacticalBassin Shadow Hoodie: http://bit.ly/2FVD9Rs

TacticalBassin Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/2TvFMBD

TacticalBassin Hooded Sun Shirt: http://bit.ly/38cVi9G