Finesse rig for bass and perch
Neko rig: nail weight, hook and retrieve
On a neko rig a small nail weight sits in the head of a stick bait and the hook in the front third. The bait sinks nose first, stands on the bottom and wags its tail: finesse right on the bottom, even in deeper water.
When the neko rig fits
- Before and after the spawn Bass like to feed close to the bottom then, and the neko rig stays right there. It still catches all year, in open water too.
- Deeper than the wacky rig The nail weight gets the worm to the bottom in 10 feet and more. Typical spots are main lake points, ledges and grass lines.
- Hard structure on the bottom Dock pilings, bridge piers, boulder fields, stumps and shell beds. The head feels the bottom while the tail plays above it.
- When shaky head and Texas rig stop working The neko rig shows fish a different look from the usual bottom rigs and often still gets bites when those are ignored.
How to build it
- Set up the line: spinning rod with thin braid of about 10 to 20 lb and a fluorocarbon leader of 6 to 12 lb, at least about 3 feet long. Or use straight fluorocarbon.
- Pick the nail weight: mostly 1/32 to 1/8 oz. Go as light as you can while still feeling the bottom, in deep water and wind up to about 1/4 oz. Tungsten is smaller than lead at the same weight.
- Put a drop of super glue on the weight and push it into the head of the stick bait so it stays put on the cast and in the fight. Weights with a wide head stay outside and give more feel on rock and shell.
- Slide the O-ring into roughly the front third, toward the weighted head.
- Push a straight shank neko hook, about size 2 to 1/0, between ring and plastic. It runs in line with the bait, with the point facing the unweighted tail. Use a weedless hook around wood and grass.
- Tie the hook to the leader with a Palomar knot.
- Cast and watch the line on the fall, many bites come on the first drop. Drag it on the bottom, hop it or let it sit on a slack line. On a bite, tighten the line and set the hook by reeling instead of a big sweep.
Variants
- Weedless Run the hook through the bait, turn it and bury the point back in the plastic. That lets you pitch the neko rig into holes in reeds and grass.
- Lighter for a slower fall When fish sit higher in the water, go lighter. The bait spirals down more slowly and also reaches suspended fish.
- Heavier for bottom contact In depth, current or wind choose a heavier weight so the head stays on the bottom and you feel the structure.
- Wacky rig No weight and the hook in the middle: the bait sinks level and slowly, ideal for shallow water under cover.
Quick questions
How heavy should the weight be on a neko rig?
Light enough that you can just feel the bottom, mostly 1/32 to 1/8 oz. In deep water and wind it can be heavier.
Which way does the hook face on a neko rig?
The point faces the tail without the weight. Fish usually take that free end, so the hook is in the right place on the hookset.
Neko rig or wacky rig?
The wacky rig for shallow water and a slow, level fall under cover. The neko rig for the bottom, for more depth and for hard structure.
Next
Rules of thumb from practice, strengths as guide values, no products.
Sources (3)
- outdoorlife.com/fishing/how-to-fish-neko-rig/
- tacklewarehouse.com/bass-fishing/gear-guides/neko-rig-patterns-techniq
- floridasportsman.com/editorial/neko-rig-bass-fishing-lures/520961
Last checked 2026-10-25. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].
In Germany, closed seasons and minimum sizes are set by each state and can be stricter for single waters. All German rules by state, with the legal source. Outside Germany, the local rules apply: licence and agency by country.
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