Neko Rig

The Neko Rig offers a tantalizing, vertical-dropping action that draws aggressive strikes from bottom-hugging bass in high-pressure waters.

Knot

Palomar Knot

Target Depth

3-25 ft

Target Species

Largemouth BassSmallmouth BassSpotted Bass

Where To Use It

LakePondFlooded TimberDocksRock Piles

How To Tie / Assemble

1Insert a nail weight into the head of your soft plastic stick bait.
2Slide a small rubber O-ring around the middle of the stick bait to prevent the hook from tearing the soft plastic.
3Tie a size 1 or 1/0 Neko-style finesse hook to your leader using a Palomar knot.
4Pass the hook point through the rubber O-ring, ensuring the hook point is exposed and facing toward the tail of the bait.
5Verify the lure balances correctly by letting it hang from the hook to ensure it sits at a slight angle.

Recommended Baits

6-inch Straight Tail Worm (e.g., Yamamoto Senko)

The standard choice for Neko rigging; its high salt content and fall rate create an irresistible shimmy that triggers reaction strikes.

Finesse Worm with Bulbous Tail (e.g., Zoom Trick Worm)

Ideal for pressured water where a subtle profile is needed; the tail vibrations attract bass during a slow crawl along the bottom.

Creature Bait with Appendages (e.g., Missile Baits Ned Bomb)

Use when targeting bass feeding on crawfish; the ribbed body and floating tail create a defensive posture that mimics a bottom-dwelling crustacean.

Ribbed Stick Bait (e.g., Big Bite Baits Trick Stick)

The ribbed texture displaces more water and holds scent better, making it highly effective for fishing in stained water conditions.

Soft Plastic Fluke or Shad Body

Best for imitating baitfish; when rigged with a nail weight in the nose, it provides a unique darting action that mimics a dying minnow.

How To Use It

Cast the rig near cover or structure, letting it sink on a semi-slack line to maintain the unique vertical shimmy. Once it hits the bottom, use small, subtle twitches of the rod tip to make the lure stand up and 'dance' in place without moving it forward too quickly. The most common bite occurs on the initial fall or when the lure is sitting motionless on the bottom.

Why the Palomar Knot

Provides maximum knot strength and ensures the hook sits perfectly perpendicular to the line for optimal hook-up ratios.

Gear & Setup

6-8lb fluorocarbon leader on a 10-15lb braid mainline, 1/16 to 1/8 oz tungsten nail weight, size 1 or 1/0 weedless finesse hook, 4-6 inch soft plastic stick bait (like a Senko or worm).

Best Conditions

Post-spawn through fall in clear to slightly stained water, particularly when fish are lethargic or heavily pressured and ignoring traditional Texas rigs.

Species You'll Catch On This Rig

Largemouth Bass

The ultimate American freshwater predator, the Largemouth Bass is the king of shallow-water structure and aggressive strikes.

Smallmouth Bass

The pound-for-pound king of North American freshwater, renowned for explosive aerial leaps and dogged, drag-screaming fights.

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