Innovative Rapala VMC Products Fuel Refinements To Finesse Bass Tactics

Today, finesse fishing techniques like Ned rigging and moping (aka hanging a minnow) are some of the best ways to catch largemouth and smallmouth bass. Despite having been around for decades, these subtle, natural finesse presentations remain effective thanks, in part, to the infusion of new, innovative tackle coming to market, such as VMC’s finesse jigs and CrushCity’s premium soft baits.

There’s a lot of buzz about the best bait for Ned rigging — we’ll get to CrushCity’s Ned BLT momentarily — but what some anglers fail to appreciate is how critical using the right jig is for consistent success with this finesse presentation. 

A finesse jig for a Ned bait needs to complement and securely hold the plastic. It also shouldn’t interfere with its action, which is an unfortunate reality for those choosing to Ned rig using a jig with a long-shanked hook, which stiffens more of the bait than necessary. 

More, a cutting-edge Ned rig jig also needs to be versatile and suitable for fishing a range of bass habitats. Not to mention have the hooking power to stick and hold giant smallmouth and largemouth. 

These qualities are just a few of the key priorities behind the VMC’s creation of the Swingin’ Ned Rig Jig, Ned Rig Jig and Finesse Football Jig. Carry these jigs, and you’ll be prepared to coax bites and catch big bass throughout Canada. 

Traditionally, avoiding snags when Ned-rigging around vegetation hinged on using a light jig. Not anymore. The Swingin’ Ned Jig’s adjustable fluorocarbon keeper allows for weedless rigging with the Ned BLT and other finesse baits when targeting bass relating to cabbage, milfoil, sand grass and other vegetation. Standard jig rigging, too, is easily done with this gem of a jig.

The Swingin’ Ned Jig’s articulated head design is also a standout feature. It encourages Ned and other floating finesse baits to stand straight up on the bottom. With this jig tied on, anglers can now “go heavy” when Ned rigging, using a 1/4- or 3/8-ounce Swingin’ Ned Jig to make longer casts, maintain better bottom contact and target deep fish without sacrificing action.

The Ned Rig Jig features a fixed hook with a hybrid gap that’s wider than what’s typically found with traditional finesse-style jig hooks. As a result, the Ned Rig Jig delivers superior hook sets and exceptional strength

Also a hit with anglers is the Ned Rig Jig’s innovative beveled edge conical keeper, which is delivers a rock-solid hold on Super TPE and PVC plastics — even after prolonged use and multiple fish catches. Excellent for pairing with the Ned BLT, as well as finesse swimbaits, like The Suspect, and curl-tail grubs, like the Creeper. 

Pair the Finesse Football Jig with a Ned BLT in Goby or a Green Pumpkin pattern, and you’ve got a sensational finesse presentation for neutral to inactive bass relating to sand, clay and rocky bottom areas. This jig’s also outstanding for small tubes and finesse minnows.

The Finesse Football Jig’s oblong head allows it to slide across snags. Its noggin’s shape also responsible for evoking a side-to-side action from finesse plastics. 

The Finesse Football Jig is also outstanding for power-finesse techniques, such as rip-jigging a Ned BLT or The Jerk across the bottom to trigger a reaction strike from bass. A slow, drag-pause retrieve along the floor with a 3.5-inch Cleanup Craw and Finesse Football Jig combination is another deadly option for giant smallmouth and largemouth.    

Returning to the promise to divulge the best Ned rig bait, let’s take a closer look at the CrushCity Ned BLT. This 3-inch tapered worm refines and improves upon the popular Ned-bait archetype, and is loaded with all of the best attributes necessary for finessing bigger bites when the fishing is tough. 

Super TPE makes the Ned BLT extremely durable, buoyant and super-flexible.The high-floating characteristics of this bait allow it to stand-up on a 1/4-ounce Ned Rig Jig or Swingin’ Ned Jig. 

The Ned BLT is also salt- and scent-infused to trigger more bites and encourage bass to hold on — a crucial element under the tough conditions where the Ned Rig usually prevails — and the 16 custom colours are specifically developed to match any forage base you might encounter across Canada.

Pro Tip: Looking for a Ned-rigging setup? You can’t go wrong with a 13 Fishing spinning rod between 6’10” to 7’6” from the Fate Black, Meta-G, Omen Gold or Omen Black collections paired an Axum, Aerios or Kalon C reel spooled with 10- to 15-pound Sufix Advance 832 with a 6- to 12-pound Advanced Fluorocarbon Leader. 

The Jerk is a versatile jerk shad style of bait that excels at various bass presentations, from vertical “moping” to casting for bass located using forward-facing sonar. Super TPE gives The Jerk similar benefits discussed above. Its tapered, forked tail quivers with the slightest movement, just like a nervous minnow, for instance. 

The lifelike features don’t stop there. Smart Injection Technology’s precise control of Super TPE, salt, scent and other materials has allowed Rapala to give The Jerk scales, fins and others incredibly realistic features. It also comes in 13 natural to attractor colour patters for any water conditions. 

Pro Tip: The 2.5 inch Creeper twister-tail grub and 2.75 inch The Suspect swimbait are two other CrushCity baits you need to own when when conditions call for a downsized, finesse approach. Learn more in these blogs and videos about the Creeper  and The Suspect.

Bass finesse fishing techniques are arguably more popular today than ever before. This isn’t surprising given increasing water clarity on many Canadian lakes and rivers, a pandemic-fuelled boom angler numbers and growing reliance on forward-facing sonar. Set yourself up for steady bass success this season by ensuring you’re using the most cutting-edge finesse fishing tools for the job, and are well stocked with the Swingin’ Ned Jig, Ned Rig Jig, Finesse Football Jig along with the Ned BLT and The Jerk CrushCity soft baits.