5 Tips for Neko Rigging Worms for Summer Bass

A Neko-rigged worm on a weedless hook ranks right up there with a wacky rig and drop shot for versatility and effectiveness when chasing pressured or otherwise tentative bass. Dan Quinn shares his unique rigging method that reduces losing plastic worms while also delivering a tantalizing bait action.

Quinn’s 5 tips for more efficient Neko rigging:

Use a Neko rig during a tough bite, specifically, after tuning up a school of fish using more aggressive presentations, when bass are conditioned due to pressure, or just in a plain bad mood. Bass can’t resist the undulating action of a worm being crawled and shaken across the bottom — this makes the Neko rig a top performer when bass are targeting bottom forage.
Use a Crossover Ring to reduce soft plastics consumption while delivering a better action. The unique VMC Crossover Ring comes in a range of diameters to mate snuggly with just about any plastic. Its wider tubing firmly fits the plastic without cutting it. Additionally, the perpendicular hook channels are designed to secure the hook without penetrating the worm. All of these attributes contribute to less worm tear and throwing from the hook.
Position the Crossover Ring further up on the worm (away from the weight). Quinn feels that placing the Crossover Ring and hook further away from the weight produces a unique backward glide action to the worm, a powerful trigger for trailing fish.
Use a smooth “reel set” to drive hooks home. A conventional solid hookset is unnecessary and risks breaking the line with a Neko rig. Instead, reel quickly while sweeping the rod to drive the light-wire hook home upon detecting a bite.
Use a medium power spinning rod with a braided mainline and fluorocarbon leader. Spinning gear delivers the ultimate in sensitivity for this finesse setup. The result is a more natural presentation while still retaining the power necessary to set the hook and fight bass confidently.