with Kevin VanDam
I’m often asked what new tactic or lure I’ve learned about this past season. I knew some things about the Neko rig, which wasn’t new. However, I’ve spent more time with the Neko and learned how effective it can be this past year. The Neko rig – a very-versatile tactic – is made by simply putting a portion of a nail in a wacky-rigged worm. I’ve started using this rig on a Strike King Ocho, a fat, plastic worm that most people rig wacky style. I’ll cast it out and let it fall to the bottom. I’ve also used the Neko rig on a Rage Tail Cut-R Worm.
I’ll use a 1/16- to a 3/16-ounce Neko weight in the heads of these two worms. That Neko weight will make these two worms fall head-first like Texas-rigged worms, and then when you pull them up, they will wiggle like wacky-rigged worms. So, when you lift up on a worm rigged Neko style, you’re getting that fast fall of the Texas-rigged worm, which can cause a bass to bite. This rig gives you the liveliness of the wacky-rigged worm too. Then when the worm hits the bottom, you can jerk the worm up from the bottom, and both ends of the worm will wiggle. This practice makes each worm look different from what the bass are accustomed to seeing, and it can be very effective in many situations.
