Here's how to set it up properly.
What the Ned Shrimp Is (And Why It Works)
The Ned Shrimp is a compact, shrimp-shaped soft plastic — typically 2.5 to 3.5 inches — rigged on a light mushroom-style or stand-up jig head. It works because it presents a small, unthreatening profile that falls slowly and twitches realistically. Fish don't have to work hard to eat it. Even lethargic, post-frontal bass will commit to this presentation when they won't touch anything else.
Gear Setup
- Rod: 6'8" to 7'2" medium-light to medium spinning rod with a fast tip. You want sensitivity for detecting soft bites and enough backbone to set the hook cleanly.
- Reel: 2500 to 3000 size spinning reel with a smooth drag
- Line: 8–10 lb fluorocarbon, or 10 lb braid to a 6–8 lb fluorocarbon leader. Fluorocarbon is the better choice in clear water.
- Jig head: 1/16 to 1/8 oz, 1/0 to 2/0 hook. Match weight to depth — lighter for shallow clear water, slightly heavier if you need to maintain bottom contact in current.
How to Rig It
- Select your jig head — the head size should allow the body of the shrimp to seat flush without bunching up.
- Push the hook point through the nose of the soft plastic, thread it halfway down the body, then bring the point out the belly.
- Slide the bait up onto the head until it sits snug and straight. A bait that rides crooked will spin and kill the action.
- Check the tail is free and oriented upward or at 45 degrees for natural movement on the fall.
How to Fish It
Cast to your target, let it fall on a semi-slack line, and watch your line as it falls — most bites come on the drop. Once it touches bottom, give it a few gentle hops and let it settle again. Don't overwork it. The natural action of the bait is doing the work; your job is to put it in the right place and get out of the way.
Color selection keeps it simple: natural shades (watermelon, green pumpkin, brown) in clear water, slightly brighter options in stained or low-light conditions.
Ebb N Flow Outdoors jig heads are a strong match for Ned Shrimp presentations — balanced heads, chemically sharpened hooks, and the right gap sizes to maximize hookup ratios on these subtle bites.
🎣 Shop the Gear
The ned shrimp jig heads from Ebb N Flow Outdoors:
- ➤ The Upgrade – Multi-Purpose Jig Head — 1/16 to 1/8 oz with 1/0 or 2/0 hook. Balanced head for shrimp imitations. Chemically sharpened for those subtle bites.
- ➤ ZMAN Salty Ned ShrimpZ™ — Built for exactly this application. Salt-impregnated ElaZtech body, shrimp profile that fishes naturally on light jig heads.
- ➤ The Full Arsenal Kit — All three head styles for every finesse scenario.
Light weight. Sharp hooks. Natural action. Built for finesse.