Soft Plastic Ned Baits

Ned baits are built for controlled fall, clean bottom contact, and easy “do less” bites—especially when bass and walleye want a smaller profile that still moves water. Use the guide below to choose the right length (2.5"–3.5"), profile, and color—then lock in your cadence based on current, wind, and how fast you want the bait to settle.

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Category page • quick answers + rig setups

Start with fall rate (your speed control), then pick length/profile, then tune color for visibility.

What are Soft Plastic Ned Baits?

Soft Plastic Ned Baits are compact soft plastics meant to fish “honestly”—controlled fall, bottom contact, and small movements that look like food without needing speed. In this category you’ll find traditional straight neds, tapered and split-tail styles, paddle-tail neds, ned craws, and the Medusa-style skirted pre-rigged option (plus replacement skirts).

Best use case: when you want bites to come from pause, hover, or tiny hops—not from burning the bait.

Fall rate first: your speed control lever

With ned fishing, fall rate is how you decide “how loud” the bait feels in the water. A slower fall lets fish study it, follow it, and eat it on the stall. A faster fall is how you punch through wind/current and keep contact so you can repeat the exact same movement.

Slower fall: lighter head, more buoyant plastic, smaller profile, longer pauses.
Faster fall: heavier head, denser plastic, slightly longer bait, shorter pauses.
Bottom feel: if you can’t tell rock vs sand vs weed, you’re usually too light or too slack.

Ned jig head w/ keeper EWG jig head

Length & profile picker (2.5"–3.5")

Use length as your “commitment” control. Shorter stays subtle and keeps the hook point close to the bite. Longer gives you a more visible meal and a longer tail section that can keep moving even when the head is parked.

2.5": pressured fish, calmer water, smaller forage, tighter bites.
3.0": the confidence middle—easy casting, easy contact, easy to repeat.
3.5": more current/wind, slightly deeper lanes, or when walleye want a fuller mouthful.

Profile map: straight/traditional = neutral; tapered/reaper = glide + tail kick on pause; paddle tail = slow roll option; craw = claws on micro hops; skirted = “bigger without longer.”

Color = visibility control (not “match the hatch”)

Choose color based on how easy you want it to be for fish to find the bait at your chosen fall rate. When you slow the fall, you can usually go more natural. When you speed the fall (wind/current), a touch more contrast often helps fish track it.

Clear water: natural greens/browns, subtle flakes, lower contrast.
Stain: darker back + lighter belly, green pumpkin / black / “shadow” colors.
Low light: black, dark purple, or high-contrast two-tone.

If bites are “following but not eating,” often your fall rate is right but the color contrast is wrong.

Where it shines for bass + walleye

Ned baits shine when fish want a bite they don’t have to chase. For bass, it’s a “get bit anywhere” tool that still rewards precision. For walleye, it’s a bottom-contact snack that can be hovered, dragged, or hopped without looking unnatural.

Bass: rock, sand patches, scattered grass edges, docks, and transition lines.
Walleye: rock transitions, gravel, current seams, and edges where a slow presentation matters.

When & where to use (boat → river → bank → docks)

You don’t need fancy electronics to fish a ned well—you need repeatable casts and honest feedback from the bottom.

Boat (no electronics): pick a shoreline stretch and “grid” casts. Let fall rate tell you depth and bottom type.
River: cast up/current, let it pendulum, then drag and re-lift. Keep enough weight to stay informed.
Bank: fish angles. Let it fall on semi-slack, then crawl it back until you find the “bite zone.”
Docks: skip and let it settle. Most bites happen on the first pause after it lands.

Category is NOT

It’s not a “burn it back” bait—if you want speed, choose a different profile.
It’s not made for thick matted vegetation where you can’t keep the head clean.
It’s not a one-cast magic trick—ned fishing works when you repeat the same clean fall and pause.
It’s not always the best choice for giant, aggressive bites—upsizing or switching categories can be smarter.

The deadstick pause (the “do less” bite)

Where: edges of rock, sand-to-weed transitions, dock shade lines.

Setup: cast, let it fall on semi-slack, then keep just enough tension to feel “alive.”

Cadence: fall → pause 3–8 seconds → tiny lift → pause again.

When: pressured fish, clear water, high visibility days, or anytime bites come on the stall.

Drag & glide (cover water without looking busy)

Where: flats with scattered rock, gradual breaks, gravel lanes for walleye.

Setup: keep the rod low; move the bait with the reel more than the rod.

Cadence: slow drag 1–3 feet → stop → let it settle → repeat.

When: when you need to “scan” for the right bottom or find fish that are roaming.

Keeper ned head

Micro hop & stall (trigger without leaving the zone)

Where: rock piles, isolated cover, current seams.

Setup: keep your line angle shallow; choose weight so the bait returns to bottom quickly.

Cadence: 2–4 inch hop → immediate slack → watch/feel → repeat.

When: when fish are near bottom but need a “blink” of movement to commit.

Swim a paddle-tail ned (slow roll that still stays small)

Where: along weed edges, over rock-to-sand transitions, and through light current.

Setup: pick a head that tracks straight; keep the rod tip slightly up.

Cadence: steady slow roll → 1-second kill → resume.

When: when fish are willing to chase a little, but you still want the “ned size” bite.

EWG jig head

Medusa skirt pulse (bigger look, same footprint)

Where: docks, rock edges, and spots where fish see a lot of “regular” neds.

Setup: let the skirt do the work—avoid overworking the rod.

Cadence: fall → pause → tiny shake (1–2 seconds) → pause again.

When: when you want presence and pulse without increasing length.

Medusa pre-rigged

Best by conditions

Clear + calm: slower fall, 2.5"–3.0", natural color, longer pauses.
Clear + wind: slightly faster fall for contact, add contrast, shorten pauses.
Stained water: darker or higher-contrast color, keep cadence simple (drag/stop).
Current (river): enough weight to stay informed; cast up/current and pendulum.
Heavy pressure: deadstick and micro hops; keep your movements smaller than you think.

The 5-step checklist (Size → Profile → Fall Rate → Cadence → Adjust)

Size: start 3.0" for coverage; drop to 2.5" for tight bites; go 3.5" when wind/current or walleye want more meal.
Profile: choose neutral (traditional) to “test”; switch to tapered/reaper for glide; paddle tail to swim; craw for bottom flare; skirted to add pulse.
Fall Rate: pick the head that lets you feel bottom without racing out of the strike zone.
Cadence: choose one cadence (deadstick, drag, micro hop) and repeat it cleanly.
Adjust: change only one lever at a time—usually fall rate or color contrast first.

Weather-based selection (no calendar)

Wind up: speed your fall just enough to keep contact; tighten your pause window.
High sun: lean on shade lines (docks/rock edges) and longer deadsticks.
Clouds/low light: more contrast color, slightly more movement (micro hops).
Rising current: cast up/current and pendulum; let current “animate” the tail.

Tips for clean contact & hookups

Feel first: if you can’t feel bottom, your cadence becomes guessing.
Pause with intention: most bites happen when the bait stops doing “new things.”
Line angle: keep it shallow when possible—better feel, fewer snags, cleaner hooksets.
Hookset: reel down and pull—don’t snap. Let the rod load and keep pressure.

Want a quick reference for other bass setups that pair well with this category? Use the rig guide here: https://qwikfishing.com/best-bass-fishing-rigs/

Common mistakes + fast fixes

Mistake: working it too hard. Fix: cut your movement in half and double the pause.
Mistake: too light to feel. Fix: bump fall rate until you can identify bottom.
Mistake: changing everything at once. Fix: change one lever—usually fall rate first.
Mistake: slack line on the pause. Fix: keep “semi-slack” so you can detect pressure bites.
Mistake: wrong profile for the job. Fix: neutral to locate fish, then switch profiles to trigger.

Quick builds for bass & walleye

Bass confidence: 3.0" traditional/tapered + keeper head + deadstick/drag.

Walleye confidence: 3.5" tapered/reaper or craw + enough head weight for steady bottom contact + drag/stop.

“Different look” build: skirted Medusa + subtle pulse cadence around docks and rock edges.

Keeper ned head Medusa pre-rigged

Maintenance & Storage

Store flat in the original bag to preserve shape. Keep dark colors separate to avoid bleeding. Compatible with most gel scents.

Gel scent option

Plastics Recycling

Don't toss torn baits, recycle or dispose of properly. Learn more here: https://qwikfishing.com/recycling/

FAQs (quick answers)

Do ned baits work for walleye, or are they mostly for bass?
They work great for walleye—especially when you keep consistent bottom contact and use a simple drag/stop cadence.

What length should I start with in this category?
Start at 3.0" for the widest coverage, then drop to 2.5" for tighter bites or go 3.5" when wind/current or walleye want a bigger meal.

What’s the #1 thing that makes a ned bait get bit?
A clean, controlled fall into a pause. Most bites come when the bait stops and looks “easy.”

How do I know if my head is too light?
If you can’t consistently feel bottom or you lose track of the bait in wind/current, bump up fall rate until you can stay informed.

When should I use a tapered/reaper tail instead of a straight body?
When you want glide on the fall and tail movement on the pause without adding more speed to the retrieve.

When does a paddle-tail ned make sense?
When fish will chase a little and you want a slow-roll option while still keeping a compact “ned” bite size.

Are skirted ned baits just for looks?
No—skirts add pulse on the pause and give a larger silhouette without needing a longer bait, which can help when fish are seeing a lot of regular neds.

What’s the simplest cadence to start with?
Cast, let it fall, pause 3–6 seconds, then tiny lift and pause again. Repeat that same clean cycle before changing anything.

What’s a fast way to change the “look” without changing size?
Keep the same length and switch profile (traditional ↔ tapered/reaper ↔ craw) or adjust color contrast.

Can I fish these from the bank effectively?
Yes—bank ned fishing shines when you work angles, keep semi-slack on the fall, and slow down on the first clean bottom contact.