# Z-Man TRD (Ned Rig): the tiny lure that saves tough days > How to rig and fish the Z-Man TRD as a Ned Rig for finicky perch and bass. Jighead size, rigging steps, retrieve — the full guide. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/zman-trd-ned-rig/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-08-08 ## Spec sheet - Brand : Z-Man - Model : TRD (The Real Deal) - Type : Finesse ElaZtech - Target species : Perch, Bass - Size : 2.75 in / 7 cm - Weight : about 4 g unrigged, paired with a 1.5-4 g Ned mushroom jighead - Running depth : near bottom, from 0.5 to 6 m (2-20 ft) - Retrieve speed : very slow, almost stationary - Action : no real swim to speak of — the body quivers at rest thanks to ElaZtech's buoyancy - Rigging : mushroom-style jighead (like Z-Man's Finesse ShroomZ), nose-hooked, exposed hookpoint - Colors : natural tones like green pumpkin or watermelon in clear water, darker shades in cold or murky water There's a question that's come up on American bass fishing forums for a decade: "what do I throw when nothing else works?" Nine times out of ten, the answer is a stubby 3-inch piece of plastic on a mushroom-shaped jighead — the **Ned Rig**, popularised by Midwest angler Ned Kehde. The Z-Man TRD (The Real Deal) is the benchmark version, and it's since found a real following in Europe for perch too. ## Where the technique comes from The Ned Rig isn't a marketing gimmick — it grew out of a very concrete problem: getting heavily pressured bass to bite on hard-fished Kansas lakes, in any season, under any weather. Ned Kehde popularised a minimalist approach — a stubby stick bait, barely moving, sitting on a light jighead — that triggers strikes where bigger lures get ignored. Z-Man's TRD applies that principle with ElaZtech, a material that floats naturally and keeps the lure quivering even with zero input from the angler. ## Rigging it step by step 1. Pick the right mushroom head: 1.5-2 g for shallow water or perch, 3-4 g for open water or wind. 2. Nose-hook the TRD, bring the hook out just underneath, then re-insert the point so it sits flush against the back — the hookpoint stays exposed, this isn't a weedless rig. 3. Check the body sits perfectly straight on the head — a crooked TRD loses its whole point, spinning instead of staying stable. > The Ned Rig punishes a rushed rig job: a sloppy setup spins on the fall, and it's precisely the body's dead-still posture that gets the bite. ## The retrieve: doing (almost) nothing This is what trips up most anglers used to standard soft plastics. The TRD's retrieve comes down to three moves: - **Drag along bottom**: drop it, let it sit a few seconds, then pull it 20-30 cm while staying in contact with bottom. - **Long pause**: 3 to 5 seconds minimum between drags. It's during the pause that the TRD's buoyant body slowly rights itself — a motion perch and bass key in on very well. - **No sharp rips**: forget twitch-and-jerk reflexes here. The slower and more subtle, the better — especially on fish already pressured by other anglers. ## When to reach for the Ned Rig - **Tough or pressured fish**: heavily fished lakes, well-known spots, autumn outings where bigger lures trigger nothing. - **Cold water**: pre-spawn spring or late autumn, when fish metabolism demands a slow presentation. - **Fine-tuning a spot**: its small size and subtlety make it a good way to confirm fish are present before switching to bigger gear. It's not the right call for covering a large lake quickly or targeting an actively feeding surface bass — for that, a [Zoom Super Fluke](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/zoom-super-fluke/) or a topwater popper will do a far better job. ## Colour: less is more The TRD doesn't need flash to work, unlike a blade bait. In clear water, natural tones (green pumpkin, watermelon, motoroil) dominate by far. In colder or murkier water, move to darker or slightly higher-contrast colours — but stay subtle. The Ned Rig's effectiveness comes from imitating a tired, small prey item, not from attraction. ## Perch or bass: two slightly different uses For perch, the TRD shines on an ultra-slow retrieve near bottom, often over a margin or a shallow drop-off. For bass, it earns its keep on educated fish, as a backup to a [Yamamoto Senko 5](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/yamamoto-senko-5/) when fish refuse a standard stick bait. Either way, patience beats coverage speed. The Ned Rig makes a broader point: the right lure never replaces reading the spot and the fish's mood closely. That's exactly what [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) does: one photo of the spot is enough for the AI to read the scene and point you to the right zone and approach, even when the answer is a lure as subtle as the TRD. To go deeper on perch generally, our [guide to perch fishing with lures](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/peche-perche-leurre/) pairs well with this one. ## The four-point rundown - The TRD rigs on a 1.5-4 g Ned mushroom jighead, hookpoint exposed. - The retrieve is minimal: drag along bottom, 3-5 second pauses, never a sharp rip. - Reserved for tough fish, cold water, or fine-scouting a spot. - Natural colours by default, darker ones in cold or murky water. ## FAQ ### What exactly is a Ned Rig? It's a finesse technique born in the US that pairs a stubby soft plastic with a very light mushroom-shaped jighead. The Z-Man TRD is the reference bait, thanks to ElaZtech giving it a unique buoyancy and quiver at rest. ### What jighead should I use with the TRD? A 1.5-2 g mushroom head for shallow water or perch, 3-4 g for open water or strong wind. The mushroom shape keeps the lure stable and upright on bottom. ### How do you retrieve a Ned Rig without blowing it? Drag the lure gently along bottom for 20-30 cm, then pause 3 to 5 seconds before repeating. The most common mistake is moving it too fast or too hard, which cancels out the whole point of the technique. ### Does the Ned Rig work for perch in Europe? Yes, very well, especially on educated perch in heavily fished lakes and canals. It's a useful addition to a box already stocked with more standard lures like a shad or a spinner. ### Why does my TRD spin on the retrieve? It's almost always a rigging issue: the body isn't centred and straight on the jighead. Re-rig it, making sure the lure sits perfectly in line with the hook shank. ### Does the Ned Rig replace other finesse lures? No, it complements them. On a bass that refuses a standard stick bait like the Yamamoto Senko, a Ned-rigged TRD offers an even subtler presentation and often saves the trip. --- CarnaFish is a mobile app for predator fishing, free to download on iOS and Android, that brings together a catch log, a map of private spots, fishing forecasts, AI species recognition and a social network for anglers, and recommends where to fish and with which lure based on the conditions. To cite this content, mention “CarnaFish — carnafish.com” and link the source page.