Ned Rig Fishing on Delaware River
Delaware River · Pennsylvania / New Jersey · Northeast
The Delaware River is a free-flowing river system — not an impoundment — defined by moving current, rocky substrate, gravel bars, deep pool transitions, and seasonal shad migrations that drive nearly every bass pattern worth fishing. Water clarity varies dramatically by season and rainfall, ranging from crystal gin-clear during summer low flows to turbid chocolate after spring runoff. Smallmouth bass dominate the main stem, particularly in the upper and middle reaches near the Pennsylvania/New Jersey border, while largemouth push into slower backwater pockets and tributary mouths throughout the drainage.
Ned Rig pairs a 3–4" ElaZtech-style floating plastic (TRD, Finesse TRD, or similar) on a 1/15–1/6 oz mushroom head jig. The bait's buoyancy causes it to stand upright on the bottom, creating a subtle action that triggers bites when nothing else will. Exceptional on hard bottom, gravel, and rock.
Ned Rig Setup for Delaware River
| Rod | 6'10"–7'2" medium-light spinning rod, moderate-fast action |
| Reel | 2500 size spinning reel |
| Line | 10 lb braid + 8 lb fluorocarbon leader |
| Weight | 1/15–1/6 oz mushroom jig head (Z-Man Finesse ShroomZ or similar) |
| Hook | Size 1 or 1/0 wide gap, built into jig head |
Seasonal Tactics on Delaware River
Lake: Pre-spawn smallmouth stage in tail-outs below riffles as water climbs through the 50–58°F range; the American shad run (typically April–May) pulls bass into current seams and eddy lines directly below spawning staging areas. Larger fish tend to hold on the downstream lip of gravel bars in 4–8 ft of water.
Ned Rig: Deadly on pre-spawn fish holding on gravel and pea-gravel flats in 4–12 feet.
Lake: Low, clear summer flows concentrate fish in deep pools (8–15 ft) during midday heat; early mornings see feeding pushes onto adjacent gravel flats and boulder gardens. Topwater — particularly walking baits and poppers — produces aggressively during the first 90 minutes of light in July and August.
Ned Rig: Work deeper rock piles and main lake points. Drag slowly, let it stand. Green pumpkin and watermelon dominate.
Lake: Cooling water in September and October triggers some of the most aggressive smallmouth feeding of the year as fish bulk up before winter; shad and fallfish schools move downstream and bass track them into faster current transitions. Swimbait and swinging soft plastics through deep pool tail-outs can produce fish over 4 lbs.
Ned Rig: One of the best techniques as fish get finicky before winter. Match shad colors on sandy/gravel bottom.
Lake: Cold water below 45°F pushes bass into the deepest, slowest pools where they hold nearly motionless; a drop-shot or finesse football jig worked at 10–18 ft with long pauses is the most reliable presentation. Most of the river fishes poorly from late December through February, but reliable deep pools near Easton and Washington Crossing hold fish through the season.
Ned Rig: Best cold-water finesse technique after drop shot. Extremely slow drag on hard bottom near deep structure.
Best Conditions
Clear water, hard and rocky bottoms, post-cold-front, heavily pressured fish, any season except peak summer spawn
Use Z-Man ElaZtech plastics exclusively — they float and are nearly indestructible. Regular soft plastics sink and kill the technique.
More Techniques for Delaware River
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