Ned Rig Fishing on Lake Minnetonka
Lake Minnetonka · Minnesota · Midwest
Minnetonka covers 14,000 acres with 125 miles of shoreline just west of Minneapolis. The lake has excellent water quality and abundant vegetation, supporting strong largemouth populations. Clear water demands natural presentations and light line.
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 Lake Minnetonka
| 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 Lake Minnetonka
Lake: Ice-out typically mid-April. Largemouth spawn in weedy bays. Jerkbaits and finesse plastics on main lake points.
Ned Rig: Deadly on pre-spawn fish holding on gravel and pea-gravel flats in 4–12 feet.
Lake: Largemouth hold in and around vegetation. Drop shot and Ned rig for pressured fish. Smallmouth on main-basin rock structure at 12–20 ft.
Ned Rig: Work deeper rock piles and main lake points. Drag slowly, let it stand. Green pumpkin and watermelon dominate.
Lake: Excellent weed edge bite. Crankbaits and spinnerbaits along outside weed lines.
Ned Rig: One of the best techniques as fish get finicky before winter. Match shad colors on sandy/gravel bottom.
Lake: Ice fishing season December–March. Open water limited.
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 Lake Minnetonka
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