Ned Rig Fishing on J. Percy Priest Lake
J. Percy Priest Lake · Tennessee · Southeast
This expansive Tennessee reservoir spans over 14,000 acres, characterized by deep, clear water, steep bluff walls, rocky points, and abundant cedar trees in its upper reaches. It's a consistent producer for both largemouth and smallmouth bass, with spotted bass also present and often overlooked.
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 J. Percy Priest Lake
| 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 J. Percy Priest Lake
Lake: Bass move to shallow rock and secondary points for spawning, with jerkbaits like a Megabass Vision 110 and football jigs being highly effective as water temperatures climb into the 50s and 60s.
Ned Rig: Deadly on pre-spawn fish holding on gravel and pea-gravel flats in 4–12 feet.
Lake: During the summer, bass hold on deep ledges, humps, and submerged timber, often suspending over structure in 20-40 feet of water, requiring thorough sonar work and deep cranking or dragging baits.
Ned Rig: Work deeper rock piles and main lake points. Drag slowly, let it stand. Green pumpkin and watermelon dominate.
Lake: Shad schools draw bass into creek arms and main lake points, where topwater presentations and spinnerbaits can be highly productive, especially during periods of generation or overcast skies.
Ned Rig: One of the best techniques as fish get finicky before winter. Match shad colors on sandy/gravel bottom.
Lake: Deep suspended bass near channel swings and bluff walls respond to slow-rolled swimbaits, vertical jigging spoons, and finesse techniques in water under 50 degrees, often holding in 30-60 feet.
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 J. Percy Priest Lake
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