Ned Rig Fishing on Round Valley Reservoir
Round Valley Reservoir · New Jersey · Northeast
Round Valley Reservoir sits in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, impounded in the early 1960s and reaching depths exceeding 180 feet — making it the deepest lake in the state. The fishery is defined by steep rocky shorelines, minimal shallow-water structure, and gin-clear water that rewards finesse presentations over power fishing. Smallmouth bass are the primary target for bass anglers, with the population skewing toward quality over numbers.
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 Round Valley Reservoir
| 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 Round Valley Reservoir
Lake: Smallmouth move onto the shallowest available rocky points and riprap stretches as water temps climb through the low 50s into the low 60s — typically April into early May. A drop shot or finesse jig in 8–18 ft produces well during this window before spawning activity peaks.
Ned Rig: Deadly on pre-spawn fish holding on gravel and pea-gravel flats in 4–12 feet.
Lake: Post-spawn fish retreat quickly to deeper structure in 25–50 ft as the reservoir stratifies. Suspended smallmouth over the thermocline respond to ned rigs and tube jigs fished on drop shots, but locating the right depth band is the whole game.
Ned Rig: Work deeper rock piles and main lake points. Drag slowly, let it stand. Green pumpkin and watermelon dominate.
Lake: Cooling water pulls fish shallower again through September and October, and this is arguably the most productive topwater window on the reservoir — walking baits and small poppers near rocky points at first light can draw aggressive surface strikes from quality smallmouth.
Ned Rig: One of the best techniques as fish get finicky before winter. Match shad colors on sandy/gravel bottom.
Lake: Round Valley stays open year-round and offers a legitimate winter smallmouth bite for anglers willing to fish slow and deep. Blade baits like a 1/2 oz Swedish Pimple or a jigging spoon worked vertically in 30–50 ft over main-lake structure are the most consistent cold-water producers.
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 Round Valley Reservoir
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