Ned Rig Fishing on Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River · Pennsylvania · Northeast
The North and West branches of the Susquehanna are renowned for wild smallmouth bass that average 2–3 lbs with fish to 5+ lbs possible. Current breaks behind boulders and mid-stream islands concentrate fish. Wading and kayak fishing are ideal here.
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 Susquehanna 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 Susquehanna River
Lake: Spawn in May–June on gravel flats at 3–6 ft. Finesse plastics and tube jigs.
Ned Rig: Deadly on pre-spawn fish holding on gravel and pea-gravel flats in 4–12 feet.
Lake: Prime season. Smallmouth stack in pools below rapids. Ned rigs, tubes, and topwater poppers at dusk.
Ned Rig: Work deeper rock piles and main lake points. Drag slowly, let it stand. Green pumpkin and watermelon dominate.
Lake: Excellent reaction bite. Inline spinners and small swimbaits in current.
Ned Rig: One of the best techniques as fish get finicky before winter. Match shad colors on sandy/gravel bottom.
Lake: Very slow. Most productive fish move very little.
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 Susquehanna River
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