We’ve all been there: total confusion when a bass freak starts spouting fishing jargon as if it were common knowledge, and your head starts spinning from all the kickback rigs, Texas rigs, and free rigs. Okay, I admit I have a bit of a problem with digressing into fishing jargon. But I’ll do my best, I promise!
Carolina Rig, Texas Rig, or Ned Rig?
So, where should we start, with the classic Carolina rig or the Texas rig? No, my choice is the Ned rig. This is a flattened jig head with a floating lure so that the whole thing hangs horizontally above the bottom. The Ned rig came to Europe from bass fishing in America and has become a popular way of fishing for perch over the last two years. When the water temperatures are still cool in spring and the perch are not yet very active, this is an effective and exciting way to fish! The most difficult thing for me when fishing is patience; slow dragging or minimal jumps over the bottom. But the most important thing is to take breaks, and by breaks I mean long breaks, so that the Ned Rig can play to its full advantage. After guiding the lure correctly over the bottom, you will ideally get a bite. Of course, there will also be the occasional brutal bite that doesn’t hook, but you’ll be left in no doubt that it must have been an absolute monster, which will grow bigger every time you tell the story.
Joking aside, when you feel a bite, it is important to delay striking a little. With a crab imitation, it was noticeable that the lures were attacked several times before the perch sucked them in. On closer inspection, this makes sense, as crabs also defend themselves and fight for their lives with their claws.
Darter Jig – when the perch are active
My second choice is the Darter Jig. As soon as the temperatures rise and the perch become active, small fish are once again at the top of their menu.
With the Darter Jig, we imitate a fleeing fish that changes direction unpredictably as it tries to escape. Believe me, the uncontrollable movement of the Darter Jig drives the perch crazy, and if one or two other striped predators burst out of the school, then all hell breaks loose. As for the trailer, i.e. the soft bait that is attached, it is very important not to use a paddle tail! Only pintails, which are soft baits without a paddle tail. This is because the Darter Jig relies on the shape of its jig head. A paddle tail stabilizes the whole thing, and that is exactly what we don’t want. After casting, you guide the Darter jig by striking the slack line as it sinks, but you can also simply jig it, either in open water or on the bottom.
The right material
For these two techniques, I use a combo consisting of a Stucki The Servant rod with a Stucki Dynamite 1000 reel and braided 0.08 mm S-Braid in moss green. I use 0.26 mm fluorocarbon as a leader. I deliberately chose a slightly faster rod, as with the Ned Rig you want to feel the bottom of the water and need good feedback as well as a little power if you get snagged on a rock or something similar. With the Darter Jig, it is easier to animate the lure and you are also flexible with the weights, as the rod is designed for up to 18 grams.
Ned Rig and Darter Jig: these are two effective ways to fish for perch without any bells and whistles, until your fingers are cut and your reading glasses fall off your nose.
All that remains for me to say is, good luck fishing and enjoy your time on the water.
Tungsten Dart Jig…
Tungsten Ned Rig…
Stefan Deuber – Stucki Ambassador
