Neko Rig
ネコリグ· Nail rig· Beginner
The neko rig is a finesse worm rig with a nail weight pushed into the head of a straight worm and a hook set through the body, so the worm stands up and shakes off the bottom.
What it is
The neko rig originated in Japan. A small nail or tungsten weight is inserted into one end of a straight (stick) worm, and a hook is rigged through the middle of the body, either exposed or weedless. The weighted end falls first, so the worm stands nose-down on the bottom and the tail quivers with the lightest movement.
Why it's used in Japan
It is a high-percentage way to keep a worm in the strike zone on pressured fisheries, working isolated cover, bank lines, and hard-bottom spots slowly and thoroughly. Japanese anglers popularised it before it spread to North America, where it is now mainstream.
How to fish it
Insert a nail weight sized to conditions, rig the hook near the centre of the worm, and fish it on spinning tackle with slack-line shakes and drags. Let the worm sit and quiver between moves. Use a weedless hook around wood and rock.
Lures for Neko Rig
BASSWORM 145
バスワーム145
A highly unconventional 145 mm soft plastic from IMAKATSU designed to imitate a juvenile bass rather than conventional forage. Its asymmetrical body slit creates a struggling action intended to resemble a small bass desperately trying to escape into cover.
FLIP GILL
フリップギル
A wide, flat bluegill-style soft plastic from NORIES known for its sliding and wide spiral fall. Originally designed as a highly effective cover bait, the FLIP GILL has also attracted attention in Japan for Neko-rig presentations that create a distinctive horizontal "yokoyoko" action.
Flick Shake 4.8"
フリックシェイク 4.8インチ
The curved finesse worm that popularised neko-rig fishing worldwide; its pre-bent shape gives a shaking, quivering fall with almost no input.
Spatula
スパテラ
A classic Japanese finesse worm from issei featuring a small asymmetrical paddle tail. The Spatula combines a ribbed straight-worm body with subtle tail vibration, allowing it to swim, twitch, and respond to light rod movements without producing excessive action.