The Senko, am i missing something?

[Austen]

Over the last 2 years ive dedicated each year to learning a specific bait to gain confidence in. Last year it was the jig and the year before that the chatterbait. Figuring out these baits has helped me become very successful as an angler, yet there is still one bait i cant figure out. The senko. I would like to spend this season gaining confidence in the senko. I have always fished it weightless by just flipping it into the tulles, letting it sink and hit the bottom. And then picking up my rod tip and letting it flutter right back down to the bottom. I have little trouble feeling the bait in 1-6 feet but when i read people fishing senkos at places like shasta in 60+ feet of water i am stumped. Am i missing something in this simple bait? I know this bait produces i just need to gain confidence in it. Any information or tips help!

Thanks!!

Austen Schmalz

[Kevin]

Austen, it's the easiest bait ever to fish. It does require patience though so if you're a power fisherman who likes to turn the trolling motor on full blast and pound the banks, then it takes a different approach. Slow down and trust me, you'll see results. It's a total do nothing kinda bite. This year we fished Senko's down to 40 feet which does take patience but it works awesome. The Bass will eat you on the fall most of the time. Keep at it and I think you'll find that there's very little to it.

[Nunyo Bizness]

Austen,
While weightless is my favorite way to fish them, you can also Texas rig them with high success. Split shotting is also an option. I throw a 5" thin on 6lb test. Believe me when I say it takes some patience to let that bait fall. I usually don't fish the thin senko beyond 25'. I usually go to a bigger senko beyond 25'. In front of the reeds you might want to try a thin or Texas rigged. They do work pretty good. Also, the pro works good for the necko rig.

Yoz

[jloo283]

The Senkos are overpriced and overrated. You're just making Yamamoto richer. I use the knockoffs from Strike King, the 5", less than 1/2 the cost. Caught my biggest fish on it, around 12lbs, punching with a 1/2oz weight in 6 FOW in thick hydrilla. Of course I don't have to mention all the others I've caught too I've also used the stickos from BP with similar results, the bottom line is, they all work great all year.

Here's how I use them.
punching any depth, 1/2-3/4 oz tx rigged
1-4 ft, pitch weightless tx rigged, or wacky rigged
4-8 ft, 1/4 oz weight tx rigged
8-15 ft, 3/8 oz weight, tx rigged
15+ ft, dropshot with it, I've caught an 8lb striper too

Good luck.

James

[Austen]

It does require patience though so if you're a power fisherman who likes to turn the trolling motor on full blast and pound the banks, then it takes a different approach. Slow down and trust me, you'll see results.

Austen,
Believe me when I say it takes some patience to let that bait fall.

Thanks Guys! I agree and see now that I need to slow down and pay more attention to what my bait is doing down there. I have been fishing the 6" and 7" senkos because they are easier to feel for me so i think ill try downsizing to the 5" to produce more bites and work my way up to the 7" senko.

[elfish16]

Austen,

I am with you in this bud. I am a guy who fishes fast as I believe year round the bigger bites come on reaction baits. But after winning a night derby this year on the senko, I am a believer and need to be more patient with fishing it deeper. Shallow fishing isnt an issue so much as fishing it out to 35-40ft zone. I know guys do it with GREAT success, I've just never fished it weightless. Neko riggin and flick skake deeper yes, but that SLOW falling action seems to be deadlier.

[Brian Linehan]

One of the trick deals out at DVL this year was fishing 3" senko weightless of course down in 30-40' with light line. Tournament winning weights were being caught on that. Guys like Kevin, Miles, Manas, Kyle, Will, BJ, Phua, etc were all on that bite. Talk about patience!!! I hated that bite! lol

Brian

[brambo0311]

It's a go to bait anywhere. 100 different ways to fish it. If I could only fish one bait, Senko would be it. I always end up fishing it at the end of a tournament and wonder why I wasn't throwing it all day.

[jack morris]

Sencos love um or hate um. I fish with sencos a lot, in fact I fish them to much . They are easy to fish and they work great but there are times I should use other baits but I have so much faith in them I don't. I know other baits are better under certain conditions,but I have caught so many fish on sencos I just can't bring myself to switch.

[Gary Dobyns]

Austen you just need to fish it. You will get confidence in the bait. Honestly, in the west, If I had to pick a single bait to fish, the entire year...only one bait!!!!

It would be a Senko. My tough decision would be to pick 5" or 6" and to pick Green Pumpkin or Baby Bass colors. No joke. I can answer for Richard here too, since I supply most of his senkos BABY BASS 5 inch and I'd bet money on it

[godzilla]

who doesnt use a senko? when i cant catch bass on any other baits that i want to, u know the senko is coming out.

[Otay Michael]

who doesnt use a senko? when i cant catch bass on any other baits that i want to, u know the senko is coming out.

I agree, and although I don't like slow fishing any longer (did a ton of it as a kid, with stitching worms), if nothing is working I bring out what I jokingly call 'the live bait' - the Senko. It's that deadly, and simple.

It works while you are not even working it. I was shore fishing up at a Napa lake about seven years ago after first getting back into fishing, and had just started fishing it. The guy at the tackle store swore by them, but I had my doubts, did not look like any worm I'd ever thrown, more like a Bic pen!!?

Anyway, while talking to the wife on the cell phone the first half hour of fishing it, I just let it sit while doing so. Three minutes into the conversation I notice my line running out to deeper water, could not believe it. Told her I'd call her back and set the hook, a 5 1/2 pounder, one of the largest bass I'd ever caught (to that point). Made me a believer, and like most everyone here, have caught hundreds/thousands on them since!

I think many guys have tried the 'similars', but the fact the salt content seems to effect how long a bass holds onto it (usually swallows it) or even picks it up in the first place, compared to others, is pretty well documented.

[jloo283]

I think many guys have tried the 'similars', but the fact the salt content seems to effect how long a bass holds onto it (usually swallows it) or even picks it up in the first place, compared to others, is pretty well documented.

How do they know some fish don't like the salt?

With the knock offs, I must've been catching the high blood pressure/diabetic ones watching their salt intake

[Terry Smith]

Wackey rig it 6# floro line 6" senko with A nail weight in the head for deep fishing or dropshot it wackey rigged. I fish it from 1 to 70 feet at Shasta

Terry

[Marty]

The senko is the “go to bait” and I have two set up at all times and on my deck or in the locker – a Texas rig and Wacky rig! Both right next to my Jig.

The Texas rig with the bullet weight (quarter ounce tungsten) pegged to the worm with a bobber stopper I used to get in back of the tulles, the channel between the tulles/rock bank and the outside weed line, and the outside of weed line dragging it. Sometimes I even put a paycheck punching skirt between the weight and the bobber stopper to give it some movement when the current hits it while I let it sit on the bottom. Or when I pick it up and let it fall back to the bottom (bouncing it).

The Wacky Rig is the patience technique and I don’t have much of that. Letting that darn worm sink takes more time then there is especial fishing in the current of the Delta or from the back of the boat while the Pro is running flipping the tulle line. What I came up with beside putting a nail weight in one end of the worm taking away the flutter of the Wacky Reg.

I started by taking a cheap casting sinker and unwind the wire and slipping a O-ring and winding back up. Then I would slip the worm into the O-ring and the hook under the O-ring. This gave the wacky rig the weight to sink a lot faster in the current. This setup gave the work a faster flutter.

I was fishing FLW in Oroville a few years ago and was missing a lot of hookups. I believe it was because of the hook was running the length of the worm. That night at the room I took some clear tube that was cut in quarter inch section that I used as O-rings. I took a paper clip and heated up the tip with lighter and drilled (melt) a hole in the tubing. This put the hook on the wacky rig at 90 degrees to the worm. Hook ups when up the next day.