How to work Senko's

[issamhay]

Hey all I havea few questions regarding fishing for smallies (If i can catch some I'll actually posta report for once).

 

1. How do u work senkos? I know wacky rig is the way to go, but do u jsut let it drop to the bottom weightless or do u give it a few twitches on the way down?

 

2. What do u do if u get follows on a topwater bait or baits like the x-rap? Do u jus let the lure sit still or do u give it a few twitches?

 

Any help is appreciated

[The Urban Fisherman]

I've never fished senko's for smallies, but when I have a follow up from a largemouth I just toss it in and let it drop...the ends wiggle on their own which will usually attract the fish. If you don't get a bite, give it a quick twitch. Remember the bass is already amped up from chasing your twitch bait in so that twitch might be what it takes to have him bite.

 

For smallies, (in shallower water) I'd try a drop-shotted minnow style soft bait. It's a better match to your twitch bait and smallies can't resist 'em.

 

Good luck,

UF

[Reef Runner]

1) In abscence of weeds, whacky is great. Just let it drop to the bottom, slight movement on the bottom. I prefer weightless texas rig as it's more weed free. Same method, just let it drop and sit.

 

2) Ususally, I'll wait a moment and give it a couple twitches, maybe a short return, and wait awhile longer. If that doesn't entice a strike, I'll follow up with a plastic to the same spot, ie. see no. 1

[MCTFisher9120]

I always let the bait fall for 5 to 10 seconds. If nothing happens give it a twitch and let it fall again.

[oncogene]

I cast out the senkos, let it sink on its own til i can see/feel the line is no longer going. Then maybe wait couple to a few sec, then twitch and reel in some line and repeat. It's definitely slow... usually if there's some other ppl fishing with spinner, spinnerbaits besides me, they'll probably make 5 casts be4 I even finish 1

 

 

One thing I find with senko, is that SMALL fish tends to pull the line faster/earlier than bigger fish (by "bigger" i mean 1lb, for me anyway). It's like the bigger fish will swallow the senko and just kinda sits there, enjoying the meal perhaps? Whilst the smaller fish will try to bite and sorta hit and run right away with the senko, afraid of the meal being stolen by other fish perhaps??. ok, by "fish" i mean LMB for the most part.

Edited July 21, 2008 by oncogene

[Pachone]

ok senkos... are amazing... at least this weekend just past and i absolutely slayed the LMB with senkos... great way fishing.

 

All u do is wacky rig or tex rig it. Shoot to logs, lilly pad edges, anywhere, and let it sink. the senko wiggles on the way down and bass find it amazng.

 

unfortunately if u use it on one spot too much, next season... senkos wont work. but its definitely a great way to bass fish. Im going to buy a whole wack of hooks/dingers and a case for em all!

[Bassaholic]

Where are you going to be fishing? I think that'll play a big part in how you fish them. There's a big difference between chasing smallies over a hump in 20+ FOW on Erie than smallies in a shield lake that are under a blow down, a dock or a few boulders in 6 FOW.

[Rich]

I cast them out texas rigged 90% of the time weightless and just let them sit like a live worm. Works great. If I don't get a hit, I slowly raise the bait about 8 inches and let it drop again. If there's a bass around, I rarely get past that part!

[DANIMAL]

I think what bass (large or smallmouth) like best about senko's is their subtle wiggle while falling. So I like to cast or pitch them to a piece of structure and just let them fall to bottom, and let it sit still for a few seconds. If it doesent get bit twitch it up a few times so it can fall back down. If it's calm rig it weightless, if it's windy rig it dropshot style with a long dropper line.

[BillM]

For the wacky rig are you guys actually piercing the senko with the hook or is there another way of rigging it?

[tbayboy]

You can place the worm in an o-ring then put the hook between the worm and the o-ring. They last a lot longer that way (vs having the fish pulling the hook through the plastic and ripping it all up. Just make sure you have the right sized o ring or the crafty rock bass will pull it right out (not that I've ever experienced that.... )

[GoneFishin]

What size senkos does everyone use?

[DANIMAL]

Mostly 5'' and sometimes 4'' for bass. I've tried the 7''ers for musky a few times with no success so far.

[BillsTheBassMan]

Hey,

 

A few things about senkos . . . .

 

A) Treat them like any other lure for fish location - you want to find structure. Rocks, weeds, and so forth. The other week I was casting them right on a channel ledge and had good success.

 

Like any other lure, you have to figure out what the fish want. Sometimes they want something that is just sitting on the bottom. Other times, they will react more to an active popping-flutter movement on the bait. I start always with the popping. Let it drop, pop it a few times, reel in a bit, pop it, let it drop and repeat. If that isn't working, let it sit . . . have a sandwich, smoke, drink or whatever and give it a few minutes. The fish generally tell you what they want.

 

C) IMPORTANT - BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR HOOK SETS. For Bass, Senkos can be real killers. If you are practicing live release, like most people do with bass, you need to set that hook properly. Bass really hammer senkos. You don't want to gut them, and you will, unless you are careful. They don't often let your senko go, and anyone "nibbling" on it generally is pretty small

 

D) I use natural colours (this includes pink). Natural has worked the best for me. Period.

 

E) If you find that pike are attacking your imitation worm, don't put a leader on, even if you lose a few baits. You will kill the action of your lure. I had a friend lose 3 straight senkos to pike attacks, he put a leader on, and the action died. When fishing the senko, you usually aren't targeting pike, but they like to attack a lot of things, and senkos are no different.

 

F) I generally use a 5" bait whacky rigged. It doesn't scare away 1 pound fish if that is your game, and the lunkers love it.

 

Hope that helps

[GoneFishin]

What kind of senkos work best? I've been using the yum senkos and they work great but they seem thicker when compared to the yamosenko. Would the thinner senko have more action?

[issamhay]

thanks alot for the replies, just one more question. Is there any specific hooks you HAVE to use or can most hooks be used for wacky rigging, i.e. are certain hooks too heavy?

Edited July 22, 2008 by Simcoe Fisherman

[MrMike]

Downsize 3 inch for smallies

[wallyboss]

I usually use either circle hooks or Mosquito hooks. the bass seem to set the hook themselves and usually in the corner of the mouth.

 

Let the fish tell you what size they want. 2 weeks ago the smallies wanted nothing to do with anything smaller than 5" I caught my biggest on a 7" watermelon red flake Yum Dinger

[Guest skeeter99]

cast out then

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

did you notice the gap in my post (do nothing) is the best for the senko that is what they are designed for move the thing every 10 to 15 seconds and if you know there is a fish there, let it sit and open a can of soda and have a bite of a sandwich the fish WILL pick up the bait sitting there that is how you trick the bigger fish

[Canuck2fan]

I like them to punch in by 7:00 AM first break at 10:30.... Lunch is two hours if they buy the the drinks....

 

 

Well you said work!!!

[timmeh]

I personally usually use 5" for bass. I think they have more action when rigged wacky compared a smaller 3-4".

[issamhay]

do the 5" really have that much more action than the 4", cause i only bought the 4" versions...i hope not

[timmeh]

I really don't know for sure if the 5" have that much more action. I'm relatively new to senko fishing myself and this is just my thinking, and I may be wrong. I have some 4" too and have caught fish on them so I'm sure you'll be fine.

[oncogene]

do the 5" really have that much more action than the 4", cause i only bought the 4" versions...i hope not

 

Not sure about action, but i use 5" coz it's bigger, ie heavier and so I can cast it further away. I guess it's not a factor for ppl fishing from boat, but i'm only from shore. And also, 4" and 5" cost the same anyway, I think

[BillsTheBassMan]

What kind of senkos work best? I've been using the yum senkos and they work great but they seem thicker when compared to the yamosenko. Would the thinner senko have more action?

 

I have had my best luck with Gary Yamomoto 5" Senko in natural colours. I have tried thinner senkos, and do not get as much interest.