# Anyone try the Swimming Senko? Rigging ideas?



## BASmead (Jan 11, 2008)

I recently came across the swimming senko from Yamamoto. Very novel concept. The front half is a senko, and the back is a swimbait tail. It has a nice little wobble as it sinks on a slack line, and a nice thump to the tail when you reel it in. Very effective bait, as i caught a bunch of good fish with both presentations. I had it rigged weightless. The problem is, it has to be rigged exactly straight on the seams in order for it to stay upright on the retrieve. Otherwise, it just spins. I didn't really catch on to that till the 2nd day i fished it, it had my line all twisted up. The thing still got bit plenty even when it was spinning constantly strangely enough. I tried using a keel weighted swimbait hook with it, but then it's pretty much just a swimbait. I've also had a similar conundrum with the powerbait thumpworm, which was pretty productive as well. But line twist is a pain... Any thoughts? thanks b.


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## Intimidator (Nov 25, 2008)

This is one of the problems with these type of combo "swimbaits". "Swimbaits" made with 1 type of plastic, cheap plastic, or certain shapes will not swim properly without weight, some will not even swim with light weight, some will not swim without being on a jig, and some will not swim on swimbait hooks. 
Some newer baits have duel density plastics that allow the bait to fall or swim naturally like you want! I like a specific brand for this reason!
Stick to the Senko and get yourself a good Swimbait, or find a BRAND that will do it all!


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## Frank-O (Sep 6, 2010)

I agree with Intimidator - get a good swimbait if you're wanting to swim it. Swim Senko's aren't made for swimming and/or not good at it. What they are good at, is rigging with a 1/8 oz swimbait hook in 3/0 or 4/0 size and working it like a jig: you pitch it out and let in fall naturally, then you hop it or drag it back to the boat...that tail put off tons of vibrations as well as it falls with the tail thumping very naturally. Fish this bait slowly. Very slowly. It's deadly. 
If you want a bait that does all what you thought the swim senko would do, try the Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper. It is fatter than the Senko, but made of tougher rubber and swims very well as well as falls very naturally on a weighted hook. BUT - it is a bigger/fatter bait. Sometimes you need a smaller/skinnier bait for this type of finesse fishing.

Frank


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## firstflight111 (May 22, 2008)

just put a swivle about 18 in up your line take the spin off your main line


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## BASmead (Jan 11, 2008)

I'll definitely check out the Skinny Dipper, sounds sweet. I like the idea of fishing it like a jig too, i'll give that a try for sure. Actually did the swivel thing past wknd. Worked pretty good. I gave up on the idea of rigging it perfectly straight, and just let it spin. It looks ridiculous, and it's obviously not the intention of the design, but i cannot deny i got alot of bites where the standard senko or worm just weren't getting bit. A friend was telling me that's how they fish those old 3 hook pre-rigged worms and tear em up. And it could be that the fish at the 150 acre lake i fish regularly are somewhat conditioned to the orig senko, as i've used them alot through the years. Gotta keep finding those new shapes i guess. I've fished the fluke style lures to the point they're pretty much worthless there, except for dinks. They were deadly for years. They definitely get wise to the tricks, but i spose that's a different convo. Ha, maybe it's time in the cycle to go back to the old school plugs my dad tore em up on back in the day. They probably haven't seen a flatfish in years. Thanks for the ideas folks, much appreciated... b


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