# How do you Fish a Senko



## stonehands (Apr 20, 2005)

I'm sure this topic has been covered and I have searched for similiar posts but still have some questions. I bought some senkos in early April and haven't been overly impressed with them, and my only conclusion is that I don't know how to fish them. I've been fishing them without a weight, cast them out and wait until they sink to the bottom. Then I twitch the rod tip up about 6 inches or so and let it sink again, real in the slack and repeat. The only fish I've managed to catch have sucked it up on the cast. It hits the water a couple seconds go by as it sinks and they crunch it. Actually the only bites I've even had were on the cast, so I can't be fishing it right. I have only ever fished texas rigged zoom lizards and worms, somewhat same retrieve only much faster. If somebody can break their technique down into baby steps for me, I won't give up on em. I catch way more fish with the lizards and worms but I'd like to expand my arsenal, and from what I've read about senkos, if they aren't eating senkos you aren't doing it right/slow enough, but I can't fish it any slower, thought maybe I was fishing it too slow and varied the time between twitches between faster and slower, still no bites unless I cast right on a fish's nose and he can't resist it. Any help would be much appreciated.


----------



## OSU_Fisherman (Mar 1, 2007)

if you're fishing from a boat or from shore over water that has a pretty clean floor, you can Wacky Rig the Senko. This gives a better "fluttering" motion on the fall that a lot of bass can't resist. I even caught a 5' snake like this haha.

If you need to t-rig it, then I suggest doing it in a way that makes the Senko have a very erratic action when you jerk it. I do this with a little curve on my rig. I either insert the hook too far down the senko, or I turn the senko a little to insert the hook a little off-center from the eye of the hook. This usually creates an awesome look of a dying baitfish that Bass cannot resist. I've seen video and read studies about how Bass will eat something that looks injured even if they're not hungry. Its instinct. Its a lot the same way as how Lions and other predatory cats can't help but chase something that seems to be fleeing from them, even if they're not hungry. 

That is what I live by. I create the look of an injured baitfish. BUT, lately I can't get myself to use anything other than Zoom Finesse worms.... t-rigged w/ a 1/16 oz sinker 6" up the line...... gets them every time...... about 60 LM Bass over 8 hours of fishing the last few weeks.


----------



## Ultralight (Jun 8, 2005)

I typically fish only 3.5 inch stick worms. Either wacky rigged or nose hooked on an Owner Mosquito size 1.

I've never fished the larger sizes but plan to soon.

Wacky rigged, I let them fall, lift, and let fall.

Nose hooked, I fish them aggressively like a jerk bait. Twitch, twitch, pause, twitch, pause,twitch, pause, pause more, bounce, twitch, pause,etc...It's erratic.


----------



## chad4050 (May 24, 2007)

keep ur line semi taunt and watch ur line really close i catch a lot on them i also use a garlic sent on them fish seem to hold on a bit longer thats my two scents but it sounds like ur fishing it right just not doing the line thing i described above try what i said four a 4 inch i use 3o hook gammy


----------



## Big Joshy (Apr 26, 2004)

pay close attention to how the bait is falling in the water. if your hook is to much toward the front with standard weightless texas rigging the bait won't fall horizontally. on a 5 inch senko my hook is usually about a 4/0 wide gap, that is positioned about 1-1.5 inches from the front of the bait. 

maybe you just cast right to where the fish is holding instead of casting past it and bringing it by them. With senkos it tends to be that if its on the bottom near a fish they will eat it without much hesitation.


----------



## Dmuntean (Aug 12, 2006)

I wacky rig it right through the center, w/ the hook exposed. I use a #1 Octopus hook. Gary Yamamoto fishes the bait this way, they usually hook themselves in the corner of the mouth while swimming away. I'll fish it weightless, or place a small slipshot about 10" up for the proper "flutter" while it falls. I haven't T-rigged much lately due to never missing fish like I used to.


----------



## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

I texas rig it with a 3/16 Tungsten sinker and a wide gap 3/0 hook and 12 lb florocarbon line. Cast it out but when it hits the water, feed line off your reel with your hand so the Bait falls on a slack line. When it hits the bottom I will lift my rod tip to drag the bait slowly and then stop and reel in the excess line. As you do this, feel for anything the weight hits. The tungston weight is much harder that lead and transmits the feel much better. Also the florocarbon line is very sensitive and alows you to feel everything, yet it is invisible in the water. When ever you feel anything first determine if it is a fish, many times they will just grap it and hold on. It not a fish stop and just lightly shake the bait. I may shake for 20 to 30 seconds or more. I have been using the Yum 5 inch black with blue flake in dingy water and the watermelon seed in clearer water. A 7 foot rod helps also as you can drag the bait further in each sweep and you get a better hook set. Use only very sharp hooks.


----------



## NITRO-RIDER (Jan 26, 2007)

I used to fish senko's more often a few years ago. I believe that at any one time there are several different kind of baits that you can catch a bass on. I also believe that there is'nt any bait that will catch bass in all situations. most of the hits i get on senko's is when the bait is free falling, on slack line, or dead sticking it (letting it just sit on the bottom motionless for several seconds. My main way of using them is keep in mind about how deep the water is that you are casting into and watching your line as your bait is sinking to the bottom. When i see it stop moving i will pick up on it to see if there is any xtra weight to my worm, if not i will give it a slow pull, or drag for a few feet, then let it settle for a few seconds, them repeat. If that is'nt working, try changing up your retrieve a little. Fishing this way, you don't feel a lot of the hits, but rather you pick up on your line and it feels like you are dragging a wet rag, that is what a lot of fish feel like, and when it is time to set the hook. As someone else said, pay attention to your line as sometimes you will sometimes see it moving to the side or "sinking" faster than normall, or it will stop sinking to soon, all indicators that mr. bass is munching on your senko.


----------



## NITRO-RIDER (Jan 26, 2007)

Oh Yea, I Forgot To Mention That I Almost Always Fish It Weightess And Texas Rigged


----------



## Wolfhook120 (Oct 17, 2007)

Experiment! I've fished them weightless, but that gets old when the bite is off. So try different brands of Senko as well as different technique as you go along. I use alot of Yum Dingers, Venom, Black Magic, etc. They all have a different fall and action in the water too. Also try spiking the bait with a Venom glass worm rattle at the tail end of the bait when slow fishing the lure on the bottom, I.E. dead-sticking. The most important thing I can tell you is to become a professional line watcher! Bass are notorious for mouthing this bait, moving it, then dropping it before you even know they have it. Try Stren Clear Blue Florecent line 12lb or better. Hope this helps. :B


----------



## Wolfhook120 (Oct 17, 2007)

Forgot to mention, I "Finesse Carolina Rig" this lure. I use a T/T 1/8 oz bullet weight pegged. and a 12 inch leader on the line. Slow work this over deep points but give it enough time to slow drop to the bottom first, remember, you're working with only an 1/8 oz weight! Good fishing!:B


----------



## big fish (Oct 9, 2005)

i fish senkos when nothing else works. the main way i will fish it is waky style neer weeds, trees, etc. waky style is sticking the middle of the worm threw a hook (i prefer weedless circle hooks). if that doesnt work i will go to a texas rig and the i just have fun, first i will let it sink to the bottom or close to the bottom and just give it a couple hard jerks to get an eratic motion, if that doesnt work i will then add weight and cast out and work it like a swim bait but jerking and pausing every so offten 

hope this helps


----------

