Senko As A Winter Bait?

[NC_Bass6]

lately ive been throwing a wacky rig senko more often in the ponds i normally fish and am catching 3x more fish than with a standard jig or texas rig. i was wondering is this method a widely accepted go to winter bait or is it just in the area im fishing. any input on this method such as tips or tricks is also appreciated. thanks!

[NC_Bass6]

air temp is between 35-55

[ww2farmer]

They work all year long for me. Sometimes you have to get creative with rigging and play around with different sizes, but they are so many more things you can do with them other than the "traditional" wacky or texas rigs it's almost silly.

[38 Super Fan]

They are one of my favorite Winter baits, mix things up, and fish them slow.

[Christian M]

They're my top go to bait all year round. I caught my PB & broke my PB with a Senko, won lunker of the year in my club this season on a Senko, & caught my first Bass on a Senko. In shallow water (0'-6') I usually fish it T-Rigged weightless, but I've noticed that in the fall. when the water temps start to drop below 65, I hook more fish with a Wacky Rig. A few seasons ago I was fishing one of my favorite lakes w/a friend in late November using T-rigged 5" Black Senkos. After about 3 hours of both of us getting bite after bite without boating or even hooking one fish, it dawned on me. The bass were biting the tail end of the senko and holding on, making us think we were hooked up, then spitting the bait out. I quickly switched over to a weightless Wacky hook w/an O-Ring on the same 5" Black Senko & BANG! The first hit I got I hooked up w/a nice 3lb fall Bass. My partner switched over & the day was saved, we ended up with about 8 Bass each.

[Arv]

I use it all year, especially when I need to slow down my presentation. I almost always have a weightless texas rig or wacky rig senko on at all times.

[Bankbeater]

I fish them all year. Try dead sticking them.

[Skeet22]

The slow presentation fits right into coldwater fishing. When the fish see a very slow falling worm it tells them its an easy meal that they wont have to chase and ease up to it and suck it in. When the water is below 60 this a very productive technique in water with some visibility whether its a tx rigged senko,wacky worm or a drop shot the same approach works as its the subtle movement that does it. If the water is dirty to muddy the better approach would be a bulky jig fished tight to cover in hopes you knock them on the head or something like a chatterbait or trap that lets them know its coming and helps them locate it.

Same reason a jerk bait with long pauses and slow pulls works. It looks like an injured or dying baitfish thats easy to catch. My rule of thumb is for water below 60 especially low 50's and colder you either need to create a reaction by running a moving bait right in front there nose or into the structure they are holding to or fish very slowly to draw them closer to the bait when the water is more clear. There not much in the mood to feed or chase bait once the water gets that cold.