Does Anyone Else Fish Senkos (Other Worm Baits Also) Like This? It Was Golden For Me After Being Skunked And Frustrated.

[Saul2Paul]

I don't know if this is a common technique used for fishing senkos - or even worms - but it's been brilliant for me, and I began doing it out of frustration!

Alright, so a few days ago I was out at the river getting skunked. I had tried everything: spinners, cranks, worms rigged in every which way, senkos, poppers, etc. I went back to a senko as my last bait before I called it a day, and once again, nothing. On my last cast I let my senko fall to the bottom. No strike. I wiggled the senko after a few seconds. Nothing. I engaged the reel, let the senko sit again, wiggled it after a second. Nothing. I said screw it and out of frustration began to reel at a steady, moderate pace to get my line out of the water to go home. Just to screw around I began to lift the senko a considerable distance, while never breaking the surface nor my reeling-in. I would then let it fall a bit, lift it, let it fall -- think a heart monitor, up and down while reeling in, but long steady sweeps up and down. I got a strike... A nice smallie. I threw my senko back out, no strike, but instead of screwing around on the bottom again I began the long and steady sweeps up and down as I brought the senko back to me. I got strike after strike at all depths doing this. I ended the day with 9 bass after being skunked for the majority of the day.

The next day I went to the lake and immediately began this technique again to see if it would actually be something that would consistently work. I got quite a few strikes off the cast and sink, but when I didn't, I began the up and down sweeps and got a tons of strikes. After a bit I went to a Berkley Power Worm with a 1/8 oz weight and did the same thing. If nothing off the cast, up and down sweeps -- even worked with this bait. I ended the day with 23 fish.

Today I was back at the river fishing senkos and power worms and caught 16 more. A total of 48 fish in 3 days with up and down sweeps and slow to moderate and steady retrieve.

Heck, I might look like a fool because every knows this technique or something, but I never see it or hear mention of it. I see talk of side to side sweeps, hops and skips, wiggling, but never long up and down sweeps. Sometimes I would go from the bottom and lift all the way to about a foot below the surface, let it fall back down, and repeat... Some of my best strikes came that way.

[G3Steve]

Yoyo-ing a senko?

 

Interesting way to change it up.

 

Congrats on the new find, and thanks for the idea.

 

I really dislike throwing senkos, but this seems like a less boring way to fish em.  haha!

[nascar2428]

That's how Gary Yamamoto recommends retreiving the senko. I have had limited sucess on that retreive and never thought about using it with other worms. Gonna have to give it a try on Sunday if all else fails.

[Sam]

Yep, yo-yoing a Senko.

 

You never read or hear of this presentation so either the pros don't do it or the pros do it and don't say anything.

 

I think I will give it a try, too.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[hookedahawg]

Sounds great, were you doing this wacky? Or TR? weighted or weightless? I didn't see if you mentioned above and if you did I apologize.

[aquaholic]

48 bass in 3 days on senkos, how many senkos did you go through?

[Revival]

Sounds great, were you doing this wacky? Or TR? weighted or weightless? I didn't see if you mentioned above and if you did I apologize.

 

I am interested in knowing this as well.

[Sodus Bay Scooter]

I am interested in knowing this as well.

 

Same here! Hurry up with the answer too, I have a tournament tomorrow 

[John Lipe]

I want to try this next time I go out Thanks

[Quirkyfisher]

This is the only way I fish them (Wacky style) I rarely ever let them hit the bottom. Very good success. After all, it's the action of the senko doing the work, and 90% of my bites are on the fall. The senko wont be doing any action laying on the bed of the water.

 

Texas rigged is a little different of course, still works though. For wacky style, definitely pull up, let it float down, pull up, float down. (IMO)

[wngan9447]

Yes. It works great for me as well. There aren't many conditions where I fish a senko slow, which goes against what many people say.

After the initial pause after my cast, I'm there to make noise with the senko. I do fish TR faster than wacky.

[Jigs 4 Pigs]

48 bass in 3 days on senkos, how many senkos did you go through?

 

Come on, you already know... 48 bass = 48 senkos!!

[Darren.]

This is good info. I too fish Senkos and knock-offs in a similar fashion. Works extremely well, but not to the tune of 48 fish in 3 days! Maybe it is the waters I fish, but I haven't met anyone that catches big numbers at our local reservoirs. (Not doubting you, just not a common thing in my waters). I normally fish this "style" wacky, or weightless TX rigging.

[Saul2Paul]

2 bags worth LOL

It was weightless on a TR

ribbon tails with 1/8 oz TR.

[Revival]

2 bags worth LOL

It was weightless on a TR

ribbon tails with 1/8 oz TR.

Would you mind explaining your sweep technique? Is your rod tip pointing towards the water and you lifting it up or is your rod pointing at the water and you are sweeping it to the side? I really want to start catching fish on senkos again and everything I been trying hasn't been working. And to think that senkos were my to go bait at one time...haha

[bigbill]

That's how I work the Carolina rig with the weedless wacky rigged senko. I let it fall

till the weight hits the bottom not the senko. Then up and down, etc. Most of the time the first fall has a fish on it.

[SudburyBasser]

Precisely the way I fished Senkos yesterday to place second in a tournament up here!