Yamamoto Senko's and imitations

[roadwarrior]

rw if you read this could you answer one question? when fishing the 6 inch senkos do you find you catch more big bass or just less small bass? i suppose that if you cant keep the small bass off the hook it will be hard for the big ones to get a chance at it but im wondering if it is that the 5 inch does not apeal as much to the big bass or that the 6 inch dosent appeal to the smaller bass?matt

I believe the 6" Senko does not appeal (as much) to the smaller bass.

Often, you have to get by smaller bass in order to get to the larger fish. I have seen this demonstrated in the aquarium at BPS during a seminar hosted by Mike Whitten (GYCB "Inside Line"). Smaller bass are generally MUCH more aggressive than larger bass. I think this is why 5" baits are far more "productive." I also think that when we are comparing knock-offs, this is a strong argument for cheaper baits. Agressive bass will be attracted to a variety of soft plastics, regardless of the brand, fall rate, texture or action. When almost anything will work, knock-offs are probably just as productive as Senkos.

[Siebert Outdoors]

Well, Ok I'll jump in.

I'm with Roadwarrior on this one.  

Do knock offs work.  YES they do.  I even pour my own.

BUT!!  when times get tough guess which one I throw.  a senko.

[bassmaster8100]

I havent found a senko that will out perform  yamamoto. Its proven performance time and time again.

[Dan:]

For me, senkos just aren't worth the money when you can get alternatives that will catch the same fish for half the price or less.

I don't buy the whole argument that senko's are so much better quality than alternative brands. I just don't see how baits with such similar characteristics could be so different.

[bassmasta7]

Well, Ok I'll jump in.

I'm with Roadwarrior on this one.

Do knock offs work. YES they do. I even pour my own.

BUT!! when times get tough guess which one I throw. a senko.

Dido. I used to pour my own and use knockoffs but they just dont catch me as many fish as GYCB. I dont mine paying more for more and bigger fish. For people like myself who might not be as skilled of anglers as LBH or RW, I think the quality of the lure you are using becomes more important. When my friends in my boat want to use my senkos, I give them a tiki stick or a yum dinger. I always outfish them. I know that isnt all the worm (some skill) but i believe some of it is.

[Brad_Coovert]

Here's the cold, hard, undisputed facts on soft stickbaits (and anything else in fishing for that matter):

The BEST bait for you is the one YOU like to use.  Period.

Brad

[bighed]

I made it out today to prefish for one of this weekends T's   The senko bite was pretty good since the cold front pushed the fish off the bank out into 5-10' of water.  I keep a box of GYCB senkos in the boat but try to save them for when it counts.  I've got another box that has Tiki Sticks, Z Nails, and a few odd ball color senkos I found on sale.  These are cheaper so I use them any time.   Each of the brands produced fish today.  The big fish was a 22"er that took a watermellon/chart. tail tiki.  The z nail in watermellon candy caught 4 or 5  1-2 1/2 pounders and the senko in pearl caught about the same.  I liked fishing the senko the best because of it's faster fall more water can be covered in the same amount of time.  

[Sean_e_bus_21]

Road you must have mistunderstood, ive cought countless numbers of big bass on my tiki sticks but happened to have none left at the time when fishing and cought the 5 lber. Countless 2-4 lbers for 20 cents or countless 1 lbers and one 5lber for 1.00 a peice?? I just catch more qualitly fish, heck i just catch more fish overall with them. Lower price better and fishing now thats a good deal

thats what i use the tiki sticks just cost like 2 dollars at wal-mart best thing i have very got at wal-mart. i caught most of my bass off these worms

just putting in my 2 cents Sean

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Here's the cold, hard, undisputed facts on soft stickbaits (and anything else in fishing for that matter):

The BEST bait for you is the one YOU like to use.  Period.

Brad

I thought for sure you were going to say, "the best bait for you is the one you bought from JBC!!!!"   :) ;D

Bighead, you are non-biased and a user of multiple brands, you'd be a great "control" for an analysis.

Personally, on Brad's note, the bait you will catch on is the one you are throwing.  I can swear up and down that a renosky crippled shad is the best topwater in my lake but have I thrown every other topwater equally as much?  Hmmmm  You catch on what you use.  

I've caught both numbers and size on gary products.  

I've caught both numbers and size on other manufacturers senkos

Now, I narrow it down to cost.  It's just that simple (for me)

[bassman1282]

I would like to preface this by saying that I hate all senko type baits. I have no patience for them, but I believe that they catch fish so I make myself throw them sometimes. It all comes down to whether or not you want the best. Yamamoto Senkos are made with sand, they actually have sand in them, which makes them heavier, hence easier to cast. They also have a different sinking, wiggle action than all others. Sure, all the others will catch fish, but is it really that big of a deal to spend another 2 or 3 bucks to get the ones that catch the most fish? Not in my opinion, but i guess I dont throw em very much either.......i'm usually fishing like a man and leaving that crap in the compartment.

[roadwarrior]

....i'm usually fishing like a man and leaving that crap in the compartment.

Well, I'm not sure exactly what that means, but most of my biggest bass (10 lb+) have been caught on a 6" Senko. So...

Me thinks it's worth the price.

As a matter-of-fact, I think GYCB Senkos are a Great Value!  8-)

[aggiebassin]

i throw knockoffs.  tiki sticks, big bite trick sticks, etc.  some definitely work better than others.  but i do not see the need to pay $6 for 10 senkos, when can pay $1-$2 for 10 knockoffs.  

i have fished them side by side and the results were not enough to justify paying triple for them.  

but my home lake.....or big pond i should say >40 acres, is very un-pressured....except by me.  so that coulb be the reason.  maybe if you fished a lake where fish saw all kinds of senkos/knockoffs the little extra action of the GYBC might make a difference.  

but in my experience it isn't worth it. to pay $6 for 10 fish or 10 bites since they aren't the most durable bait around.

[IdahoLunkerHunter]

I used to fish with knock off versions but I wasn't getting the results I wanted. I hear over and over, why would someone pay 6 bucks for a pack of 5 when they can get a pack of 20 for half the price. I used knock off's for 10+ years before switching to the senko's and, don't get me wrong, I caught some lunkers, but the best reliable in every condition I have found in the senko. I have 6-7 different lines of the same looking softies in my boxes but you should always carry the senko because it has never failed me. I have found that the 'cheaper' versions don't act the same as the senko. I've always believed quality over quanity. I also have noticed that the fish might like the salt taste better in the senko vs. knockoffs. The large packs for cheaper price makes sense if you can't afford buying the senko's, but for people who will spend $400+ on entering a tournament why wouldn't you spend a little more to land you the bigger fish. I've found using the senko I catch much larger fish.

That's my opinion on the senko vs. knockoff.

Thanks

[ominousone]

I'd say spending the money on a quality hook would far outweigh the benefit of one soft plastic to another.  With whatever brand you prefer.

[Shakes]

Try Zoom speed worms with the flat tails cut off