Smaller Senko = Bigger Fish??

[RSM789]

I went thru the Senko topic list and didn't see this discussion.  My apologies if it is there & I missed it.

 

I know that as a rule, with everything else being the same, bigger lures will result in bigger fish.  However, my experience with Senkos is that the largest fish I catch are always on the 4" model instead of the 5".

 

As a background, on my home lake, I typically only use Senko's wacky rigged to skip under docks.  I use 4" & 5" models, in light pumpkin, green pumpkin or red shad laminate depending on what the fish tell me they want.  I like the action of a 5" model when it sinks wacky style more than the smaller 4", it seems to have a bit more wiggle.  If there is very little wind & it is pretty still, I'll often start with the 4" model for a quieter presentation.  In windier conditions, the heavier 5" model tends to cast more on target without creating too much disturbance as it skips under the dock.

 

Today, I caught a 7lb 6oz bass with a 4" green pumpkin model (picture below).  It got me to thinking that all the bass over 5 lbs. that I have caught on Senkos have been on the 4" models (different colors).  The numbers of fish I catch on both the 4" & 5" are the pretty much the same, but the 5" models have never produced a bass over 4 lbs.

 

My question is do you think this is a "match the hatch" situation where on my lake a 4" model is the more realistic lure or have others had the same experience?

[Darren.]

I catch the VAST majority of bass on 4-4.25"

Senko/knock-offs.

 

I have 5" and 6" worms that also catch, but rarely 

as compared the 4. That said, I happened to catch 

my PB on a 5" Senko, LOL.

[Fisher-O-men]

4" Yum Dinger catches far more fish, for me, than 5".  No need to know why, just go with what works.

[tcbass]

Interesting.

[Comfortably Numb]

I have not noticed a difference.  The 5" will sink faster which may make a difference

 

I also say that Big lures reduce the number of small fish bites but dont increase the number of big fish bites.

[DogBone_384]

I can't say for sure that 4" catch bigger bass in the waters I fish, but I know I catch more bass with 4" Senkos than 5".  

[riverbasser13]

The biggest smallie and two of my best LM from this summer have been caught on a 4" baby bass senko or green pumpkin dinger, including a 3.5 piunde that broke my line the night before and still had the senko in its mouth when I hooked it again 24 hours later. I've caught some nice bartrams redeye and spots on it also. Great catch, that's an awesome looking fish!

[Raul]

I simply do not believe in "matching the hatch", for me to believe in such thing there must be scientific evidence proving that a fish that has the brain smaller than a pea is capable of positively identifying a species as such. However, in my experience the reason why you are having better success with a smaller bait is because the bait sinks at a slower rate ( also, being the bait shorter will be more rigid and it does have a slightly different action than it´s larger counterparts ), in my book slower is bigger.

[RSM789]

... However, in my experience the reason why you are having better success with a smaller bait is because the bait sinks at a slower rate...

 

Do you believe that applies in shallow water, less than 2 ft. deep?  As I mentioned, I usually only use Senko's to skip under docks, so when they are sinking, it is often in 6-24 inches of water, depending on how far I was able to skip it back.  Most of my strikes on these casts are as soon as the lure stops skipping, (although one bass did catch it mid-skip) as opposed to it sinking for a few seconds.  I'm not sure if that is enough time to identify the difference in sinking speed, but that also could apply to not enough time to tell the difference between sizes.

 

I should also note that my home lake has a retaining wall around the entire lake and typical of any concrete structure in water, there are a lot of undercuts where baitfish hide.  I am pretty sure most of the bass under the docks are facing shore, watching the undercuts up against the retaining wall for the dinner bell to ring.  My senko comes skipping in and either triggers a reaction strike or looks like a baitfish trying to get back to a hiding place.  I have also seen bass pinning baitfish up against the retaining wall many times, and a quick, accurate cast will usually be rewarded with a strike.

 

A side note on these fish under the docks is their coloration.  Many of them are darker, almost a smallmouth brown, I am assuming these are "dock fish" who have set up a permanent home under the dock.  A fewer number, like the big one I caught yesterday, are lighter and may have just been visiting the buffet.  None of the ones over 5 lbs. looked to be "dock fish", and the docks they were caught from were fairly close to deeper water.

[Comfortably Numb]

Since I make my own sticks, i can adjust the sink rate. I will use a lighter stick when skipping shallow docks like you are. 

 

As you said they usually hit it as soon as it stopped skipping so not sure it matters. The lighter ones do skip better.

[BigBassLoveSenkos]

I do better with the 5" senkos, and my pb LM and SM were caught using 6" senkos.  go figure.

[Choporoz]

I have more confidence in five inch Senkos. 

 

I'd like to think it is unrelated, but maybe its my subconscious at work on my confidence.....one thing the four inch Senko is better at is bluegill bites....which are fun for about five minutes

[olegs]

I do better with 5" Senko. But if the fish is active I switch to 6".

For inactive fish or smallmouth I do better with 4".

[Munkin]

 However, my experience with Senkos is that the largest fish I catch are always on the 4" model instead of the 5".

 

 

 

The amount of fish I catch on the two sizes is about the same but the bigger fish come on the 4" bait.

 

Allen

[Chris S]

I use the Z Man pre-cut Ned Rig and even trim it down to 2 inches while small mouth fishing.

[SHaugh]

One behavior I've noticed in larger fish is that they will sometimes be driven to bite by the actions of smaller fish.  Quite often I've observed larger fish ignore a bait, but as soon as a smaller fish approaches a lure with some intent it wakes up the larger fish and that fish immediately drives off the smaller to strike.

 

But then the question comes to mind if the smaller fish wins the race does that preclude catching the larger on subsequent casts ?  So the results are probably not as clear cut as they could be, but IMO I think a smaller bait that excites the maximum number of fish is what you should try to use.

[webertime]

Spend a day throwing a 10" senkos and note the size of the bites you get.

(One of my favorite baits in dirty water with a lot of fishing pressure.)

[RSM789]

I am by no means insinuating that smaller baits are the key to bigger bites, I know that all things being equal bigger baits will equal bigger fish.  My question was about a slight difference in size (4" vs. 5") and if my experiences were unique to the lake I fish or if others had the same results.

 

If I spent the day throwing a 10" Senko, I would expect to get maybe 1 or 2 bites if fortunate (on my home lake).  When I balance that against catching 30 - 40 fish for the same amount of time throwing smaller baits (including senko's), I prefer the action.  I am not trying to catch a lake record, I am out to enjoy myself and on my home lake, grinding out a couple of bites in 8 hours when I know I am passing up action does not fit my definition of fun.

[Bluebasser86]

7" YUM Dinger on a 1/4oz T rig is a big fish getter for me. 4" stick worm on a shakyhead catches tons of fish, but not many big ones.