Advanced Senko Fishing

[the reel ess]

So would these "advanced" techniques work in lakes. I can catch fish on just about anything in a pond. A large lake is a VERY different story. I once thought I was a good fishermen, when I fished ponds.

My first cast with a purple Senko was on a big lake and it caught a bass. It was on a stump that's just below the surface that tends to hold a bass or two at certain times. So, yes, if there is a specific target in mind, a Senko is a good bait to toss there. I really thought I was onto a pattern but I didn't get another bite the rest of that fine Feb day with any bait.

[BrianinMD]

I am one who will fish a weightless senko in 20ft of water also, caught a lot of very good fish doing it. Is it efficient, obviously no but my goal is to catch fish not see how many cast I can make. If they want to eat a senko like that I will be more than happy to feed it to them.

[Primus]

 I do well pitching into openings through shallow grass with a 1/4 oz pegged tungsten sinker , it goes through  very well . This is a great technique postspawn or for trying to target the female when the males are still on the beds . That's what I like most about the lure is that it is very versatile and not just a wacky rig bait . 

[the reel ess]

Senko Lover, here are some advanced "wacky" questions.

 

Do you use an O ring for the hook? If not, do you hook it in-line with the worm or across the body? What hook do you like? How hard do you set the hook? I'm seeing a hard hookset is not my friend with a smaller hook. If I wait till I see the line moving away on a slack line, I'm hooking too many near the throat. Sometimes I have to get the hook out through the gills. How can I minimize this? I'm practically using a circle hook as it is.

 

I've been using a 1/0 Gamakatsu Finesse hook. But I'm finding I miss maybe 40% of the fish that hit. I'm suspecting too much of the hook is in the plastic, so I bought some O rings yesterday. They thought that was funny at the local hardware store. I bought all they had.

[Catt]

Senko Lover

First when ya post something expect it to be critiqued

Second learn to accept criticism

Third ya aint said nothing new or advanced

[F14A-B]

Senko lover said:

Challenge accepted. Did I create a senko thread with some new info? ( received via PM )

It was not a challenge, only a vain attempt on my part to assist in your love of "Senkos" I did not know you were aware of the extensive information that is available on the topic... Like I said before, there is nothing new under the sun concerning a senko, not a thing. You have been fishing them for 1 year. Since it is new to you, I felt that posting the link would assist you, not challenge you...( quite frankly, a lot of fishermen miss the abundant information that BassResource has avail..) no harm meant I can assure you..

[J Francho]

Two things. I watched Dean Rojas skip a frog all over Oneida When he didn't need to. When asked about it, he said the skip was part of the presentation. Hmmm, I now skip cast every time with a senko. Pete Gluzik showed us how a 6-7" senko would do all sorts of crazy stuff when fished Texas style with a pegged 1/16th bullet weight. He also skips them every time. Something about the entry and the weight makes the bait do loopy loops.

[the reel ess]

Senko Lover,

 

Please see my questions on pg 2. Thanks.

[Catt]

In 2003 not long after the Senko hit the market Russ (***) Comeau, Gary Yamamoto, & George Welcome wrote an artical on ways to fish it. Every thing read here since that time was in that artical with the exception of o-rings.

[J Francho]

I bet there's an old article for every thread on this site, lol.

[DocNsanE]

I'd rather contribute to the current discussion than argue whether it's been said before or not (which is almost certainly has). If the mods don't like it, they can lock it.

 

I have had a lot of success with senko style baits (I typically throw Yum Dingers).

 

Just like J Franco, I find skipping the bait when in shallow water makes a huge difference.

 

I've also fished it effectively on a weightless wacky rig in about 10' of water with submerged vegetation. I have an excellent hook up ratio using an octopus hook. Often it will just land on top of the vegetation, and when it falls into the vegetation I will slowly lift the tip of my rod and let it fall again (I know this is very basic but leads to my next point...). Often when lifting the bait, I will hang in some grass, just shake it a couple of times and let it fall back on a slack line and this entices a huge number of strikes.

 

Once again I know I'm not offering anything new here... but I love senkos too

[the reel ess]

I'd rather contribute to the current discussion than argue whether it's been said before or not (which is almost certainly has). If the mods don't like it, they can lock it.

 

I have had a lot of success with senko style baits (I typically throw Yum Dingers).

 

Just like J Franco, I find skipping the bait when in shallow water makes a huge difference.

 

I've also fished it effectively on a weightless wacky rig in about 10' of water with submerged vegetation. I have an excellent hook up ratio using an octopus hook. Often it will just land on top of the vegetation, and when it falls into the vegetation I will slowly lift the tip of my rod and let it fall again (I know this is very basic but leads to my next point...). Often when lifting the bait, I will hang in some grass, just shake it a couple of times and let it fall back on a slack line and this entices a huge number of strikes.

 

Once again I know I'm not offering anything new here... but I love senkos too

What size octopus hook?

[Senko lover]

Senko Lover, here are some advanced "wacky" questions.

 

Do you use an O ring for the hook? If not, do you hook it in-line with the worm or across the body? What hook do you like? How hard do you set the hook? I'm seeing a hard hookset is not my friend with a smaller hook. If I wait till I see the line moving away on a slack line, I'm hooking too many near the throat. Sometimes I have to get the hook out through the gills. How can I minimize this? I'm practically using a circle hook as it is.

 

I've been using a 1/0 Gamakatsu Finesse hook. But I'm finding I miss maybe 40% of the fish that hit. I'm suspecting too much of the hook is in the plastic, so I bought some O rings yesterday. They thought that was funny at the local hardware store. I bought all they had.

 

- I have been experimenting with electrical tape and like it so far. No I don't use O-rings 

-I use a 2/0 EWG hook 

-I set the hook as hard as I can whenever I see a jump in the line 

-Sometimes the fish just like to choke it. I can't really prevent it. 

-I would switch to a slightly bigger hook. 3/0 EWG works well too. 

[Senko lover]

Senko Lover

First when ya post something expect it to be critiqued

Second learn to accept criticism

Third ya aint said nothing new or advanced

 

How was I not expecting it to be critiqued? I said "just delete the thread" because I didn't see it going anywhere with the whole "Senko de mayo" thing. 

I'm still learning to accept criticism. It's something I'll get better at as I continue to mature. Bear with me

I haven't seen it all when it comes to senkos so I'm sure you're right. 

[Senko lover]

Senko lover said:

Challenge accepted. Did I create a senko thread with some new info? ( received via PM )

It was not a challenge, only a vain attempt on my part to assist in your love of "Senkos" I did not know you were aware of the extensive information that is available on the topic... Like I said before, there is nothing new under the sun concerning a senko, not a thing. You have been fishing them for 1 year. Since it is new to you, I felt that posting the link would assist you, not challenge you...( quite frankly, a lot of fishermen miss the abundant information that BassResource has avail..) no harm meant I can assure you..

 

Point accepted. I still have a lot to learn. 

[SPEEDBEAD.]

you throw weightless plastics in 20+ feet of water? why would you wait for 20-40secs every cast just to use that lure? talk about inefficient.....

 

I wait that long, at least, on quite a few occasions fishing a Hudd.

 

On cold days, I could almost consider your timeline as "fishing fast"

[5fishlimit]

I'm still learning to accept criticism. It's something I'll get better at as I continue to mature. Bear with me

 

Don't feel too bad.  There's people on her twice and three times your age that still cannot accept criticism.  Just read about every other thread on Bassresource!

[Matthew2000]

- I have been experimenting with electrical tape and like it so far. No I don't use O-rings 

-I use a 2/0 EWG hook 

-I set the hook as hard as I can whenever I see a jump in the line 

-Sometimes the fish just like to choke it. I can't really prevent it. 

-I would switch to a slightly bigger hook. 3/0 EWG works well too.

I can't see a EWG coming through weeds very well.

[Cgolf]

I only fish the swim senko, but had had a lot of luck with the slider spider heads to give if a faster drop. I don't swim it, but let it drop sit for a time pop it a couple of times reel in and repeat. The oddest bit of the retrieve is 90 percent of the time they picked the silly thing off the bottom when it was just sitting.

As for weightless in 20 ft, not for me. I would look elsewhere for active fish, not about making 100s of casts, just about finding the easiest fish to catch in the lake.

Again nothing new, while I hate the standard senko, love the swim senko.

[Penguino]

I can't see a EWG coming through weeds very well.

No matter the size of the hook, a texas rig is still probably one of the most weedless and effective rigs for fishing through light cover.

[BassThumbAddict]

I base my fishing trips on how many casts I can make in my allowed time...........

 

 

 

 Stirring the pot. 

[the reel ess]

No matter the size of the hook, a texas rig is still probably one of the most weedless and effective rigs for fishing through light cover.

He meant wacky rigging with an EWG hook.

[Matthew2000]

He meant wacky rigging with an EWG hook.

Indeed.

[jbsoonerfan]

Some of this stuff is pretty advanced. Almost earth shattering.

[DocNsanE]

What size octopus hook?

I think it's a 2/0, probably bigger than it needs to be but I haven't had any issues with it, and I feel comfortable fishing with a medium heavy in vegetation and giving it a good hookset.