Is there a senko stickbait alternative, weight wise ?

[xDirty]

I like senkos but they are expensive as *** and they tear, specially the way i fling my baitcaster, I really like yum dingers, i use them as an alternative to senkos WITH weights. Now when it comes to weightless stick baits im stuck with the senkos because they weigh more. Yum dingers weigh significantly less and maybe im not as good as some of you with the baitcaster but i have a harder time with them. Even if i can cast them okay, my casting distance suffers because of the lack of weight. In my experience sometimes the bass call for weightless stick baits. Whats a good alternative that weighs the same or even more but is around the 5 inch range ?

Someone told me z man zinkers are good, but i thought id ask you guys.

[Turkey sandwich]

Any reason to not try throwing them on a spinning rod?  I kinda look at Senkos as a finesse technique and usually throw them on a MF spinning rod with solid control and distance.  To keep them from tearing, there's a simple trick with a stick bait tool.   Place two overlapping rubber rings around the bait to form an X.  this will allow you to hook perpendicular to the bait without hooking through it by simply hooking underneath the intersection of the bands.  

[bigturtle]

34 minutes ago, xDirty said:

I like senkos but they are expensive as *** and they tear, specially the way i fling my baitcaster, I really like yum dingers, i use them as an alternative to senkos WITH weights. Now when it comes to weightless stick baits im stuck with the senkos because they weigh more. Yum dingers weigh significantly less and maybe im not as good as some of you with the baitcaster but i have a harder time with them. Even if i can cast them okay, my casting distance suffers because of the lack of weight. In my experience sometimes the bass call for weightless stick baits. Whats a good alternative that weighs the same or even more but is around the 5 inch range ?

Someone told me z man zinkers are good, but i thought id ask you guys.

Z man baits float, so you would need to fish them with a weight anyways if you want to fish them weightless on the bottom.

I started to use the savage gear armored tube worm and its been really good so far. Iv gotten 8 fish on 1 bait, and the internal mesh at the center really helps prevent ripping.

[Bankbeater]

I like the BPS Stik-o.  It is not as soft as a senko, but you can cast them a mile without a weight.

[DanielN]

7 hours ago, bigturtle said:

Z man baits float, so you would need to fish them with a weight anyways if you want to fish them weightless on the bottom.

I started to use the savage gear armored tube worm and its been really good so far. Iv gotten 8 fish on 1 bait, and the internal mesh at the center really helps prevent ripping.

Unlike other ElaZtech baits, the ZinkerZ sink at the same rate as a Senko.  ElaZtech itself is buoyant, but we load these with enough salt that they sink on their own.  After about 8-10 fish, enough salt is expelled from the bait that it will start to float (or at least sink at a slower rate), but Senkos are usually only good for a fish or two, so the ZinkerZ are still a money saver.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

                                                                

              SENKO  5"                                10.323g          0.36413oz

KEITECH SALTY CORE STICK  5"        11.468g          0.40452oz

Keitech stick a little heavier if you want to give those a try.

[Ridi620]

I've had a lot of luck with the Yum Dinger. With the hook guard slot, you don't always have to insert it into the bait to make it weedlesswhich increases hook-up ratio

[BareHook]

I like the Yum Dingers as well. You can vary your sink rate by using a thin or heavy gauge hook.

BTW a certain "Big Box Store" currently has them on sale for $1.97 per pack

[ErikmonBillsfon]

I like the big bites bait stick. You get like 25 pack from TW for 5$. The two biggest fish Ive ever seen have come off of these so called cheap lures in June bug. Very durable and like was mentioned above if you use a twist lock owner or Gama hook it  won't tear as much. I use twist lock on every plastic now except zman becuase there's no way to corkscrew those darn things. If you want sinking don't use zinkerz. They will become boyant after a while and are better for stand up and Ned rig.

You could also try a keel weighted twist lock hook for a nice horizontal fall.

[lecisnith]

A good way to fish them with a weight but with a weightless action is the mojo/split shot rig.  Glenn does an awesome video on it.  Get a medium or ML spinning rig.  You won't regret it.

[Gotfishyfingers?]

3 hours ago, Bankbeater said:

I like the BPS Stik-o.  It is not as soft as a senko, but you can cast them a mile without a weight.

X2, I've noticed they seem to be heavier than other brands..

Also, Ebay has stick baits in bulk 100+...

[BaitMonkey1984]

I like the 6" BPS stick-o-worm. Much bigger presentation then then 5" GYCB. I use the GYCB and Stick-o worm almost exclusively in that size. I have the utmost confidence in a GYCB worm, but this comes pretty darn close. 

[benzmech]

Like previously stated, the z man zinkers do sink but not very well imo. I'm a huge fan of z man (especially the trd) but they didn't win me over with the zinkers. If I'm fishing in a tournament I will use a yamamoto senko because I feel it's hard to go wrong with the original that works so well. 

[WIGuide]

I still prefer the Yum Dinger for weightless applications. I fish them on a M/F baitcasting rod and don't have problems casting them even when they're cut down a bit. If you're looking to fish them wacky and want to add weight though both for casting ad ROF, the best I've come across is the Eco Pro Tungsten Pro Wacky Weight. Great design, adds weight to help make your rig more versatile, and actually makes the baits last longer as well. 

[Airman4754]

I use the Big Bite Bait knock offs in the 25 pack. I throw them on a Lamiglas Senko Special casting rod which I believe is a 724 with zero problems.

I haven't noticed any drop off in production with them either. T-rigged with a 5/0 hook they drop like a rock. 

[Ads7633]

12 hours ago, xDirty said:

I like senkos but they are expensive as *** and they tear, specially the way i fling my baitcaster, I really like yum dingers, i use them as an alternative to senkos WITH weights. Now when it comes to weightless stick baits im stuck with the senkos because they weigh more. Yum dingers weigh significantly less and maybe im not as good as some of you with the baitcaster but i have a harder time with them. Even if i can cast them okay, my casting distance suffers because of the lack of weight. In my experience sometimes the bass call for weightless stick baits. Whats a good alternative that weighs the same or even more but is around the 5 inch range ?

Someone told me z man zinkers are good, but i thought id ask you guys.

One way you could fish the Yum Dinger where you will still get great action and have enough weight to cast is to throw it with a light wacky rig jighead. You will get great action, fall rate, and better casting distance without having to pay the price of GY  Senkos. Just a thought.

[thebillsman]

I really like Creme Scoundrels.. they're not the heaviest but I don't have any problems casting them on a lews tp and M/F.

[tstraub]

I love the BPS Stik-Os.  I got the 210 piece assortment kit last year when it was on sale for around $15.  Regular price for the kit is $22 and well worth it.  The hooks that come in the kit are about worthless but you get plenty of baits in 3 different sizes and a good selection of dark and light colors.  I think they cast better wieghtless than the GY version.  

Tyler

[wisconsin heat]

7 hours ago, ZMFish said:

After about 8-10 fish, enough salt is expelled from the bait that it will start to float (or at least sink at a slower rate), but Senkos are usually only good for a fish or two, so the ZinkerZ are still a money saver.

At this point you chop the zinker in half and Ned rig it!

[ww2farmer]

I prefer Yum dingers over senkos any day of the week, and twice on sundays. A dinger with a 1/16th oz wacky jig, or 1/16 oz belly weighted EWG or screw lock hook falls darn near at EXACTLY the same rate as a weightless Senko..................and once you add that little bit of weight to a dinger it has the "magic wiggle" that people go ape for with senkos..............heck even weightless a dinger still has a little shimmy. A pack of dingers + a pack of wacky jigs/weighted hooks is still cheaper and more durable than a pack of senkos/unweighted hooks, so it's a win win for me. Plus if you want a bait that falls SLOWER weightless than a senko, you have that option with a dinger. I have never been out fished by any one who's bag of stick baits said "GYCB" on them, when I have been fishing DIngers, if a guy beat me with a senko, it's because of where he was putting it and how he was fishing it that day.............not the because of the name on the bag. There is a long list of guys around here who have given me their money at the end of the day who fish with  "better" stuff than I do. LOL

[tracker01]

Put me down for the BPS Stik-o's. They work for me and are cheap.