4 vs 5 inch senko

[DumBassFishin]

Yes I read the FAQ but I did not find an answer. 

Is there really much of a difference between a 4 and a 5 inch senko. I was thinking of downsizing but I was wondering if it was really worth it as 5 inch is easier to find. 

 

Also RW's post said to start with a watermelon colored senko. I typically fish more stained waters. Would there be a better color for stained to muddy water that is still versatile? Green pumpkin? Black/blue? Thanks!

[MIbassyaker]

I like 5" most of the time, 4" for river smallies.  In stained water I actually like watermelon with a chartreuse tip. Otherwise, anything dark is good - black, black/blue, junebug, or plum for instance. Although Green pumpkin is probably fine almost anywhere, almost all the time.

[heavyduty]

For me it's like night and day. I use 4" for river smallies. 5" are a few cents cheaper so I figured I'd buy 5" and pinch off an inch or so. Didn't work. Why, I don't know. The profile is just a little different, a tad bit slimmer in the 4". That's all I can figure. The few packs of 5" I have are going into my Ned Rig pile. I'll see how they do cut in half for this application. 5" for largemouth, I can't say as 95% of my fishing is for smallies. Since 4" is was I keep on hand, that's what I use for LM.

[Crestliner2008]

Sometimes you prefer a snack as opposed to a full meal, right? Sometimes the fish act the same way. Let the fish tell you what they want. I would carry both and I've also found that depending on how stained the water is, go to the darker shades if heavily stained and lighter as the water clears. But there are no "rules" in fishing.....just guideline.

[ww2farmer]

I carry both (and 3")

5" is my go to size for Largemouth

4"  is my go to for smallmouth or for when the largemouth are being ornery.

3" for when nothing is biting LOL

 

[everythingthatswims]

I like Texas rigging the 4"ers with a 1/32-1/8oz bullet weight for clear water bass. I fish it like a ned rig.

[DumBassFishin]

I fish for largemouth but the fish are pretty small, rarely over 2 pounds. 

Also typically stained to muddy, small ponds. 

[DumBassFishin]

should i just go 4 inch for numbers? i dont care how big a fish is as long as its a bass.

[A-Jay]

1 hour ago, DumBassFishin said:

I fish for largemouth but the fish are pretty small, rarely over 2 pounds. 

Also typically stained to muddy, small ponds. 

Well perhaps if you went to a LARGER bait that would change ~

Stop feeding the juvenile fish and start offering the adults a solid meal.

Go with the 7 Inch ~ color 021 Black & Blue is great in low visibility waters.

https://store.baits.com/product.php?productid=10

A-Jay

[DumBassFishin]

Oh d**n. 

 

I'm fine with small fish. Big fish will come but I like catching lots of bass rather than looking for that 6+ pounder. 

So 4 inch is the way to go if I want numbers? Is there any reason to use the 5 inch other than for bigger bass?

[LunkerFisher]

for me, it depends on the depth i am fishing. If I'm targeting bass in 3-5 feet, i'll throw the 4" because it has a slower fall (rigged weightless) than the 5". When I'm in 6-10 feet, I'll usually throw the 5" just because it gets to the bottom better, and i have a better feel with it.

If the fish is hungry, she'll eat it. I've caught nice sized northerns on the smallest bass worms.

[everythingthatswims]

42 minutes ago, DumBassFishin said:

Oh d**n. 

 

I'm fine with small fish. Big fish will come but I like catching lots of bass rather than looking for that 6+ pounder. 

So 4 inch is the way to go if I want numbers? Is there any reason to use the 5 inch other than for bigger bass?

5" senko... A 10"er can eat it just fine. So can a 10lber.

[DumBassFishin]

49 minutes ago, LunkerFisher said:

for me, it depends on the depth i am fishing. If I'm targeting bass in 3-5 feet, i'll throw the 4" because it has a slower fall (rigged weightless) than the 5". When I'm in 6-10 feet, I'll usually throw the 5" just because it gets to the bottom better, and i have a better feel with it.

If the fish is hungry, she'll eat it. I've caught nice sized northerns on the smallest bass worms.

I typically fish shallow water so I think this is a good reason to choose the 4 inch. 

[blckshirt98]

One of guides up here uses 7" senkos and doesn't touch the 5" and smaller.  He says the 1-2 pounders eat the 7" senko just fine.  I don't fish senkos a whole lot anymore but I'd probably go 5" just because they can thrown on almost any rod/reel/hook/line.

[Crestliner2008]

BTW......don't overlook the 7" Senko. Can be a real killer in the warmer months.

[N Florida Mike]

I catch a lot more with the 4.They are a lot of Dink's but there are some good fish mixed in.For some reason,I personally don't catch many with the 5s.I use 6s when I fish for bigger fish and do well, mostly in the summer.That's just me.I pinched an inch off some 5s and the bass loved them.

[Munkin]

I catch bigger fish on the 4" than 5 for some reason. GP is the standard go-to color but for stained water I will use black or junebug as well.

 

Allen

[Raul]

11 hours ago, DumBassFishin said:

should i just go 4 inch for numbers? i dont care how big a fish is as long as its a bass.

My second largest bass ever, 13.5 lbs was caught with a 4" senko which btw, is the size I fish the most, I may change for a 5 incher when I want a faster sink rate or when it's windy. 

 

[eyedabassman]

I fish the 5 " in warm water Spawn to fall but,I fish the 4 " and 3 " after a cold front.

[Kevin22]

I used to use the 4" quite a bit when fishing creek smallies. A cut down 5" never really worked the same as a true 4". I haven't used one in years though. I use mostly 5" now, some 6" mixed in as well. I have caught way to many 8-10" fish to count, on 5 and 6" sticks. So no need to go to 4" unless you absolutely have to. With that being said, my 5" turn into 4" after 3-4 fish, then they turn into scrap after 3-4 more fish. 

 

The 5" is definitely the "all around" size, unless you are fishing gin clear water for smallies. 

[ww2farmer]

For antidotal evidence, here in WNY, I have caught exactly 1 fish over 6lbs on a 6" stick bait and not much else of note (lots of "average size 2.5-3lb fish), Several dozen 6lbers  on a 5" bait, with more 5lbers than I can count, several 6 +'s on 4" baits, and also more 5's than I can remember. No 6's on 3" baits......yet, but a bunch of 5's, and a lot of 4+ lb smallmouth on them.

I quit buying/using/carrying the 6" baits.

I have always thrown the 5" + 4" sized baits more than the 6"...............but for a period of about 3-4 years, I purposely gave the 6" baits a chance, especially when I was looking for bigger fish, and in my exp., they were just not that productive.

[Darren.]

I fish 4 inchers most of the time. I do carry the same
colors in 5" and on particular color in 6". I can say w/o
a doubt that I catch more on 4" than any other.

I did catch my PB on a 5 inch worm, and have caught
some big and small bass on 5s. I have caught many 
bass in the 5 to high 6 pound range with 4s.

[DumBassFishin]

Well i think the 4 inch would be well suited for the shallow ponds i have by my house, but ill get a bag of 5 inch in case of windy day/deep water. Thanks for all the advice though guys i really appreciate it.

[Jar11591]

When wacky rigged, the 4" won't have the same "shimmy" on the fall that a 5" senko will. 

[DumBassFishin]

I always Texas rig

does that make any difference?