Senkos not used in Eite series events?!

[juicebass]

I've watched a lot of video from the bass master tournaments, and honestly I never see any of the elite series pros using Senkos.

For one, I've caught a lot of bass on Senkos, From reading the forums in here, so have a lot of other anglers!

But for some reason the pros (even those sponsored by (Yamamoto) don't throw a senko type baits during the big tournaments.

You mostly see jig and power fishing, or if they do throw a plastic, it's a creature type bait, I've never seen anyone win off a senko, So should we all just throw jigs creature baits for soft plastics instead? Recently I have gone away from them to mostly use jigs and creature baits cuz I guess I'm trying to do the same as what seems to work well for the top dogs.

[Cgolf]

I would have to guess it is about efficiency and covering water. A senko or say a Ned rig is a slow presentation and not the most efficient. Then again if your blanking why not slow down. 

I will have to watch my magazines to see what they use, I usually don't pay a lot of attention to sponsored guys using sponsor baits. 

[trick worms]

I don't really watch pro fishing, but it might be because senkos aren't known for catching big ones

[Jrob78]

A TON of pros throw stickbaits at tournaments.  It's not a flashy bait but it puts fish in the boat and does catch big fish.  The pros definitely use it.

[RyneB]

Chris lane won an elite event using a black/blue stick bait. He was also throwing a jig, but those were the 2 baits he used. I don't see them wacky rigging them, but I always see or read about them throwing weighted  t rig stick baits.

[iabass8]

18 minutes ago, Jrob78 said:

A TON of pros throw stickbaits at tournaments.  It's not a flashy bait but it puts fish in the boat and does catch big fish.  The pros definitely use it.

x 301+49

They use them all the time.

[Mike L]

Juice...Dont worry too much about "what seems to work well for the big dogs". 

If Senkos catch fish for you then You're the big dog on your home waters.

 

Mike 

[whitwolf]

14 minutes ago, Mike L said:

Juice...Dont worry too much about "what seems to work well for the big dogs". 

If Senkos catch fish for you then You're the big dog on your home waters.

 

Mike 

There's a lot of wisdom in the above post!

[J Francho]

I think it's cool to have the focus to learn new baits. I've been beaten in many club tournaments by senkos. I throw them, in fact, I keep a rod rigged and ready with one. Makes a killer seal the deal presentation if you miss a bite - especially top waters. I don't really worry too much about what the pros use. I focus on how they use the baits they win with. I try to apply that to the waters I fish. 

[Kevin22]

 Have you watched live coverage? Zona talks about it quite a bit, saying they will not show some angler's lures because the pro asked them not to. If you watch REALY close you will see non-sponsor baits tied on and hidden on the deck. For instance on the classic I saw     had an old wiggle wart (assuming old) tied on and hidden in the corner, he is sponsored by megabass and TW has the megabass diving flap slap as his crankbait for the classic. Did he throw the wart and not tell anyone? We will never know. 

Same thing happens with the senko... I'm sure every single pro on the tour has a bag of yamamoto senkos in their boat, possibly inside sponsors bags to hide what they really are. I bet you they get used way more than they tell you! Ike once said bass fishing is a game of offense and defense. 

[Airman4754]

1 hour ago, RyneB said:

Chris lane won an elite event using a black/blue stick bait. He was also throwing a jig, but those were the 2 baits he used. I don't see them wacky rigging them, but I always see or read about them throwing weighted  t rig stick baits.

The last FLW was paced by stick baits. The Top 5 were using them almost exclusively. If the bass are heading to beds or on beds stick baits will be the main bait. 

[buzzed bait]

17 minutes ago, Mosster47 said:

The last FLW was paced by stick baits. The Top 5 were using them almost exclusively. If the bass are heading to beds or on beds stick baits will be the main bait. 

beat me to it....

[Blues19]

2 minutes ago, buzzed bait said:

beat me to it....

Me too! Bryan Thrift had a post on facebook showing the stickbait he was using. And Jay Yelas said he was throwing the senko as well!

[Tim Kelly]

John Cox with his senko masterclass.

[Bluebasser86]

Alton Jones seems to always catch at least a few of his fish on a YUM Dinger and it's about the only bait he fishes around spawning time. 

[SDoolittle]

2 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Alton Jones seems to always catch at least a few of his fish on a YUM Dinger and it's about the only bait he fishes around spawning time. 

That was my first thought.

[kbeeb374]

I was a marshal for Paul Mueller in the St. Lawrence elite series tourney last year and watched him land 3 LM in a row with a wacky rig then later catch two 5 lb smallies with a split shot rigged senko

[Munkin]

They are trying to compete against other anglers and promote their sponsors is why you don't hear about senkos. Watch what they are using and not what they say they are using to get the truth. Kevin Short did this in one tournament where he said his bait was a Berkley Power Hawg  but was clearly using a Zoom Brush Hog.

 

Allen

[the reel ess]

There are times I can't keep em off the stick worm and other times I can't buy a bite with them. How3ever, there are some baits I feel I can almost ALWAYS get a bite on.

[RB 77]

10 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Alton Jones seems to always catch at least a few of his fish on a YUM Dinger and it's about the only bait he fishes around spawning time. 

This. In regards to his Elite win On St Johns River: " He said his primary lure of the week was a 6-inch Junebug-colored Yum Dinger; it was the bait that brought him all his fish heavier than 4 pounds. Junebug is the color he automatically ties on when fishing in Florida".

[RichF]

I don't think I've seen Jones throw anything but a senko. 

[BassThumb]

Bass fishing is not immune to pro sponsorships and endorsement deals. I can't blame these guys for lying to sell baits. It's how they make a living. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

PROmotion and PROsports go hand in hand. We see what they want us to see and that's ok ,  otherwise there's nothing to see. 

[primetime]

On Toho they were all throwing a Gambler beast stick bait on 1/4 ounce bullet weight...same on the Big O...thick stick worms with 1/4-3/8 weights, guys are now punching stick worms more than in the past...Starting to become popular, same as the big 7" size worked subsurface like a subwalk....

They get used plenty, just not in the same way we all do since they are usually covering water and looking or 5 good strikes, a drop shot is just more efficient if they are going to go light I guess, they can drag it faster at the right depth the entire time..If they find them in practice I would imagine guys pick apart areas with an unweighted stick worm....if it works, it works for everyone, but I notice that most guys fish them on weights more often then not it seems, and they try not to peg if possible....

the Yum Dinger is becoming popular for punching due to the hook slot...black and blue or junebug is all anyone fishes down here...6" Dinger, 3/8-1/2 ounce weight does the job, gets through mats that most guys have to use over an ounce....

We don't see it since they already sell enough stick baits...but can only make so many new sticks...creatures can be altered to sell more baits each year but they use the same stuff that works for us...

[Incheon Basser]

Stick baits are used on the Elite Series. I'd post pics but I'm not allowed.