Getting no love from stickbaits

[thinkingredneck]

I have used Ned Rigs and Senko plus Senko knock offs.  I have  caught exactly two on the Ned and 2 on the name brand Senko.  All dinks.  I have given it a fair try.  I have gone right back with a trickworm in the same location and caught decent fish.   I am fishing Senko weightless, weighted , Texas rig and Wacky.  NO luck.  I have used the Ned with Gopher jigs and Zman, with TRD baits.  No luck.  Is this because I fish muddy water, or am I just not getting it?  

[ETX92]

What colors are you fishing with in the muddy water? The biggest thing that helped me fishing a senko is when I think I’m fishing it slow, slow down some more. I have caught a lot of fish just deadsticking it.

[Dens228]

That's strange.  When I'm not catching fish, a Senko style is my go-to.  For muddy water I tend to use purple or a black/blue. 

[OkobojiEagle]

Fish the trickworm...

 

oe

[smalljaw67]

Use what works for you. The only reason you may get told that something is wrong is because a Senko just catches fish. I know it isn't for you and that is why you will get a lot of suggestions on changing colors and stuff. To be honest, I sort of can't figure it out, the Senko works even when it is tough, and so much so that it gets used more than other worms in my arsenal, including the trick worm. There is no wrong way to fish a Senko but the least effective way is moving it too fast, the attraction is on the fall and when it is tough I dead stick it for 30 seconds and then lift and drop but let it fall on a semi slack line but you need to watch your line as you often won't feel a Senko bite like that even with the best rod.

[Mobasser]

My stickbait fishing has been similar to yours.  I've caught fish on senkos,  but can't say they have been outstanding for me. I've had far better results with trick worms and finesse worms, so this is what I use most. Haven't given up on senkos, just don't have that much faith in them. The ned rig on the other hand has been a good numbers bait.

[burrows]

10 hours ago, thinkingredneck said:

  No luck.  Is this because I fish muddy water, or am I just not getting it?  

Not getting it... keep using them. Try black and blue or green pumpkin with the tail tipped in chartuse garlic.

[thinkingredneck]

10 hours ago, ETX92 said:

What colors are you fishing with in the muddy water? The biggest thing that helped me fishing a senko is when I think I’m fishing it slow, slow down some more. I have caught a lot of fish just deadsticking it.

June bug and GP.  I caught them on pumpkin green glitter.  I haven't given up, but I just don't seem to be getting it.  Watched videos, read the sticky, etc.

[Dens228]

Maybe there aren't many fish in that particular spot?

[LonnieP]

I’ve never really had much luck with Senkos . I always had better luck with other plastics. I decided to give the Senko one last shot last week and caught 2 nice bass.

[Peddiesake]

When I fish a trick worm I swim it a couple of cranks and drop on a semi slack line. On stick baits it's more of a slow lift, drop on slack line, wait ten seconds, twitch then repeat. Water still cold think slow till your sure they are starting to stage for the ritual.

[WRB]

Senko's are sight lures with thier slow fall and slight waggle, difficult for a bass to see or feel in in water with poor visiblity unless it lands on thier nose or in a nest.

My guess is the OP is fishing the Senko differently then he does with the Trick worm, very slowly which is normal.

I don't have the patients to fish Senko's unless I know bass are there. 

Try a wacky rigged Thin Senko and twitch it several times to make it jump around then pause it, more movement without moving out of thee strike zone often works.

Tom

[FishDewd]

14 hours ago, thinkingredneck said:

I have used Ned Rigs and Senko plus Senko knock offs.  I have  caught exactly two on the Ned and 2 on the name brand Senko.  All dinks.  I have given it a fair try.  I have gone right back with a trickworm in the same location and caught decent fish.   I am fishing Senko weightless, weighted , Texas rig and Wacky.  NO luck.  I have used the Ned with Gopher jigs and Zman, with TRD baits.  No luck.  Is this because I fish muddy water, or am I just not getting it?  

Muddy water... I feel ya! That's pretty much all I have here is muddy water. One thing I've learned is that the bait action seems to matter more than the color does. I don't think they see baits very well in muddy water, not unless they are right in the fishes' face anyway. The main way I've had success with stickbaits or senkos has been wacky rigged. That extra flap action seems to help them locate it a bit better. Have you tried that? Also works well on a dropshot wacky rigged too. Especially when there is a little chop to the water so you can get that secondary movement going on the bait without you having to do much.

[Falkus]

Muddy Water: Black/Blue and Pink ! 

 

Laugh all you want but I have caught lot on pink ..

[jr231]

Is the area pressured ? Everyone and their brother uses senkos. I have access to allot of private waters. And years ago when I first started fishing them, all I needed was a 3/0 hook and a couple bags of senkos and I'd catch bass of all sizes, all day long. 

 

Now I don't catch nothing but the yearlings with senkos at those spots. They're on to me 

[Glaucus]

I have no luck with Senkos in rivers, but in ponds I don't even need to tie anything else on. They just produce over and over and over again. I think this is because it is a sight bait. Rivers are generally big bodies of water. If you're not throwing them right on them, you're wasting your time. Ponds are much smaller and it's infinitely easier to locate the fish. I also have zero confidence in Senkos in rivers because in my mind I can never fish them right because of the current.

[IgotWood]

19 hours ago, Dens228 said:

That's strange.  When I'm not catching fish, a Senko style is my go-to.  For muddy water I tend to use purple or a black/blue. 

Same here! Blk/blue, or junebug are good colors in dirty water. The only other color I carry is core shot luminous, which is my favorite for any water conditions.

 

Two of my personal tips...if Texas rigging, I use a very light wire worm hook with no weight. I like the Gama superline EWG in a size 1 or maybe a 1/0 (?). It allows my bait to fall super slow and HORIZONTALLY, but it's super sharp and all I need to do is reel down on the fish to set the hook. But don't be afraid to try wacky rigging it. Some days they want texas, and other days they'll only bit a wacky worm.

 

Also, when I am having a tough time getting a bite, I'll downsize to the 4.5" senko. This has proven very effective to me many many times. Typically, when the water is colder than it should be, like on a cold front, or obviously during the winter, the smaller bait will get the bites. Just be patient and keep using them. There has to be a reason why nearly EVERY fisherman has a bag of them on hand at all times.

 

 

[TnRiver46]

23 hours ago, thinkingredneck said:

I have used Ned Rigs and Senko plus Senko knock offs.  I have  caught exactly two on the Ned and 2 on the name brand Senko.  All dinks.  I have given it a fair try.  I have gone right back with a trickworm in the same location and caught decent fish.   I am fishing Senko weightless, weighted , Texas rig and Wacky.  NO luck.  I have used the Ned with Gopher jigs and Zman, with TRD baits.  No luck.  Is this because I fish muddy water, or am I just not getting it?  

When I read this thread title I thought “this is impossible.” But then I read that you catch fish with trick worms which I would consider a stickbait (in fact I would consider it the best lure ever). The muddy water shouldnt have any effect on them biting a trick worm over a Senko in my opinion. a lot of the places i fish are gin clear and highly pressured so the slow fall of a thinner worm is very effective

[LCG]

I fish dirty water and the ned rig works but you have to fish it very slowly, almost dead stick it. Move the bait with the rod after awhile but do so slowly. 

 

Senko wacky rigged works but it is also slow and on slack line. Just let it fall and do its thing. I usually fish it near laydowns and under overhanging trees. 

 

In line spinners work well for me as well. The vibration helps the bass locate the bait in dirty water. Looking forward to trying the chatterbait this year. 

 

Trick Worm Texas rigged with unpegged light bullet weight, 1/8, 3/16oz, with a bead. My go to confidence rig. 

[snake95]

I didn't have a lot of luck with stickbaits and couldn't figure it out either.  Despite what you might read, you are not alone.

 

In contrast, a couple of weeks ago in shallow areas of ponds in FL, I was tossing senkos into areas where there were signs of fish movement (either protecting or hunting fry, I think).  Nearly every cast got me bites.  

 

For years they didn't do much for me.  Now they are a go-to bait.  What changed for me?  I think it was just persistence that led to experience and then to confidence.

 

I like to Texpose them weightless, and I'd say I built my confidence by working hard to slow down and to target them carefully and fishing them where there are signs of fish in the area.   

[scaleface]

On 4/21/2018 at 1:03 PM, Burke said:

Muddy Water: Black/Blue and Pink ! 

 

Laugh all you want but I have caught lot on pink ..

[Falkus]

4 hours ago, scaleface said:

Just googled that "name" and he doesnt seem to be famous 

 

[TOXIC]

Well, I am very glad to see that so many here understand that a Senko is not an "idiot" bait as it's often referred to.  There are soooooo many different ways to fish a weightless Senko, let alone all of the different ways of rigging it.  Experiment with the way you fish it and build your confidence.  Is it a magic bait?  No.  Does it work in all situations?  No.  But because I have the confidence and having thrown it for 30 years, I can make that bait work for me in a lot of everyday fishing situations.  

[Koz]

I live in an area where there are literally thousands of lagoons to fish and one thing I have learned is is that what catches fish in one lagoon may not catch fish in the lagoon down the street.

 

For example, yesterday in one lagoon a white spinnerbait with a Keitech trailer was just killing it. But not a single strike on a topwater. Fished another lagoon and not one strike on the spinnerbait, but cast after cast they crushed the Whopper Plopper.

 

I wouldn't sweat it. Fish what works and save the Senkos for another body of water or another time of year.

[DropShotHotShot]

In my experience,  i outfish new people all the time when we fish exact same color senko.  I cast to where i want it and do nothing, the key is to let the bait do all the work on slack line.

 

 

Others i fish with fish it too fast, the desire to start reeing takes over them.

 

In the end, find your strengths and fish them, confidence goes a long way