Bullet weights with Senkos

[Vinny Chase]

Does anyone else do this?? and when should i not use the bullet weights?

Just wanted to get some opinions

[Hammer 4]

 

[Primus]

I have used weights ranging from 1/8 oz to 3/8 oz., works well as a T-rig worm.It's a good option for pitching into cover.

[fishfordollars]

I use them all the time. also use the 1/16 on a wacky worm instead of the nails.

Cannot remember the last time I fished a weightless senko. It allows me to fish both faster and cover more water.

[eyedabassman]

Not me, no weight at all. They work fine with no weight and I fish them up to 20 ft. if I have to. The ONLY time I would use a weight is when wacky rigging them with a C-rig.

[The_Natural]

I peg a small weight at times....1/8th or 1/16.  It darts around when you pop it.  FYI, I go to a straight shank hook whenever I peg any type of sinker.  

[Crestliner2008]

I fish depths up to 35' with a weightless, wacky rigged Senko. Is there some kind of an advantage to using a weight?

[roadwarrior]

Hmm...

I have been fishing Senkos since 1997. I have never used a weight.

I don't ever fish them wacky either. My rig is a traditional weightless,

weedless presentation using spinning gear and light line. I fish them

in water <12' deep. If I fish deeper or need a weight due to current,

I fish something else.

8-)

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

There is no wrong way to rig it or fish it.I would normally prefer to rear weight it with nails though. A bullet is a good option for pitching around brush. I would normally fish un pegged and use a lift and drop.The bait falls erraticaly as it chases the weight back down.Most importantly,as always,rig it straight. Also x2 on what natural said:A light weight pegged and use a twitching/popping retrieve can be a deadly finesse technique as well.Also don't be afraid to try a small bullet pegged 2 ft up the line drag and hop.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

Hmm...

I have been fishing Senkos since 1997. I have never used a weight.

8-)

But does that automatically make it "the best way" under all circumstances?

[Avalonjohn44]

I throw a weight on if there is a lot of soupy vegetation.  Works just fine.

[roadwarrior]

Hmm...

I have been fishing Senkos since 1997. I have never used a weight.

But does that automatically make it "the best way" under all circumstances?

That was not my point. The action of the Senko and Fat Ika  is

what make them interesting. Profile is important, also, but to a

lesser extent. Adding a weight distorts  the uniqueness of these

baits. When I need a weight, I fish something different.

8-)

[NOVA Angler]

I find that a 1/8-1/4oz bullet weight helps me get it down into the grass I fish on the Potomac River.  I'm only fishing 4'-6' of water for the most part but sometimes the weightless senko won't get all the way down to the bottom where the bigguns lurk.  I've had good success fishing it this way.  If the grass gets really thick I'll use something else.

[J Francho]

The ONLY time I use any kind of weight with Senkos is when fishing significantly deep water, like 15'+.  I use a drop shot rigging with a long, 2-5', drop line.  I'm looking to "expedite" the bait into the strike zone, rather than sit patiently as the worm drops through empty water.

[Chris W]

Does anyone else do this?? and when should i not use the bullet weights?

Just wanted to get some opinions

I probably have caught more fish Texas rigging senkos than fishing them weightless they are great all around baits. Even work great as a jig trailer on football head jigs. Usually use a small weight 1/8 or 3/16 but have used as heavy as 1/2. There is no wrong way to fish one.

[avid]

I always thought it would be a waste of money to fish senko's with a weight.

After all it's the seductive wiggle on the weightless drop that makes them so special right?  My thinking was if I was going to use a weight than it would kill the unique senko-esque action of the lure and so might as well use a plastic worm

Well yes it's true, weightless senko's are the bomb but for some reason adding a screw in weight can be the ticket on certain days.  Big curly tail worms are really productive in the off color Florida waters I commonly fish, but there are days when a 1/8 - 1/4 oz. screw in weight on top of a senko will be the #1 lure by far,

go figure.

[Jeff H]

The action of the Senko and Fat Ika is

what make them interesting.

To us or the fish?  We hope it's the fish, but they don't come right out and say "the action of this bait is why I hit it".  Fact is, we don't know this for sure.

Profile is important, also, but to a

lesser extent. Adding a weight distorts the uniqueness of these

baits.

It would seem to me that rigging T-style weightless "pins" the front half of the bait, also distorting true action a bit.  I would think "wacky" would allow more towards true built in potential.  

As for profile vs action..... how do we know for sure just which one is the reason the bass slam these things.  Because the T-style rigging potentially restricts some action, profile begins to factor in.  In any case, bass love these things.  I have caught just as many wacky rigging as I have T-style weightless so I'm torn on the action vs profile aspect.

I have yet to add a bullet and fish them deep, but you can bet I'm gonna try it this year.  Since the bass seem to love these things (for whatever reason) I'm not going to restrict their potential without a good try.

[kayaking_kev]

I use Senko's with nail weights when I'm walking around bank fishing. I like how it speeds things up and allows it to hit the bottom when there is a lot of current or wind. I think I'm gonna get some bullet weights though and try them because the nail weight does tear up the Senko faster. I prefer Wacky Rig, but almost always fish Texas Rigged when I fish from the banks, because the exposed hooks get caught up a lot and you lose a lot when bank fishing. When the work gets beat up, I'll wacky rig it, that's how I just caught my P.B. this week.

[TOXIC]

Lots of good replies and all are right.  Yes, the "Magic" of a Senko is in the fall but if there's no room for it to fall, like in heavy cover, the shimmy doesn't matter.  I was a purist and refused to weight a Senko until I moved down to Florida where the current and cover can be extreme.  I still use as light of weight as possible, but I will use a Bullet screw in weight in the nose.  It helps on the Potomac slide through the weeds and will counteract the tide swings as well.  I will say if you are going to weight a Senko style bait, it would be the 1 time where I would go with the cheapest knock off there is out there.  

[fishwizzard]

I have caught more bass on a Senko t-rigged with a 1/16oz tungsten bullet weight then with one rigged weightless by far. The little bit of weight lets them glide to the bottom faster but they still wiggle on the way down.  I still catch most of them on the initial fall but the weight lets me work the lure back to me more productivity then when they are rigged weightless.  I have a pile of 6” GYCB Kut-Tail worms that I am working through and I think I like them rigged weightless far more then a 5” senko. 

 

Unless I am sight fishing I prefer a weightless t-rigged Trickworm to a Senko most every time for my slow-sink worm needs.  

[Sam]

Vinny, I fish Senkos with no weight but two friends do the following and they have been very successful with their Senko presentations.

 

They rig the Senko wacky and put a very light bullet weight, 1/64, on top of the hook.

 

For whatever reason, the bass seem to like this presentation.

 

Give it a try.

 

 

[BassThumb]

A 1/16th or 1/18oz tungsten bullet on a Texas-rigged Senko-style bait is a great bait. I use them all the time when fish are in that 10-15' deep grass. I did it tonight actually. I'm more a fan of the 1/16th that the 1/8th. It has a really unique glide that doesn't really seem to occur with any other plastic bait. If I need more weight than that, I'll choose another plastic, like a ribbontail.

 

Another benefit of this presentation is that you can use the knock-offs without any loss of action. I throw real Senkos weightless and Strike King Ochos or Yum Dingers with the bullet.

[Bluebasser86]

Vinny posted this 10 years ago and hasn't been on the forum for 2 years, I'm sure he's found his answer by now ?

[TOXIC]

4 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Vinny posted this 10 years ago and hasn't been on the forum for 2 years, I'm sure he's found his answer by now ?

I'm sure he has been waiting patiently!!

[Bluebasser86]

7 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

I'm sure he has been waiting patiently!!

It's still a very worthwhile topic. I feel most think Senko they automatically think weightless, but in reality it's a deadly bait on a weighted T-rig and pitched around cover. The bonus is it's a pretty heavy bait so accuracy isn't an issue, while retaining somewhat of a finesse look.