wacky rigs and texas rigging

[mrpike1973]

hi just started using these got a few so now i have some confidence. should i be using a braid or fireline i was using mono. would that help detect bites better. should i just straight retrieve these or jig and hop them. is this a more shallow water presentation with the wacky rig i never know if i hit bottom. is this a spring thing or all spring to fall setup thanks for your help

[mainbutter]

I always use braid with about 8'' of fluoro leader tied to my main line for wacky rigs.

So many of my bites come on the fall with slack line, and you won't feel a tug no matter what line you use. I like using braid because I've never broken off on a fish. I like using 20lb fluoro leaders because it's saved the day when a 44' musky and a 37'' pike have chomped on 5'' senkos.

I use wacky rigged senko style baits as deep as 15 feet. Below that, unweighted senkos take a long time to get into a strike zone.

I do every single possible retrieve with senkos, though cast and slow straight constant speed retrieve isn't one I use often.

retrieves I like the best:

-"butterfly-swim" by pulsing a retrieve/pause, various frequencies and speeds can be done from fast and vigorous to slow and lazy

-cast and let it sink to the bottom, reel until it is close to the surface, let it fall to the bottom again, repeat until close to the boat

Really, there are zillions of different retrieves that work wonders.

[Igor Drackenwolf]

When I first started fishing senkos, I used to use mono for both wacky & Texas. I gut-hooked too many fish. The floating line makes for a less-than direct transfer of kinetic energy from fish to rod-tip, and the elasticity of mono magnifies that deficiency even more. By the time I felt the fish and set the hook, the hook was already inhaled.

I switched to Flouro, and eliminated that problem. The line hits the water, I reel up the slack with very little buoyancy-induced water-resistance, and I feel the fish at the soonest possible moment, set the hook, and the lack of elasticity in the line gives a good clean hook-set, right in the lip.

I've seen many guys go with braid & flouro leader, just as mainbutter says, and it's a very valid preference. I like all-flouro better because of the buoyancy issue. Braid floats too.

Also, when fishing weightless, the bait gets into the strike-zone fastest with flouro because the line sinks.

I use a very slow "wing-flapping" pulsing retrieve when fishing wacky style. Just ticking over the weed tops, down between weed clumps, or next to the vertical structure. Texas rigging, I just bounce it over or next to whatever's there, using retrieval speed to keep it close to bottom structure.

These baits are best for "down in" or "next to" bass fishing. In my experience, mostly in shallower water, although I know guys fish senkos at all depths.

[Dan L]

I use a 20lb high vis braid with a 15lb flouracarbon leader. I really like the high vis braid because it is easy to watch the line and detect strikes. Also I like the stronger line when fishing in the heavy weeds. I also think the braid handles nice on a spinning reel. Most of my bites come on the initial fall.

[HandGunner]

i answered with my style of using this technique on your original post check it out! remember that its named the do nothing because most strikes are always on the fall

[Bagman101]

Wacky fishing Senko style worms became my favorite largemouth tactic about 3 years ago. I use both types of line and prefer the 6/20 braid (primarily for durability). Honestly, never had a problem with either. If you are using anything other than a circle hook for wacky rigging, you are making a large mistake. They require no hookset (just reel when you see your line begin to move) and they will NEVER be gut hooked.

[Juan Grande]

I have mono on all my spinning reels and have caught a lot of bass on a wacky rigged senko so far this season. Another problem with mono is getting a good hook set on a long cast because of the stretch. I'll bomb a senko as far as I can cast it and a fish hits it on that first fall. I reel down and set the hook, but it feels like a weak hook set because I have so much line out and there's so much stretch. I'm going to try switching to a light baitcasting set up (with fluoro) my next time out.