Am I fishing the senko wrong?

[Guest]

I used the senko for the first time yesterday. I got some bites, but couldn't tell if it was sunnys or bass. I am used to fishing with a weighted worm and fishing a senko un weighted is hard for me to get used to. I would cast to the outside of the lilypad line and just let it fall. I got some jerks on the line but set the hook into nothing. How do you keep more tension on the line so you can feel when a fish hits it but still let it fall naturally? I'm stumped

[SWMuskeye]

My experience with the senko is if you set it and there is nothing there, then it was probably a sunny. Just like you would jig fish for walleyes, set the hook when you feel the first tap. It has been my experience that even a bass smaller than 10" can take down the largest senko.

You might also want to check the hook that you are using, I would recommend a wacky-style hook if you are doing that type of rigging, or an ultra-point mustad or gamakatsu worm hook if hooking traditionally.

If you are fishing deeper waters, then I'd go with a weighted wacky hook, it'll stay down easier and keep you in the zone. If going shallow, I usually go for a standard worm rigging.

Good luck, let us know how you do.

-MB

[Guest]

Once you fish them a bit you will be able to notice the difference between sunnies and bass. Sunnies often will give you a series of taps, as will some very small bass.

Often with bass you will feel more of a bump, bump... That is usually a sign of a bass inhaling the bait. They will sometimes just grab it and start swimming as well. If your line starts moving in any direction, cross their eyes..

Keep your line as tight as you can while still allowing a natural drop on the worm. I usually have a slight bow in the line just to keep enough slack so that it falls, yet I can still feel them bump. Watch the line as well, any tics in the line, cross their eyes... When in doubt, set the hook!

[EBass]

They pretty much summed it up. Try it again. I've got a lot a bass on it this year. And I jsut started using them this year. The biggest so far was 17.25 on Medicine. Fun fight. I want more

[dan sexton]

Hi Ten,

I only fish the senko one way (not to contradict any other folks style),this is just what works well for me:

I fish with total slack in my line, when I see the line run or take off faster than the natural fall, I know that its gonna be a stuck fish! I also use a sweep-set, so that the hook will penetrate the softest side area of the mouth, another insurance move.

Agian, this is what works best for me. Find out what you feel most comfortable with.

Cloudy skys, and big bass!
Dan

[mickeyg]

Ditto to what has already been said...and I'll add this: I have seen guys have troubling hooking fish because of the hook they were using. I use a 4/O Gammy Offest, but a 3/0 Extra Wide Gap will work also.

[RandyFish]

I have a suggestion. I started using weightless sluggos/senkos this summer and love them...

...but I had to dedicate a spinning outfit to just that technique because I missed a lot of bites.

I use a 6.5 foot rod with good backbone and spool the reel with Spectra (hold knots far better than Fireline). Make sure you tie the proper knots for the line.

This line is more sensitive than mono...after I cast/skip to where I like the lure (under a dock, say) I quick spool some line off the reel, so the lure drops as closely as possible to where I casted it.

I keep the line between my fingers. When I feel the tap-tap, I release the line, engage the reel, and point the rod down at the lure...wait a second, if the line is running sideways, I do the sweep set in the opposite direction...

Once you get used to it, it is a blast to fish that way.

LEARN THE PROPER KNOTS , uni and palomar, for that hi-tech line, and retie often. It is strong stuff, but can snap like a brittle twing if worn.

good luck

[dan sexton]

Randyfish,

Have you tried a Double palomar knot when using braid type line?

I use power pro #50 on 60% of my rods, including my senko set-up. I learned the hard
way as well on the knots....the super lines will cut themselves unless you double the line on the knot (by putting the "loop" through the hole twice before putting the hook through the "loop"), if that make sense.

[Lunker]

The senko's a great lure. I'll fish it according to what the bass are doing. If they are just smacking the lure and letting it go I'll fish with a tighter line, but if they are holding on I'll fish with slack line to see the run.

The best advice I can give probably is that when you let it fall all the way to the bottom, lift up slowly before working the bait any further, because often times there will be a bass sitting there holding on to it but not running. At the last Metro LETS tourney on Waconia, that was exactly the case. There was a rain storm, and I think the bass were not moving far for a bait or running, because every bass I caught was me lifting up slowly, feeling weight, and setting the hook. Good luck

[Guest]

Well, I finally caught some fish on the senko. I think it was by accident though. One bass just inhaled it and didn't move. I didn't know he had it until I started to reel it back in and I felt him on there. I guess i need some more practice. Oh well, it gives me an excuse to fish more. can't complain

[Mark Christianson]

I did the Senko thing on smallies yesterday.
Its not just for Largemouth anymore.
We mainly were tossing topwaters of different varieties, and if the fish missed on the first swipe, we went back in with a weightless Senko to lock the deal. It worked.
Unfortuneately, those darn smallies also would take the bait, but not the hook. Put on another Senko, toss it out, the darn things would take it again. Put on another one, and finally a hook up. Actually that only happened a couple times.
The Senko follow up to the initial missed strike, worked almost every time.
They like em!

[Guest]

biglakeba$$,
How are you rigging the senko? I've had real good luck with hook up percentage on those baits... A lot of the sharp taps will be gills and very small bass - could those be what your missing? I don't set the hook on those unless I feel some weight... Other bites (either a thump or any type of line movement, I cross their eyes). You will miss more fish than you would think by not penetrating the top of the fish's mouth... It really takes some force to drive the hook home on the bigger fish...

[Mark Christianson]

Well, I know it wasnt 'gills, because we were on the Mississippi. I was texas rigging with no weight. In hind sight, I think a wacky would have been better for hook ups. As far as fish size, when we finally hooked up on the fish, they were all decent. Our smallest of the day was 13 inches. We would literally pitch right back onto the exact spot, and they would hit immediately again.
Interesting note as well, we were in a shallow backwater area, and I saw 2 bass swimming by the boat, and I dumped in the Senko. I got hit by the bigger of the 2(16 incher), he took it sideways, and both ends of the worm were sticking out the sides of its mouth. I literally waited a second or two, hoping it would suck it in further, but it just started swimming off. So I nailed it, and got it. One of the few fish of the day that was hooked good on a worm. Wacky style would have nailed it in the center of the mouth. Too bad is was almost the end of the day when I saw that happen.
What a gas though. When the fish hit, it was one solid thump. They were nailing it for sure.

PS Lost several of those darn Senkos, when the fish jumped and shook too.
I gotta run to Gander and buy out the inventory at lunch today.

[Guest]

Yea, the smallies shake off those things pretty easily.. I'd try a wacky rig where you can get away with it... I also have noticed hook-up issues when t-rigging.. I only t-rig when I'm in the thick stuff. If you are t-rigging, I'd definitely skin hook.

[Mark Christianson]

Wacky it is.
I saw you put a post with pictures on the wacky. I see you use an entirely different hook. Any reason a small worm hook wouldn't work? What is the hook type you had pictured?
I will try it tomorrow night.

[Guest]

A regular worm hook works fine. I use a 2/0 offset worm hook. Some guys use circle hooks, but I like to reef on 'em..

[ranger2bass]

1st off, use the Senko's that are green with gold fleck in em. I fished with a guy at state and watched him pull 3 out from under a tree when my blue's would'nt work.Use a thick shank hook with no weight to sink a little faster and give it better action (it wiggles on each end as it falls) like an Owner and just watch the line where it enters the water. if it moves any direction 2 or more feet then pull on em. panfish will tap on it bass will swim with it.Dont pull away from the panfish though because alot of times the bass will charge it and take it away from the pan's in competition for food. Keep the rod butt close and set the hook at a 45 to 90 degree angle as quick as you can. you shoulnt have any problem. use a fast gear ratio reel

[cwmn]

Love those Senkos.
Yes watch youre line but not just when it moves. Mr Bass doen't always run with a bait, especially when it's unwheighted, some times he gulps and just sits there, so if youre line stops moving before it should have hit bottom you could have a fish. This has happened to me a couple of times this year and it has always been bigger fish, 4 to 5 pounds.

------------------
Have a good one!
CWMN