Thanks for the info. I'm going to give this a shot. I'll let you know how I do.
Senko Fishing - Part II: The Creature
As I said in Part I of "Senko Fishing", the Senko bait is very versatile. So when the conditions dictate, fish it like a "creature bait".
The most common creature bait is a plastic "lizard". They come in many shapes and sizes but are basically just like the name indicates - a lizard. We've all seen plastic lizard baits and they have the little legs and feet, just like a real lizard would. NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG... they are VERY effective baits when fished properly, in the right environment. What makes the Senko useful as a "creature bait" is that is sometimes easier to work, and often more effective.
A creature bait is most commonly fished in shallow areas on the bottom and along weedlines. Letting a Senko sink all the way to the bottom, and having it crawl, twitch, walk along the bottom can be deadly on many species of fish. I've even caught catfish on Senko's like this. Texas-rigged without a weight with short twitches of the rod can make this bait slither along the bottom. In high wind conditions, a small bullet weight will help it stay put on the bottom without drifting out of place.
As with any artificial bait, the key to working it is to "make it come alive". Making a Senko come alive, as a creature bait, can be very effective.
The most common creature bait is a plastic "lizard". They come in many shapes and sizes but are basically just like the name indicates - a lizard. We've all seen plastic lizard baits and they have the little legs and feet, just like a real lizard would. NOW DON'T GET ME WRONG... they are VERY effective baits when fished properly, in the right environment. What makes the Senko useful as a "creature bait" is that is sometimes easier to work, and often more effective.
A creature bait is most commonly fished in shallow areas on the bottom and along weedlines. Letting a Senko sink all the way to the bottom, and having it crawl, twitch, walk along the bottom can be deadly on many species of fish. I've even caught catfish on Senko's like this. Texas-rigged without a weight with short twitches of the rod can make this bait slither along the bottom. In high wind conditions, a small bullet weight will help it stay put on the bottom without drifting out of place.
As with any artificial bait, the key to working it is to "make it come alive". Making a Senko come alive, as a creature bait, can be very effective.
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Great info Jason...thanks from this beginner! I'm going to pick some up at Cabela's and try them at my weed-infested little pond!
Warner
Warner
Jason,
Great information about fishing senkos. I actually use yum dingers which are similar to senkos, It's my opinion that they hold up better. I've has good luck fishing these worms wacky style where you hook the worm thru the middle and let the ends dangle, this works well in places where it isn't so weedy.
Great information about fishing senkos. I actually use yum dingers which are similar to senkos, It's my opinion that they hold up better. I've has good luck fishing these worms wacky style where you hook the worm thru the middle and let the ends dangle, this works well in places where it isn't so weedy.
Thanks guys. My next article will actually be about "wacky rigging" Senkos. Stay tuned!
VERY GOOD INFO TO KNOW, THANKS BRO
Now that is interesting... I bet that would be a killer idea in the summertime underneath all them lily pads... Will definitely experiment...
Hey! I am finally a game fish now!!! Finally!!! No more little minnows for me!!! :mrgreen: - BPM
Hey! I am finally a game fish now!!! Finally!!! No more little minnows for me!!! :mrgreen: - BPM
Thanks for the info . . . definitely works. And I agree with the Yum Dinger comment as well . . . they seem to put up with more abuse than Senkos
I wacky rig the Yum Dinger in Bama blue color with a weedless hook with excellent results. I use both weighted and weightless hooks. Recently, I found a weighted, weedless hook at Fishtech on Dempster. It has a titanium weed guard instead of the brush-style. Just ask the clerk for them. They're pretty sweet and work well in the weeds at Beck Lake.
jpatt- thanks for the hook tip. I'll have to check those out. I've used Owner wackey hooks with the brush guard and I think they suck. The brush guard is too soft and they won't go through wood. I actually went back to the cheap Eagle Claw weedless hook when I wacky fish a senko.
In terms of using the Senko as a creature, my dad has been fishing a senko like that for years. While I fish it as a primarily as a vertical bait, he crawls the bait along the bottom. He does very well. I've actually thought about getting him as my coangler in a buddy T and tell him to just throw that senko all day. He's always good for a couple quality fish with it.
In terms of using the Senko as a creature, my dad has been fishing a senko like that for years. While I fish it as a primarily as a vertical bait, he crawls the bait along the bottom. He does very well. I've actually thought about getting him as my coangler in a buddy T and tell him to just throw that senko all day. He's always good for a couple quality fish with it.
I have not been fishing too long. I just started up again. But at Beck if you Texas Rig, you'll just reel in weeds covering your bait. Wacky rigging is the way to go from shore. I also fished a weedless jig with a yum crawdad, but didn't catch anything with it. We have a cottage in Minocqua, Wi. Where I mostly fish. From our pier, I wacky rig mostly and consistently catch bass. We have a lot of weed cover there too. But its nothing like Beck Lake. The weeds there are brutal there!
Some of the best worms are the ones that fall apart after one fishornery squirrel said:I actually use yum dingers which are similar to senkos, It's my opinion that they hold up better.
Agreedil_wi_fishing said:Some of the best worms are the ones that fall apart after one fishornery squirrel said:I actually use yum dingers which are similar to senkos, It's my opinion that they hold up better.
Some guys prefer Dingers and some that homemade brand but I'll stick with Senkos.
Great thread Jason. I have become a huge fan of Senkos also. I wacky rig them far more often than Texas. I actually first bought them for my younger son a few years ago. When the salesman at Dicks told me about wacky rigging them, I thought he was full of caca. They sat for a year and I finally broke them out when nothing else was working one day. They were fantastic.
Last year I had the boys drifting them under a bridge up at Green Lake and they were catching them like crazy. That day they were mostly dinks, but it got the boys fired up, which is a very enjoyable day. I havent tried them Texas style at the Fox yet. Maybe I will have to do that next year. Usually at the Fox I either use a jig and twister tail or drift a wacky rigged Senko.
Looking forward to more Senko threads.
Last year I had the boys drifting them under a bridge up at Green Lake and they were catching them like crazy. That day they were mostly dinks, but it got the boys fired up, which is a very enjoyable day. I havent tried them Texas style at the Fox yet. Maybe I will have to do that next year. Usually at the Fox I either use a jig and twister tail or drift a wacky rigged Senko.
Looking forward to more Senko threads.
Haven't tried this yet to get more mileage out of the senkos, but I will soon.
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