Hi everyone,

I have read everything I could find about fishing senkos and senko style baits and have tried every which way to fish them in small lake holding bass 12" to 16" average but have had no success. I have caught fish other ways but not with senkos. I know these baits will catch fish but I just cannot figure them out. I see videos of kids catching fish on senkos but I can't get anything. I tried weightless texas rigged, and wacky, different colors, sizes but nothing. Could certain fish that mainly feed on crawfish just not go after a bait like the senko? Wouldn't the fish still bite it out of instinct? The lake is small and shaped like a bowl so I have to fan cast since there are no points or structure to speak of. Please help with any advice or suggestions especially if any of you had a similar thing happen where a lure that has been proven to catch so many fish just doesn't work. As always, I apreciate any advice. Thanks

Funny, I just posted a question about Senkos. I just don't know about your lake. I do know that I catch a lot of bass on a senko. A funny,true story, Two years ago I was fishing Rayburn in Texas. We had been there for 10 days and had caught a lot of fish. We had a great time, The last day, we couldn't catch a fish to save a life. The boat alnding was about 5 miles from where we were staying and I took the boat over to the landing while my buddy brought the trailor to the landing. I had to wait about 30 min. for him to show up. At the landing was a grandmother with 2 10-12 year old grandaughters. They were casting on the slab on the landing. I'm sitting in the boat and enjoying watching these little girls casting and all of a sudden, one starting screeming. She caught a 2 lb. LM on a "get this" a pink senko on the landing slab. I guess this is why we fish.

Right now your lake could be spawning which will make the bites harder to come by I would think but other than that if T-rigging them you think you might be reeling to fast? Maybe slow down your approach and don't be afraid to pause for few seconds while reeling back in. Just fan cast the lake you fishing and don't approach any areas you think they maybe holding. My favorite color is plum apple!! The one in my avatar came off wacky. T-rigging I did good on watermelon, watermelon red, and greenpumpkin.

What size Senko are you using? If I really want to catch a fish with them (if everything else I've tried has failed), I'll pick up my 7' L action spinning rod. I have the reel filled with 6# test Fireline Crystal and a 2' section of 6# test fluoro. I tie on a 1/0 off-set EWG hook (Gammy) and Texas rig a 4" watermelon Senko. You will get bit!

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Bill, thank you for the great video. Do you keep your rod tip pretty low or horizontal when you are twitching the senko? Also, would you work it about the same if weightless texas rigged? Thanks again.

You don't say how long you've been frustrated by your inability to catch fish on these lures. But I have a hard time believing that if you are fishing these where the fish are that you wouldn't be catching some, even if you were using the "wrong" technique. If you Texas-rig a 4" or 5" lure and use a lift-and-drop retrieve I'm sure you'll start catching if you're fishing where the fish are.

Good luck. Don't give up.

For me, the key to the Senko is to do absolutely NOTHING after the cast. I throw it out (rather, skip under docks and such), let it fall and watch the line. When you think its on the bottom, let it sit a little longer. If you start to get the itch to move it, let it sit longer. Now when your eyes start getting droopy, wait 10 seconds more and then reel in and repeat. While this may be an overexageration, the point is to just let it sit, maybe 10-15 seconds. I use a 5" senko along with a Gamikatsu 1/0 weedless wacky hook rigged right in the middle. Any slight movement, jump, or irregularity of the line is followed by a sweep set.

I agree with Jason, Let it sit longer than you think you should! It will work, you just need some confidence in it. Once you catch a couple fish this way, you will keep catching them! good luck!

Maybe I do need to slow down more I don't know but I thought I was already fishing it pretty darn slow. It maybe takes me a minute to reel it back in for another cast. The thing is the water is still pretty cold so that may have something to do with it being in Colorado and all. I think the bass here spawn late May into June. I will keep trying no doubt but it can get discouraging when it just isn't working. Thanks guys for your replies.

When you think you are fishing too slow....slow down.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/13845-guaranteed-to-catch-bass/

For me, the key to the Senko is to do absolutely NOTHING after the cast. I throw it out (rather, skip under docks and such), let it fall and watch the line. When you think its on the bottom, let it sit a little longer. If you start to get the itch to move it, let it sit longer. Now when your eyes start getting droopy, wait 10 seconds more and then reel in and repeat. While this may be an overexageration, the point is to just let it sit, maybe 10-15 seconds. I use a 5" senko along with a Gamikatsu 1/0 weedless wacky hook rigged right in the middle. Any slight movement, jump, or irregularity of the line is followed by a sweep set.

Basically, this is how I fish them also. Line watching is a good technique when fishing a senko too. Same as above and after you cast(while the worm is falling) leave slack in the line so the worm does the classic senko wiggle all the way to the bottom. If the slack line starts going sideways or moving, reel in the slack and set the hook.

We have a whole section dedicated to the Senko: http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/12401-senko-faq-%C2%A0look-here-first/

Good night Irene.

-Kent a.k.a. roadwarrior

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