I know everybody loves these things, but for the life of me I can't catch anything with them. I have fished them deep, shallow, wacky rigged, Texas rigged, weighted and weightless. I have fished them in cold water, warm water, pre spawn, spawn and post spawn. I have fished them extensively, not just a few casts and move on. I have tried several brands including the number one brand. I give up, they flat don't work for me. I have never so much as gotten a nibble, never mind caught a fish. That's Hootie's rant for the day.

Hootie

Hootie, you my hero

 

April 15, 2015

 

5" YUM Dinger (Watermelon Red Flake)

 

I wouldn't go as far as saying I or the fish love them... but they seem to work. (This is my first year fishing a Senko Type bait). Do you fish pressured waters?

 

WolfyBrandon

Hey, they aren't for everyone. I have yet to catch a fish on a shakeyhead and think I have caught ONE fish wacky rigging a worm.  If it doesn't work for you, well then I agree junk it.  I carry a pack or two of these stickbaits but the only way I ever catch fish with them is MJ rigged.  If I hadn't caught fish with them rigged like this I would have junked them too.

Do you fish clear or stained water?

I only fish mine in clear/semi stained water. Since I dont add rattle to mine, I dont feel they are worth the time in dirty water. I had most success with stick worms in semi stained water. In ultra clear water, i prefer more narrower worms or other plastics.

Do you fish clear or stained water?

My lake, on it's best day visability is never more than 10 inches.

Hootie

My lake, on it's best day visability is never more than 10 inches.

Hootie

There's your problem right there.

There's your problem right there.

False. I fish a lake with at most 4 inches and catch fish on a senko.

There's your problem right there.

Agreed..

I fish a lake with low visibility and I definitely catch fish on senkos but I don't throw them nearly as much as trickworms, ribbon-tails, etc.

There's your problem right there.

I would agree with you except some of the guys I fish with fish them successfully. It's me man, it's just me. Something wrong with me....dang it!!

Hootie

Most of the time when I see people not having luck with stick baits it is because they are working the bait. 99% of the fish I catch on them hit on the initial fall, very few hit it when "worked". In fact, I have pretty much quit working them back to the boat. If I don't get bit on the initial drop then I'll pop it up about 6" off bottom and let it fall, if that doesn't work then I reel it in and make another cast. 

I dont even own any lol

Try using one as a trailer on a pink Hula Popper Trolled down 4 colors on lead core line -

 

That'll do ya . . .

 

 

A-Jay

I would agree with you except some of the guys I fish with fish them successfully. It's me man, it's just me. Something wrong with me....dang it!!

Hootie

Have friends that kill it on the Fat Ika's, only way I can catch a fish on one of these is to stick a nail weight in it.  Why because I can't fish that slow! IT'S BORING!  I feel ya on this one.  As long as you're catching fish other ways I see no problem in freeing up extra space for baits you know you can catch fish on.  

Try using one as a trailer on a pink Hula Popper Trolled down 4 colors on lead core line -

 

That'll do ya . . .

 

 

A-Jay

You're killing me A-Jay.  That's funny right there.^^^^

Senko bashers!! I'm just playing fellas! I don't mind if you can't catch fish on them, I mean, can't afford them, I mean, don't know how to use them..

I mean..what was the question again?

Try a Thin senko on a drop shot or a wacky rig they work better for me then the regular ones.

I feel ya on this one. As long as you're catching fish other ways I see no problem in freeing up extra space for baits you know you can catch fish on.

And that's it.

Tubes and beavers, beavers and tubes,

Tubes and beavers, beavers and tubes.

Hootie

And that's it.

Tubes and beavers, beavers and tubes,

Tubes and beavers, beavers and tubes.

Hootie

 

Now That's funny ~

 

A-Jay

Hootie,

 

I am not a big senko guy like I used to be. At this point I probably have 50 bags of GY in 4 and 5 inch and another 50 bags of knock offs. The lakes I frequent have varying levels of water clarity and some are just a few inches. On these waters I have to use black/blue or Chartreuse variation to get bit enough to make it worth the while. 9/10 times I will opt for as super fluke, caffeine shad, D-Shad over a senko type.

 

At this point I find myself slowly moving away from these baits though I still use them in certain situations and in certain bodies of water.

 

Calm winds, relatively clear - clear water, shallow(ish) water, and around forms of cover is where they excel.

Hate Senkos.  I know they work, but I can't do the whole "finesse" thing.  I just don't have the patience.  For me a Hudd 68 counts as "finesse".  The slowest most finesse lure I fish is a 1/4oz. casting jig, but the lakes I fish lend themselves to big loud lures visibility is usually around 12". 

One thing to think about is if every one around you use senkos than you probably arnt gonna catch any especially if your never caught a senko fish before. I personally love senkos and use them a lot.