how to use senkos

[dodgers91485]

Just wanted to know if this is the correct way to use a senko worm, and if not, then can someone please inform me..

I use 8 pound test line with a size 2 drop shot hook and "wacky rig" the senko.. Then I cast out and slowly wait until it drops to the bottom. I have trouble knowing when a bite hits though, because I've heard that a bass will hit it on the fall most of the time. how do you go about detecting the hits on the fall? And then once it hits the bottom give it a couple of twitches and if nothing, just bring it back up real slow? I doubt that I am doing it correctly and I have heard the senkos work great. Thanks.

[fishntime]

With the right rod, you should feel a little tap, tap, tap. Sometimes the rod just becomes heavy. I've noticed if you wait a just a little bit after the tap, then set the hook. Your hookup ratio will increase. Im sure there are guys on here who will elaborate.

[hookup]

i usally just rig my senkos fly lined and i hook them with a gamakatsu 4/0 or 3/0 for the 5 inch senkos. if im throwing the seven inch i usally use a 6/0. when it comes to working the senko i just cast it out as far as i can let it sink to the bottom and then reel the slack up and bring my rod tip up really slowy sometimes giving it a little twitch or two.then i let the senko fall again and just keep repeating the process.as far as line size i have used all the way from four # test all the way to twelve#. bites usally come on the fall of the senko like you said but i have got lots of bites liften the senko off the bottom. you eather get a tap tap or your line just starts to take off.

[The Angler]

This is how the man himself fishes'em

A nice little article about what size & color to use in different water conditions


http://www.bassdozer.com/articles/senko-gary.shtml

[Socal Bassman]

This is where I like the "no fore grip" design on some rods. It allows me to keep a finger on the blank of the rod in front of the reel. As what has been said, the strikes usually occur during the fall and sometimes undetectable. If I don't feel the tell tale taps and suspect that I got a bite, I lower the rod tip, which puts some slack in the line. Then, hold the line that is between the reel and the first guide with my thumb and middle finger. Pulling the line back or off to the side of the rod, allows you to pick up some of the slack. If you feel tension or resistance when you pull the line back, quickly pick up the slack with a couple turns of the reel handle, and set the hook!

[tacklejunkie]

W/rig weedless and hail mary the thing.
let it sink for however you feel is good. Keep rod tip at 9:30 and abruptly lift to 11, then back down to 9:30. Do this 3-5 times in a row, like bouncing your drop shot. Then pause 30 seconds. Then do it again, and pause again. over and over.

You'll know when you have a hit. You don't even have to be doing it in the daytime or using your eyes. You can feel the whole procedure, even if a fish hits and you don't feel anything but slack. That's your indication.

Fish it in all the way to your feet. "Feel" for slack.. if you feel more slack than usual, reel out the slack until you feel the weight of the suspect fish and lift the rod tip to set the hook. If you feel the fish "tug" the worm or try to pull it and the line, drop the rod tip and give the fish slack to eat the worm without feeling your line for 1 second, then reel out the slack until you feel fish weight and lift the rod tip to set the hook.

That's how I do it anyways, or rather how it has worked for me.

I seem to get bit on the pause off the bottom mostly, but I do get some on the fall as well.

[a biley]

flyline it, throw it out. raise rod tip and let it fall, raise rod tip and let it fall. Some strikes are undetectable even with the most sensitive rod. reel in your slack slowly! ALWAYS LOOK AT YOUR LINE! You will see it move when there's a fish

[dodgers91485]

thanks for the help..couple of more questions though.

So it does take real long for it to fall to the bottom right?

I was looking on the gary yamamoto site..how do you get it to be a controlled semi slack line on a regular spinning rod?

Also, the lake I fish at has mostly thick algae on the bottom. Even among all this, I can "bounce" and twitch it along the bottom?

ddamn it sounds kind of confusing at first but Im sure ill get the hang of it thanks to your help!

[tacklejunkie]

thanks for the help..couple of more questions though.

So it does take real long for it to fall to the bottom right?

I was looking on the gary yamamoto site..how do you get it to be a controlled semi slack line on a regular spinning rod?

Also, the lake I fish at has mostly thick algae on the bottom. Even among all this, I can "bounce" and twitch it along the bottom?

ddamn it sounds kind of confusing at first but Im sure ill get the hang of it thanks to your help!

Well, hopefully you are releasing your bass so I'm not giving info out to you to eat them.

But yes, you can fish the Senko right on top of the weeds with a weedless hook like I suggested. Not a thing will get stuck on it. If you keep the rod tip high and bounce it up and down once in a while like I recommend, it will also help to keep the bait out of the weeds and right on top. If you feel the weeds, give the bait one of those "couple pops" like I describe above and it will pop right out of the weeds.

You definitely don't need a visual confirmation of your line.
I fish senkos at night and don't miss a hit.

This is why:
When you fish a senko, sure, you leave some small amount of slack in the line on e the pause, but there is still enough slack so that there is a light tension on the rod, even if you are slack lining. If you turn the handle a 1/4 turn, the slack is gone and you instantly feel the tension of the bait moving through the water and over the weeds. The senko causes a lot more drag on your line than a robo worm. If you barely pull your line at all, you will feel the drag of the senko.

Same thing when you have some slack in the line, you barely turn the handle to feel "if the senko is still there". If you bring in more slack than you know you have there with a handle crank, you know a fish picked it up because there is no resistance on the bait. Time to reel down and set the hook.

This works even with slack in the line. You can still feel them take it.
I leave my rod tip high, and my line arches downward from it, but I don't leave "TOTAL SLACK", I still have a very light slack line connection to feel anything the bait does and far as weed, water and line resistance.. I never miss a hit this way. I immediately know if slack is in my line or not without watching my line while I stare at the stars all night. Simply because the bait has it's own resistance in the water, and because of how I hold the tip and feel for the slack.

BTW, this is an on shore, uphill presentation I describe.

[smokinflies]

thanks for the tips too guys. i'll give them all a try.

...

So it does take real long for it to fall to the bottom right?...

depends on weight.

before throwing your bait far out into the lake, throw it in front of you and see how long it takes to sink. plus doing this will also allow you to see what your bait looks like underwater, and how your bait moves during your retrieve.