learning how to fish a senko for bass is quite possibly one of the best ways to put fish in the boat quickly. These bass lures also have a track record of catching big bass as well.
What is a senko fishing worm?
Senkos are soft plastic bass fishing baits. They come in hundreds of colors and various sizes. Senko baits are also referred to sometimes as stick baits. A senko resembles a fat worm with tapered ends and mimics injured or dying baitfish underwater.
They can be rigged in a few different ways depending on conditions and the structure you’re fishing.
As a senko falls through the water column its tips tend to flutter. The motion is unlike any other bass fishing bait on the market. The action of the lure gives the impression of an injured fish fighting to survive. For this reason, I find that the senko is one of my favorite search baits for bass.
While these bass lures will catch fish all year long, spring bass fishing is the best time to use senko worms.
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Types of Senko Baits
Luckily the styles of senkos do not change to much from brand to brand like other bass lures.
Often times the colors are even similar and you will find that senkos are best fished while sticking to your common colors.
The most popular senko baits out there on the market are hands down the Gary Yamamoto baits.
With more colors available than I care to count, yamamoto senko baits are a go-to and a must have in your tackle arsenal.
Note that one end of the senko is tapered less than the other. That thick end is called the head. This is the end that you will insert your hook into for Texas rigging the soft plastic lures.
The image above depicts your standard senko bait or stick bait. There is another style of senko bait that is somewhat popular you should know about.
I’m referring to the swimming senko. The swimming senko is a little bit different in that you swim this bait instead of dead sticking it or twitching it.
Outside of these two main styles of senko bass lures, you will have variations in sizes.
Some people love to use larger senko baits to catch monster largemouth while others may prefer a smaller three inch senko for finicky winter bass.
Where to Fish a Senko
The senko may be the easiest bait to fish on the market. There is no wrong place for senko if I’m being honest. These lures are great to fish in all seasons and in all conditions. Personally, I love using senkos while fishing in bass ponds where I regularly catch bass in the 3-5 pound range.
.Below are the best places to fish a senko for bass.
- Docks
- Brush
- Rock Piles
- Points
- Tall Grass
- Suspended Bass
As these baits fall, bass will not be able to resist them. The natural motion that the senko falls with is what makes them irresistible. while there are many differences between smallmouth and largemouth bass, one thing they have in common is that they both love senko baits.
The following video shows the senko under the water putting in work. This guy could have landed a few more fish if he had made some tweaks to his bait that I will cover later.
Notice the way the senko tips flutter while falling through the water? That’s the ticket!
How to Rig a Senko for Bass
Now there is a right and a wrong way to rig a senko. I would say that the way you rig your bait is the single most important aspect of senko fishing.
I put rigging over color or locations any day of the week with this lure. The way one rigs the senko will determine the amount of action it has in the water.
Texas Rigging a Senko
When Texas rigging a senko you are creating a weedless way to fish this bait. This allows the lure to be completely weedless while the hook is not exposed. Texas rigging the senko will result in a faster sink rate than the method we will talk about next. Texas rig the senko just as you would when fishing rubber worms.
When rigged this way the bait will sway side to side as it falls. The side-to-side motion imitates an injured baitfish with remarkable similarity.
In addition to the weightless Texas rig senko, there is one other MUST know method to rigging senko baits.
Wacky Rigged Senko
The wacky rigged senko is the best way to rig your lures when fishing open water, wood, rocks, or grass. This style of rigging allows the bait to fall mostly straight down while both ends flutter. The hook sits in the middle of the bait and is a typically smaller size than a Texas rigged hook.
Wacky Rigging is so effective it’s not even fair!
Senko Fishing Tips and Tactics
Here is a great video that really outlines how versatile these baits can be for bass fishing.
Recommended Senko Fishing Gear
The following is a quick list of gear that has been displayed in this article.
Two styles of hooks I recommend for senkos are the Gamakatsu EWG hook and the Berkley Fusion19 WeedlessWideGap Fishing Hooks
Gamakatsu EWG Hook
Berkley Fusion19 WeedlessWideGap Fishing Hooks
Wacky Rings – O-Rings for Wacky Rigging Senko Worms
Wacky Rig Tool
Conclusion – How to Fish a Senko
I hope that you have learned a thing or two in regards to senko fishing. This article is designed to get you on the right path to catching more bass. The senko is one of the most versatile bass fishing lures on the market and deserves to be in the conversation for the best bass bait of all time. These fishing lures are great for people just learning to fish for bass as they are both easy to use and effective.
If you have any questions about senko fishing please feel free to message me, comment below, or email me, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
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