Senkos - How to Fish Them For Largemouth Bass

If you’ve never fished with a Senko, you might be missing out on one of the best baits to ever meet a hook. These soft plastic baits were originally designed as finesse baits (light tackle) for stubborn largemouth bass. But they have become widely accepted by anglers now as a ‘go to’ bait in many situations.

The popular size is 4″, but they can be had in other sizes as well. There are many companies that make Senko style baits (soft plastic stick baits), but I”ve never seen any that work as well as Gary Yamamoto’s and Kinami’s. They cost more but they are definitely worth it.

The Senko is a no frills bait. It looks like a combination of a thick worm and a straight stick (like a pencil). But don”t let that fool you. It has plenty of action to it.

One of the best ways to fish a Senko is to throw it out, let it sink and then let it sit there for several seconds. Then just give it a little twitch with the rod tip. That little twitch will make the lure come to life. It will dart around sideways and backwards. It’s amazing how much action it has.

If you are fishing around docks, stick ups, brush or other cover, do this presentation a few times, then reel it back in and throw it back out. It could almost be said that there is no wrong way to fish a Senko. This is because it is so versatile. It is usually fished weightless because a weight changes the action on the bait. It normally falls slowly and horizontally, giving black bass plenty of time to eyeball it on the fall, which is when they are most likely to hit it.

But you could also put a light nail in the butt end of it. This will make it sink backwards, which could help you better place it under a dock or heavy cover.

It can also be used with a Carolina rig to get it down deeper. Just use the same routine; pause and twitch. I have even seen people use them as top waters by ‘walking the dog’ with them. They are only limited by your imagination.

A good way to rig them is with a #5 offset straight shank hook for the large size, and a #3 offset straight shank hook for the smaller. The hook can be attached directly to the line, but for best results use a small swivel and a 10″ fluorocarbon leader. The swivel reduces line twist and the fluorocarbon line leader helps the bait to sink.

To set it up on the hook, just insert the offset straight hook point through the flat end of the head with the barb horizontal. Push it in about 3/8 of an inch then push the tip through the bottom of the bait and turn the hook 180 degrees. Run it through to the eye of the hook and stick the hook point in the belly of the bait to make it weedless. Do not let the barb go through the body. Make sure the bait is straight after you have your hook inserted for proper action.

As far as color goes, in my opinion they are all good choices. But I tend to use darker colors in mirky water or cloudy days, and brighter colors in clear water and sunny days. I’ve had most of my success on shades of watermelon green and red, Christmas tree, and lime and dark green laminated. On some lakes shades of black and blue as well as shad colored work well.

Experimentation is key and as in all bass fishing, usually the best baits and colors are those that you have the most confidence in. But the most important thing is that you have fun. Good luck.

Learn How To Make Your Own Bass Fishing Topwater Lures Here

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