Fishing With Senkos
I simply love fishing with senkos. They really are versatile little lures that can be fished in many different ways. Lure fishing to me is certainly one of the best ways of catching fish. The Senko worm was first thought up back in the ’90s when Gary Yamamoto wanted to improve his favorite fishing bait.
Gary wanted a good action to his new style of bait so he made them with softer plastic than the usual baits. This in turn gives them a more natural look whilst falling through the water. Proving to be almost irresistible to any nearby predatory fish.
The basic design of this worm has been copied by bait companies all over the world. Proving that this design will catch fish time and time again.
What Is A Senko Worm?
A Senko worm is basically a soft plastic worm-style lure that is usually 4″ or 5″ in size. These lures are perfect for many different types of rigs and are very popular among predator anglers worldwide.
They come in all manner of colors for all types of scenarios. Almost all predator fish really love a Senko worm. To a lot of Anglers when they think Senko they think Bass, but you really can and will catch all species of hungry preds on them. Amazon among other online stores is a good place to search for Senkos.
How To Rig A Senko
A Senko worm is that versatile it can be rigged in a number of different ways. My favorite way personally is on the drop shot. I love fishing with senkos using this style of fishing. The beauty of the drop shot is how slow and precise you can be while scanning the area for fish.
It also makes it easy for fishing right next to snags and cover without having to move the lure too fast to get the desired action.
Fishing the Senko weightless with a Texas rig is also a killer method. Due to the slow sinking action of the worm, it really does have that natural look about it. Because of the hook being set in a weedless fashion you are able to cast to places with lots of cover and not worry about being snagged up. This really is a bonus where weed can be a bit of a problem.
Another technique that is a favorite of mine is jigging. Just put a small jig head on and off you go. If I’m on a boat I just bounce it slowly just off the bottom. This can prove deadly for the bass. If you are on the bank, try and jerk the rod up every now and then on the retrieve so the worm just bounces just off the bottom.
The wacky rig is another favored way of fishing the mighty Senko. This is probably the easiest way of fishing them. For the wacky rig simply get your hook and hook the worm straight through the center of it. And that is it! Just let the worm flutter to the bottom and jig it about a bit.
Due to the softness of the bait, this is probably the most natural-looking approach for the Senko.
The Best Hooks For A Senko
This entirely depends on what style of rig you are using at the time. There is a different style of hook for every different style of fishing nowadays. There are drop shot hooks, Texas hooks, jig heads, etc, the list goes on and on.
So do some research and find out what style of hook you need for your favored rig. Some good brands to look out for are VMC, Mustad, and Gamakatsu.
These are all good strong hooks that I used and have been tried and tested. Steer clear of cheap copies these may save your budget but really won’t do you any favors. There is nothing worse than losing a fish due to a straightened out cheap hook.
Why Are Senkos Effective?
I believe the main reason that fishing with senkos is so effective is because of the natural look and feel of the worm.
When a fish such as a bass grabs onto one of these worms, it feels natural to them due to the softness of the plastic. Because of this, the fish won’t want to let it go like some baits. Giving you more time to set the hook.
The Texas Rigged Senko
Texas rigging a Senko is another popular way of fishing with Senkos. This is a rig that can be fished in all types of conditions. It is equally as effective in shallow waters as it is in deeper spots. The Texas rig allows you to fish ‘weedless’. This basically means you can fish this rig in grassy or weedy areas without getting snagged up all the time.
To set up a Texas-rigged Senko you will need a decent offset hook such as a VMC or a Gamakatsu. There are plenty more available but these are my tried and tested ‘go to’ hooks. You will obviously need your Senko worm, and I prefer to put a small bullet weight on as well.
If you want the added bonus of a bit of noise then you could also attach a small bead to hit against the weight.
Firstly slide your bullet weight up your line followed by your bead, if you have one.
Next, tie your offset hook to the end of your line. I like to use a Uni knot but you can use any knot you’ve got confidence in. The main things here are to just make sure the bead and the weight can move freely up and down your line and the knot is strong enough.
Now you want to hook the worm through the nose and slide it on about an inch and thread it all the way up to the offset part near the eye of the hook. When you have done this turn the hook so it is pointing to the worm. Crimp your worm up just a little towards the eye and pierce the hook into the bait.
I personally like to have the hook come all the way through and sit parallel with the worm. I find the hook-up rate is a lot better than leaving the hook inside the worm-like some people prefer.
And that is the Texas-rigged Senko. I have added a video to make it easier to understand.
To Conclude Fishing With Senkos
If you want to have a go at lure fishing and want to try a natural-looking bait then get yourself some Senko worms. They really are easy to use and are proven to be an awesome bait in all manner of conditions.
They will not break the bank price-wise and are simple to get hold of. Amazon is where I buy all mine because I like the fast delivery service. But there are plenty of online tackle dealers that sell this awesome bait.
So get yourself out on the bank and get fishing with some Senko worms, I think you will love the results. Tight lines and good luck.
