Ain't Nothin' Like the Real Thing
June 5, 2009
There’s just no substitute.
I have looked high and low for years trying to prove to myself that my initial observation holds water, and I can say with a great deal of confidence that there is no other soft stick bait that moves quite like the Senko.
The enticing wiggle as it slowly drops horizontally down through the strike zone does not occur with any of the many knock offs that are available. I’m convinced that the seductive tail shaking is the distinction that no other bait can match, and it’s that distinction that really makes the difference. I have personally witnessed times when a genuine Yamamoto Senko out-fished half a dozen other “look-a-like/copy/wannabe substitutes” (I purposely omitted work-a-likes because there literally are none).
I have at least one “real” Senko tied on a bare hook in the boat at all times on a dedicated Dobyns DX743C rod, paired with a Team Daiwa Zillion Casting Reel 100SHA 7.1:1 ratio. I can pitch this rig into heavy cover, drop it down the sides of or skip it under a dock, hop it over and slide it into holes in lily pads and hydrilla and other aquatic grasses with ease, and then turn around and crank up the magnetic brake on my Zillion with my thumb and fire it hard into the wind. The Senko has a long and slender profile, and its lack of appendages allow it to slide through tight areas and then cut the wind where a regular swim or curly tail worm has trouble.
The Senko comes in several sizes but my all time favorite and the one I use most often is the 5-inch (9-series), which is just the right size for nearly all of my applications. If I am targeting larger bass sometimes I will use up to a 7-inch (9X-series) on a larger 5-6/0 hook.
From top to bottom: 9-10-LAM 5” Laminate Senko in 904 - Blue & Black laminate, rigged wacky style with a small rubber o-ring on a 3/0 offset shank hook. 9-10 5” Senko in 194 – Watermelon w/lg black, rigged on a 1/4 oz football head jig. 9-10 5” Senko in 323 – Watermelon (194J) w/ black and small gold, rigged on a 4/0 offset shank wide gap hook, weightless. 9L-5 6” Senko in 318 – Green pumpkin w/lg red, rigged on a 4/0 offset shank wide gap belly weighted hook. |
Specialized Versatility
I fish the Senko on a bare hook probably 80% of the time but it is equally effective rigged wacky style or on a weighted hook, a c-rig, a t-rig, as a spinnerbait and chatterbait trailer, a split shot rig, or on a football, round or dart head jig. I’m sure there are plenty of other great ways to rig and fish the Senko, but these are a few of the ways that I have actually fished it successfully.
The Senko’s bulky weight is due to the high salt content that enables the bait to literally fly for super long casts even on un-weighted hooks. Rig it up on your favorite weighted hook and you can control not only how far away from a skittish target you can stay, but also the rate of fall of the rig.
The extra salty recipe is a big hit with the fish also and results in a high hookup rate due to the fish being reluctant to spit it out once it bites. The next time a fish tears one up, take a look at the insides and notice how much salt is infused throughout the entire bait.
Rig the Senko wacky style with a rubber ring on either a weighted or un-weighted hook for some of the best wacky rig fishing to be found. The size and shape of the Senko make it a perfect bait for this technique. It will part the grass and trash to make it nearly weedless and the fish absolutely have to bite it when it comes into their zone.
On a Carolina rig the Senko glides and darts horizontally and exhibits the famous trademark “hippy- hippy shake dance” down deeper with the help of a ½ to 1 ounce egg shape weight, and with all of the great action of the bait on an un-weighted hook. I fish this rig in water up to 50 feet deep. Adjusting the size of the weight will dictate the amount of time it takes to get to the bottom and your ability to remain in contact with it once it is on the bottom. The beauty of the Carolina rig is that the weight will not change the free-floating action of the bait at the end of the leader, plus you still get that famous shimmy.
Put the Senko behind a 3/0 or 4/0 offset shank hook and a slip fit bullet weight and this rig will shake its tail feathers all the way down into a tangled mess of limbs as a high performance Texas rig. Use a lighter weight for more subtle action and very shallow water, and a heavier weight and even a larger 5/0 hook to move the bait faster for reaction bites that put fish in the boat under tough conditions.
Slide the Senko in behind your favorite spinnerbait or chatterbait and the nervous undulating action will be hard for the fish to resist. Use it full length for a bigger profile, or cut it to a smaller length and try it out. By varying the speed of your retrieve, you will find that the Senko keeps up great and shakes and shimmies for quite a different look.
The Senko also makes an excellent choice for your favorite jighead with the type of cover you are fishing being the dictator of what style of jighead you use. It is equally effective as a finesse bait on a light jig or as a reaction bait that comes from out of nowhere and into the fish’s face.
The Senko will perform a nearly endless number of unique and teasing moves that are limited only by your imagination, so get yourself some and give them a try. I’m sure that like me, you will find that the genuine Yamamoto Senko is an original article for which there is absolutely no substitute.
In closing I want to again say thanks to my sponsors Costa Del Mar, Dobyns Rods, Laser Lure, Lock-n-Haul, Power Pole, SavePhace, and a special thanks to Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits for making the great products that I choose to include in the tools that I use in my pursuit of the prize.