New convert to Senkos

[LazyIke]

After fishing most of my life with mostly Beatle Spins and the occassional plug (Shad-Raps and Rattlin' Raps, etc.), I started readin up on the lures the pros use to land the big bass. I kept hearing about these Senkos. So, Wednesday evening I took some of the birthday money that had been burning a hole in my pocket and bought a few of these ugly looking things of various colors. So this morning I got up early before work and portaged my canoe two blocks over to my neighborhood lake (Nokomis), which I had only fished once before (after living this close for two years; I know, sad huh? -- been Up North several times, but never fished the lake a stone's throw away). Well, I'm hooked now! -- pun intended. I rigged a 5" Senko on a Gamakatsu 2/0 with no sinker and started tossing directly into the thick of the submerged weeds from about three canoe-lengths out. Son-of-a-gun if I didn't hook into an 18 1/2" Largemouth on the fourth toss. I didn't even hardly set the hook -- he was just ON. Was fun in the canoe, as he dragged me a good way toward the weed bed. Having never caught any fish at all in this style, I wasn't sure how to bring him in the canoe -- I'm used to grabbing the leader above a Beatle Spin, and I wasn't sure if grabbing the naked line in the same way would work, AND I wasn't sure if lifting him out would give him a good chance to throw it at the last second; so, I reached in for his gill (is that kosher?). I must have been holding my breath for two full minutes, cause when I pulled him over the side, I let out this huge exhale! My luck got even better when a fella walking his dog saw me struggling to take a self portrait with my camera phone and offered to help. Glad to get the photo evidence, as this is my best Largemouth in my 35 years. Sorry to go on and on, but dang, it's fun to catch a good one ain't it! And oh yeah, s/he's back in the water, so find a weedline and take a shot.

[image]http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=4692554&albumID=0&imageID=11616716[/image]

[fisherman-andy]

Senkos are great for bass. If you like them now, wait till you try out YUM and Berkley's line of GULP! & their new Gulp! Alive! products. I promise you'll be catching more fish in no time.

[BoxMN]

Congrats LazyIke! And Andy is right on - especially with the Yum 4" tubes, they are great. And Gulp is great, my fav are the chart. worms (ona clear lake, just set the hook when you can't see the worm, and you have a fish on!) and the shad colored 4" minnow.

But I have been using the Senkos for about 3 years now, and they are great! Favs around here are white, red or purple, and up north on clear lakes I like white flake or shad (black and white). Lots of people use them whacky style, but I have not tried them that way yet, just texas rigged.

[polarsusd81]

Give em a shot wacky style and you will be in a whole new world. I started fishing them a couple years ago and just recently tried them wacky rigged. They work great both ways but I feel it is even easier to set the hook wacky style. I haven't had a problem pulling it through the weeds with the hook exposed either. Maybe get a small bit of weeds in one of 20 casts. The senko always remains rigged on one of my rods.

Tom

[Maximum12]

I'm going to have to pound some water with my Senkos.

I'm addicted to Gulp! Went out last night & caught a small northern in a concerted effort with the Senko's then finally got annoyed, pulled out the Gulp! & pronounced I'd have a fish within 5 minutes. Four minutes later a bass came over the edge of the boat. I just haven't had any luck with Senko's yet.

I used to laugh at people who said you had to have confidence in what you were using - how the heck does a fish looking down your bait know your confidence level? But maybe there's something to it.

[Aaron Carrell]

Hey LazyIke.... Nice catch on Nokomis for sure! I've spent 3 long outings on that stupid lake and all I've managed was to have a nice muskie follow and then snagged a tiny walleye. I live about a block straight south of the fishing pier and do own a boat. I wouldn't mind possibly getting out there with ya sometime and see how we can do. I always say I should try Nokomis more often, especially since I've learned so many new techniques in the last year. Shoot, I got the biggest fish in a tournament last summer (for some $$ even!) and that was on a Carolina rig that I had set up the night before for the first time! Talk about lucky... I've just recently started using Senko's as well, but also go for a couple of my other fav brands when fishing plastics. More often than not though I'm a cranking type of guy.

Anyways, toss me an email and let me know where you're stationed acarrell at gmail (Contact Us Please) com

Out of curiosity, how did you have that thing rigged? Wacky style? And how were the weeds doing this year? Last year that lake seemed barren except for right near the pier.

[LazyIke]

I've been Carolina rigging and Wacky rigging while twitching with a slow retrieve; the Wacky has been the best: six largemouth on four outings of less than three hours, one outing just fishing from the bank (now that I have my spot figured out). I like being in the canoe, but i had an hour to kill a few mornings ago, and I just rode my bike over there and picked up an 18" and a 16" in an hour. Last night, before the fireworks, I picked out another two from the canoe, again 18" and 16". All these outings were dawn and dusk periods of low light, casting just to or just into the weed line. The best part, aside from the catching? I'm not burning any fuel. I tow the canoe to the lake on a two-wheel cart attached to the back of a external-frame camping backpack. And on the water, of course, its electric power only. However, I paddle to the hot-spot, and use the motor only if it's windy. Low-impact fishing! Hopefully the bite stays hot locally, so I don't have to go back to White Bear and wait in the long lines to get on and off the water.