An Open Update for Senko Sam

[Mac1]

Senko Sam is probably the most innovative person currently on the boards concerning soft plastics and their modifications. At least, he’s one of those rare innovators willing to share what he’s learned during his exploratory journey…..at most, very articulate and precise sharing a wealth of discovery.

Sam, this is an update of my tinkering in a humble effort to share as well.

A couple months ago, I found some old grubs, a little stiff it seemed in the tail……I rigged it
lightly weighted and tried one out just to see the action……the stiff tail shook the head ….in short, the whole grub activated on the pull. I then bubby rigged some of the regular grubs with a light weight underneath the hook….a splitshot crimped onto the wide gap hook underneath and wow…..the tail wagged the dog again. Caught a few nice bass on that grub….in addition to the head moving, it stayed horazontal on the fall and I caught a couple on the drop….not having the grub nose down and plummeting.

Lately I’ve been making snakes. I start with a trick worm by zoom, clip off a little at each end and on the front, I weld a lizard head, and at the rear, a lizard tail. I made a few in earthtones, and also a few with amber bodies and cherryseed heads and tails. I fish them weightless and swim them slowly on top….it’s remarkable how slowly you can move one with the rod tip up and still keep it swimming toward you.

I was fishing near laydowns the other day and had cast several times to this one tree in particular…swimming it out slowly each time. The wind came up and started a mudline on a little shoal between the tree and myself. One one cast, the snake had just entered the muddy zone and BLAM, a really hard, really loud tailsmack. I let the snake die, counting to three, and just as I set the hook, it pulled momentarily, and then came off the fish. The resulting boil from the fish turning away was about the size of a bushel basket in diameter.

Today I began welding just the tail of the lizard to the lizard head directly, making somewhat longtailed tadpoles…..looking forward to trying them in ponds and small coves. In order to get the tail to match the neck size I cut in front of the back legs and clip the legs off. I then am sure to turn the tail upright when welding to avoid twisting of the line.

Made several creature baits by welding the lizard heads onto the front end of a tube, then adding a couple lizard tails; one on each side welded near the front just behind the neck. They look promising and have added a home made rattle in each tube. Don’t have a report on these yet, but hope to get back to the laydowns soon.

Good fishing, Mac

[pig n jig]

Good to see you around Mac. P N J

[dodgeguy]

i know sam from www.nybass.com he is a class act.he did a seminar one time and showed us some of the stuff he makes using old baits.it's downright amazing!!!!

[Mac1]

Thanks PNJ, glad to hear from you as well.

Fished Rice again this year and did well. The first evening the water temp was 74 and only caught one small largemouth...but then the heatwave hit big and in two days the water temp climbed to 84.....the hotter it got, the better the fishing....ended up with a slew of bass, both large and smallmouth. Another grand trip!! Still stuck with the speedworm bodies in watermelon/red (minus the tails) and used those exclusively for the entire week.....just something about that red glitter, I guess, either that or the slow fall....never have figured which....probably both.

At any rate, good hearing from ya, good fishing, Mac

[lizardsrule]

Well I can't say enough about Sam, and you to for that matter Mac. I always read both of your posts intently, and have learned so much from them. Please keep giving us some of those tips, and always, always use lizards in your modifications LOL

Lizards

[Rebbasser]

What Lizards said!

[senkosam]

Great idea Mac and thanks for the kudo. If I can't fish, I tinker and dream about hogs taking my creations. (Sometimes I actually come across some winning designs and mold the final style in Durham's water putty (a fine plaster)).

One new design that is a sure-fire, multispecies lure, is the combo of a Fin S Fish body and the thumper tail of a Sassy Shad. The tail makes the entire body quiver like a minnow and has caught bass, picks, perch and crappie. The length can be made to suit the various forage sizes, but I've found that the 3' Fin S is fine for all seasons. I use it on a long shank, lead head (1/8) and swim that motha anywhere the weeds aren't too bad. It's outproduced larger curl tail grubs 2:1 this year.

Along the same line of thought, I use a grub body and Sassy Shad tail to make my own slider grubs, except the body is larger around and more textured. I've successfully molded both lures and no longer have to fuse parts together.

Another innovation happened when I got ripped again by some picks yesterday and fashioned a 2" wire jig/hook attachment to stop my lure loses. The picks are coming out with a vengeance and I want to be prepared for that trophy 4lb torpedo, with teeth. Didn't lose more than one lure to picks for the rest of the day. Caught 6 - all over legal size and only the first one got my lure.

Dodge and I might not agree on politics, but we both have a passion for the sport and frequently share ideas. We've both made Lunkerville TV shows for cable and I like his better. He and Lizards Rule are always welcome on my boat!

[Fish On]

I know senkosam from nybass.com and ultimatebass.com
He is also on lunkerville show!

[KH.]

is ultimate bass a forum

[Fish On]

Yes. I use to be on their staff. Cool forum because there is a contest and you win a lot of prizes. But not much info going around!

[KH.]

yeah i just joined,but there is crap about fishin.barely anything at all.this is best forum i have been on.nobody will tell me what the other goods forums are.

[Fish On]

You want to PM Mike or Laurie and tell him I sent you there. I got banned a few weeks ago and got unbanned. I saw some dirty admins on site so I stay low on site. I am Fish On on site

[KH.]

this forum is my home

[Fish On]

I like this forum a bunch. A lot of info going around. Not just B.S. like other forums I have been on.

[KH.]

yeah,this what all fishing forums should be

[Fish On]

Any place for me to post articles I have wrote?
I wrote a few with sponsors and love to have some comments

[KH.]

non-fishing related talk,good place to put it.or just email that sponser

[dodgeguy]

sam,we don't have to agree on politics!!!!

[flachristopherkeene9]

How do you guys weld to two pieces together???

Chris

[KH.]

weld what??

[zooker]

sam and mac are some of the best at mutating plastic baits to there style.i personly blame mac for getting me in to modifing spinner baits.

i learn one thing from both of them.. no matter how twisted the idea if it works then it aint crazy..

zooker

[KH.]

cristopher,do you mean plastics?

[flachristopherkeene9]

yeah Kh51501!!

Chris

[lizardsrule]

Pro's Soft Bait glue is the quickest way, but Mac has a soldering iron thrick, or a ligher, or a candle, lots of ways, just don't torch yourself or the place down.

Lizards

[flachristopherkeene9]

that bait glues too expensive for me right now so ill try experimenting with heat.

Chris