senko hits

[crxcrxcrx]

HEY everyone, quick question sometimes i dont feel the hits actually most of the time i notice after the fish spits and flees any ideas or could it be my line andy specifics in line....

[dodgeguy]

fish rarely spit a senko.you have to watch your line and set the hook whenever it feels different.

[crxcrxcrx]

i never see the line move or feel anything dont understand

[Rebbasser]

With these baits a lot of the time you don't feel the hit. A lot of time it just feels heavy, like you picked up weeds or a bark bass (stick). If it feels like that set the hook. You will be surprised how many times it will be a bass.

[spego]

I notice that bluegills or some smaller fish will pick it up and then drop it too.....that may be what you are feeling. Its probably not big enough to eat it. All fish for some reason like those senkos.

[rrw4258]

I was having the same problem at a pond the other night, i was told there was large bass in the pond, and started to throw a 5" Yum Dinger (off brand of senko), and was having tons of blow ups on it reeling across the top of weeds... no hookups... so i went to the truck and grabbed a finesse rod, with a 4" dinger, and was hooking up with almost every fish... try a little smaller senko... the reason i was not getting bit was that the pond only has small bass (it was just stocked 2 years ago). most fish were from 8 to 13 inches.

Ryan

[bubba bass bigfoot]

just watch your line and wait to feel anything different, if your new to it the feel might take some time to know that it is a fish. you should feel the fish when working the worm if anything, there will be added weight. if your line goes sideways set the hook, if it goes tight pull a little see what happens then set the hook, if your line goes very limp reel slowly in till you feel something see what it does then set the hook. just focus on that line, also hold you line by the handle in one finger, i have heard you can feel the bites better, i only use that when the bites seem nonexistent (in your case). your line should be just short of tight or tight at all time, besides when bouncing the worm, slack happens. not sure why your having this problem, but then again all i do is fish soft plastics (Mainly) so i have an understanding of what a fish does on the other end lol. it could take some time for ya to get a grip on it, stick with it. it will pay off.

hope this helps.

[patchino22]

I fish Senko's almost exclusively. Spego is right that just about any fish will bite that thing....thats how good they are, but I have caught bass smaller than the senko. I know you have already been told to watch your line, but that is the truth. You will get most of the strikes right off the batt on the first drop. You will see the line twitch for a split second....and thats it, so pay very close attention. Very rarely will they spit it out. In fact, a lot of the time they will swallow it if you dont set the hook soon enough. So if they are spitting it out, it could be brim or some type of bait fish. Some questions that come to my mind with your problems are:
1. What action rod are you using? (light action, medium, etc)
2. What pound test are you using?

If the rod is heavy action, you are more unlikely not to feel the bite. If you are using heavy test line, it may be harder to see or feel the strike as well. Just my opinion. Stick with the Senko, you will LOVE it!

[patchino22]

One more thing I thought of, what size hook are you using? and how are you rigging it? I fish mine weightless with 3/0 Gamakatsu Offset hooks (5 inch Senkos). If that bait isnt lined up straight on the hook, that will decrease your odds of catching fish on it. But you can rig that thing all kinds of ways and still catch fish. Just something else to think about.

[brandonjames]

I know what you mean crx. I am just getting back into fishing again after about 5 years and I feel like I am trying to learn to walk again... I have done alot of reading on the senko style baits and really like what I have heard. I just picked up some today and am going to give it a shot this weekend. From what I have read it seems like most of the things I read say present it and let it sit and watch the line. If nothing reel it in and start over??? That seems weird to me but Ill try anything to catch more bass. And as far as what to feel for, I have learned that if something feels different at all set the hook, I would feel something and think it was a weed and not set it and now I wonder how many fish I missed? So now I set the hook on anything that remotely feels different, and I guess I have never looked for the line to move, I guess I better try that.

[skeeter944]

Normally, my line will zip off or i will feel taps on the line, but i normally just cast it to my target and let it sink, then i dead-stick it for like 30 seconds or so. the fish will normally hit it on the fall, sometimes i just let it sink past my target and reel it in. just fish it slow, you cant go wrong.

[hackattack]

Originally Posted by crxcrxcrx

i never see the line move or feel anything dont understand

then you are probably not getting bit

my suggestion is to always watch the line...i know... "I have"...no you havent trust metry using fluorocarbon...

and 3 inch senkos (yes for largemouth) with 6-8 lb. fluoro...

[Rebbasser]

crx-I got a 6 pounder on a watermelon/pearl laminate Senko today. Never felt it, it just got heavy, like I was hung up except it moved when I pulled. If you experience something like that, set the hook.

[FlyRod]

The "I never felt him" phenomenom many of us experience with soft sticks leads to (for me, anyway,) more deep-hooked bass when compared to other soft plastics. This is sad, indeed, since it results in more dead bass.
For that reason, I've been trying to enhance sensitivity. First step has been to use braid with a fluoro leader. I also fish them on a spin rig and that seems to help.

FR

[Grudzilla]

I have to agree with the braided line, if your not using it once you start you will realize a big difference in sensitivity. A stupid little idea that I tried that seemed to work was to practice casting it where I know theres no fish (pool, new unstocked retention ponds, etc.) to get a feel for EXACTLY how it feels to reel it in with nothin on it, then it gave me a much better sense for when there is something on the other end. Any time you feel anything different (one of the best descriptions I've heard used is "spongy"), set the hook! A huge percentage of the time its a bass on the other end.

[vagabond]

I wouldn't cast it out and just watch it. Then if nothing, bring it in and start over.

It's true that a lot of the time a fish will take it on the initial drop but it's probably because you're throwing it where there is a good posibility of a fish hanging out.

There's still a lot of fishing to be done though, between the drop and getting the bait back to you. I can't even explain what I do, somehow twitch the tip of the rod and reel in a few inches at a time. Although I pay attention to my line, I can't remember what I do with my hands.

If it's windy, keep your rod tip down so there is not a ton of slack in your line. When the line's pretty tight, you can feel a lot. Like everyone else has said, don't be afraid to set the hook, even when you're guessing. People that have fished for 40 years still whiff all the time.

Stick with it for a while and it will become natural and second nature. Good luck and have fun.

[ILbassman10]

i was at a pond a few days ago and i was useing a green lizard i was reeling it in slow then my line moved sideways so i cranked faster and tuged it felt normal then it felt like i got cought on some weeds or a log i thought it had to be a bass so i set the hook,it took a while but i reeled in a nice big bass
hope this helps

[bassfisher02]

I think it really has a lot to do with the experience with fishing you have... When i first started i had to always keep tension on the line, but as i got more experienced and fished more, i could let the bait sit on the bottom with slack in the line and still pick up a strike... if possible watch where the line enters the water, any slight ticks [more than normal currant or what not ticks] and when you see an abnormal tick, reel slightly and lift up on the rod and if you feel any pressure pull the rod straight up and back, strong hook sets. if you ahve too keep reeling even if its down to just barely turning the handle until you can get the feel for the baits.

[BPACA]

big thing with senkos is that you typically won't feel taps unless the fish are really agressive...lots of times if you are t rigging them weightless you will pull your line and notice a pressure that is there when you start to move the bait.....start cranking and sweep set.....sometimes if your working a bait your line will go slack and you won't feel a bait at all....wind really fast because a fish is commin at yah.

[Botte]

Took me a while when I was learnin. Once you get it you'll be hooked NO PUN.

I prefer a light action rod and 4-6lb test when fishin senkos. It's easier to feel the tap tap tap on the line before they take it.

If you don't get hit on the drop reel in the slack and keep you tip up. This helps you feel and see the line move.

Finally when they pick it up be sure to throw the tip down reel in the slack and pull up hard to set the hook.