Well you can THANK LMG for this THREAD!.......TUNING a SENKO.

[Deadeye]

Well as I stated in that other thread, Yes you can Tune a Senko or any other worm for that matter.

How? by doing this:

Change Hook size-- Effects Fall Rate

Change Hook Style-- Effects Fall Rate

Rig Texas or Wacky-- Effects how the worm Falls

Place a Flash Spinner in the tail-- Gives a different look and feel (This is actually doing with a Senko what a Speedworm does out of the package)

Put a Nail or Nail Weight in one end-- Effects how the Fall Looks (one side will fall faster)

Change Line Type and Lb-- Effects Fall Rate

Change Length-- Effects weight of worm and therefore Fall Rate

Add a Bullet weight and Peg it-- Effects Fall Rate and/or Speed


Many other ways but here are a few. Funny thing is I rarely use an actual Senko, but these same tactics work for all worms.

[Oldfart9999]

This whole thread is gonna drive me to drink.

<")))>{

That's not a long trip.
I haven't seen a way that I don't use. Try weightless rigging a 5 inch on a a #4 or 5 offset worm hook with the hook pulled pulled about a third of the way up the bait. When you jerk it it adds more action to the bait.
Instead of swimbait hooks try the Mustad 28 degree jig hook for the poison tail jigs, it's a tough strong hook.
Rodney 

[Kris]

Majority of my time with stick baits is fishing them weightless.  I fish mostly smaller bodies of water that are not tidal.   No current or tide to deal with most of the time unless they are drawing water from the reservoir.  If I don't move it, it lays there like Aaron Martin fishing Middle River.  I have at times put a split shot 12 to 18 inches up to go in deeper water.  I always use an o ring on them and it works well.
My out of the box this year will! Be fishing a floating stick bait rigged wacky, Carolina rigged.  We'll see how that works out.

[analfisherman]

Kris, on my last post, that was something that I was thinking, "No one has mentioned 'O' rings and wacky style?"   
I use them often, not ALWAYS, but often.
If I'm targeting the wacky presentation, I will always start with 'O' ring setup.
In reality, most know, I have and carry multiple different tackle bags due to them being setup for different water types I fish and frequently 'shorebusting'. (don't want to carry three poles and a big arse tackle bag up and down the shoreline)
Three different bags have the wacky tool in them and one at home. (got them for $1.99 per tool)

A friend who is not very versatile in his thinking  fishes 'wackies' 90% of the time he fishes....heck I had to show him how to rig a worm TX style 
But he carry's his tool on a clip like this.
https://goo.gl/images/295aBw

I actually use two 'O' rings criss crossed because-in-my-head , I think the hook facing sideways/horizontally through the stickbait allows for better hook up.

Deadeye, now there's a MAN who understands the versatility of a STICKBAIT! 

I too have done them all......and the nail weights (Neko Rigged) is amazing in heavily fished 'wacky style' waters. I use regular nails with head clipped off or cloths hanger (clipped)...because you can loose the weight to a fish often plus I can vary the weight on the fly. (on the water)

Deadeye do you have a FAVORITE?

No one has mentioned 'weighted wacky hooks/jigs' nor a shaky head jig setup nor a NED RIG

Once again, THANK YOU Pro Staff for GREAT INPUT!!!!!! 

Rick, big g....thanks for the GREAT pics........and an explanation of 'HOW' you were fishing the Stickbait! 

Side note.......I ONLY PUT 'SENKO' IN THE THREAD TITLE because some refer to ALL brands of 'stickbaits' as a Senko.....kind of like a Band-Aid type of thing. (it's a 'bandage and the brand is Band-Aid)
Doc Irv's are probably better then most brands.......BECAUSE HE MAKES THEM TO YOUR SPECIFICATIONS!......Color, Floating, Sinking and everywhere in-between!

http://www.docirvcustombaits.com/baitbox/

 

[SFL BassHunter]

Sorry I forgot to mention, I use O Rings when wacky rigging. Saves the bait from getting destroyed on 1 fish.

I use the stick bait on jigs but I think I have only wacky rigged it 1 time like that.

[Deadeye]

Anal, Honestly I rarely use a Stickbait. But like I said these tricks apply to ANY Worm of any style you like to fish.

Normally I have a T-Riged Ribbiontail with a 1/8 to 3/16 Bullet weight pegged with a BPS Bobber Stop. These I fish in a variety of ways. Hopped, Dragged, Shake, worked over a pad and left drop, and my Favorite- Swam.

I also have a T-Riged Speedworm Weightless. These I reel so fast they Buzz the surface. The hits can be explosive and they almost never miss it.

Can switch it up by putting a Speedworm on the weighted outfit and swim it under the surface.

When I DO fish a Senko I usually fish it weghtless T-Rigged.

Here's another trick: Use the nail weight and use it to allow the worm to "glide" under a dock, Mat, or whatever.


I usually fish at a medium fast pace, so slowing down enough to let a Senko do what it does is hard for me. Someday I might just take a bad or two and FORCE myself to only fish with them.

[Kris]

Kris, on my last post, that was something that I was thinking, "No one has mentioned 'O' rings and wacky style?"   
I use them often, not ALWAYS, but often.
If I'm targeting the wacky presentation, I will always start with 'O' ring setup.
In reality, most know, I have and carry multiple different tackle bags due to them being setup for different water types I fish and frequently 'shorebusting'. (don't want to carry three poles and a big arse tackle bag up and down the shoreline)
Three different bags have the wacky tool in them and one at home. (got them for $1.99 per tool)

Most of the time I am fishing it wacky rigged weightless.  I have used split shot as I said and even put a bullet weight on the line not pegged.  Mostly lighter weights to help it get down and not let the fish drop it quick because it is heavy. 
This year I plan on fishing the floating stick bait weightless behind a 1/2 to 3/4 ounce barrel weight Carolina style.  Just a thought and crazy to find out how it works.  I also have some other floating worms that I may rig Carolina style, if it's successful, to see if they work at the same catch rate.  I wonder if a plastic slider on  the line with a 3/8 tp 1/2 ounce jig as a drop weight might be a successful presentation?

[kadas]

This whole thread is gonna drive me to drink.

<")))>{

So your saying your glad Analfisherman started this thread?

[Oldfart9999]

A cheap "O" ring tool is a knitting needle cut short, they come in different sizes, just find the one you need.
Rodney

[analfisherman]

Well, as usual I was doing a little looking around.....and I stumbled across THIS......published in Wired2Fish.....

Favoring the Senko, Western pro Gary Dobyns lauds the bait's broad applicability. Echoing our opening thought, Dobyns feels comfortable fishing just about anywhere in the country with just this one bait.
"There are not many places you can't use a Senko," said Dobyns. "I probably use this more than any other bait. If you told me I could have only one bait to fish, it would be a Senko."
Probably a safe assumption that, regardless of brand preference, fans of the soft stick bait share Dobyns' appreciation for this utility player.

So with TOTAL RESPECT for YOUR fishing abilities.............I'm asking if MAYBE Gary would THROW IN SOME ideas, tricks he's learned and maybe just some basic input. 

Gary, you make great rods BUT YOU ALSO ARE A GREAT ANGLER!
Throw us a little insight. 

[j102]

I use them all the time. Many ways to fish them and they always catch fish.