Senkos - PLEASE enlighten me...

This is where it's all going on. One can ask for advice or general information or simply chew the fat about fishing tackle, tips, and locations.
User avatar
FLOATFISHIN
Diamond Participant
Diamond Participant
Posts: 2293
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 9:22 am
Location: Delhi Ont

Post by FLOATFISHIN »

Pat I have fished Circle hooks but only on live bait, the idea is that when a fish picks up the bait the hook turns itself into the fishes mouth without having to set the hook well, it pretty much sets it self.

But the idea of circle hooks is a great idea, and if anyone has used them for senko's I would love to hear if it is an improvment too!!!

F.F
User avatar
Jigs
Silver Participant
Silver Participant
Posts: 880
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2004 5:13 pm

Post by Jigs »

Mrs. Livewell:

That's a neat post. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Tell him to STOP moving the freakin boat :!: :!: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I have used them in a limited fashion; but they are becoming almost #2 in the arsenal.

Colours which have produced are almost a wicked barf colour green/yellow/brown/striped/circle stripes/.........anything that looks nasty and might live in weeds......... :?:

Hook em wacky and let them fall, watch the line, it moves-reel up and set the hook. RJ is pretty much an expert at this. I caught most of the pan fish on them, (well, a couple of bass) :oops: ...........small

Have tried them this week, and they have worked well.

Practise, practise, and tell MT to stop movin the boat when yur fishin

:lol:
User avatar
Misses Livewell
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 115
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2004 1:48 pm
Location: Rockland, ON

Post by Misses Livewell »

There is soo much info here, and I hate to ask more :oops: but..........

-what is "twitch"? :? how do you do it - is it anything like bringing in a surface popper?
-what does a circle hook look like, is it weedless, and how would you rig it?
-how do you know what colour/size to use?

the reason i'm suddenly interested in senkos is that not so long ago, on the Miss, I lost my frog-man spinner :cry: M.T. tells me it was my confidence lure and I have to believe him... why? well, cause ever since that fatefull day, all I've caught is one lousy sunfish :x

so i'd really like to find something to fill the empty place in my heart.......... and Livewell!!! :twisted:

d

D
User avatar
FLOATFISHIN
Diamond Participant
Diamond Participant
Posts: 2293
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 9:22 am
Location: Delhi Ont

Post by FLOATFISHIN »

D, Here is how I learned from a few lads to work these properly :wink:

Toss er out, this is a weightless bait so spinning gear is more affective.Toss er out into open water, on a weedline, into pockets of slop, lillies, and so on.

Let it fall till you think you have hit bottom, give your rod a "Twitch" Like working a topwater, but only once and let it fall back to bottom.You can do this all the way back to the boat, but if there is an active fish he will take it right away.

"Fan cast" (Cast many times and cover water for aggresive fish) and try to locate them.This is why we twitch once maybe twice, because the bigger fish will hit on the fall, or when it rests on bottom(Personal Exp, others might have had other techs aswell)

A senko(Or senko typed bait) is a great bait when fish are lethargic, say after a cold front, or heavily preasured waters.

A circle hook is a rounded hook designed to rotate as a fish moves with the bait to roll and then expose the point or barb have you, and tension locks the hook into the fishes mouth b4 it has a chance to take the bait all the way down in the gullet.

Hook size depends on you or the size of the "Senko, or typed bait" you throw a 2/0 to a 3/0 is a rounded choice for many.A bigger hook will also avoid deep hookings on fish, though too big and well you are asking for a non hook-up.

The bleeding hooks as of late(Bait colour pending) have been good.(The red hooks) Though if you are using a black, or dark type bait make sure to have bronze, nickel, and red hooks, because the hook is exposed, might make a fish think twice in clear water, or preasured cons.

Hope this helps a bit more.

F.F
Last edited by FLOATFISHIN on Wed Aug 10, 2005 7:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Canadian Bacon
Diamond Participant
Diamond Participant
Posts: 4396
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2003 7:56 am

Post by Canadian Bacon »

D,
get off the computer so I can call ya
User avatar
FLOATFISHIN
Diamond Participant
Diamond Participant
Posts: 2293
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 9:22 am
Location: Delhi Ont

Post by FLOATFISHIN »

Why not share Bacon??? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Can ya call me too???? :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

F.F
User avatar
Canadian Bacon
Diamond Participant
Diamond Participant
Posts: 4396
Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2003 7:56 am

Post by Canadian Bacon »

Ugh..still on the computer..do you guys find these women just don't listen..LOL :shock:
User avatar
Misses Livewell
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 115
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2004 1:48 pm
Location: Rockland, ON

Post by Misses Livewell »

Canadian Bacon wrote:Ugh..still on the computer..do you guys find these women just don't listen..LOL :shock:
Dude! I have high-speed - not dial-up! it's called "children" they do have to go to bed sometime - and unfortunatley M.T. is missing -perhaps we should check the "lunar" cycle around here!!! :twisted:

dial away dear bacon!

p.s. - Float - is Roxy standing there while you take dictation? :lol: :lol: just kidden' - thanks for the tips - at least now I know what "twitching" means!

D
User avatar
Fishhawk
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 2620
Joined: Mon Sep 30, 2002 8:41 pm
Location: Canada
Contact:

Post by Fishhawk »

Switching to a circle and an octopus hooks were options I tried. I had never used them with live bait but had read a lot about their effectiveness. The stories that said you didn't even need to set the hook nor worry about gut-hooking made circle hooks seem to be just the ticket for wacky-rigging.

Know what? It didn't work! I had to take ten seconds (and it shows) to try and demonstrate what I believe is the problem I encounter when wacky-rigging. Look at this sketch... the hook is in the center of the bait and it is the first part of the bait to reach down that deep into the fish's mouth when it inhales the bait.

Image

Now some will say that I am not setting the hook fast enough. Yeah - sometimes that happens if the fish doesn't give any indication that they have taken the bait and it takes a few seconds longer to clue into the situation. But how bout this? One evening last summer I was drifting in a breeze and dragging the wacky-rig. It was less than a foot beneath the surface and about 30 feet behind the boat - it was dragged on a tight line - zero slack.

The smallmouth were creaming the senko and when they did it was a violent strike - enough to make me hang onto my rod tighter in anticipation of the next violent strike. The hook-sets were immediate - make no mistake about that. Was I ever disappointed to see that two of the five fish I caught that night were gut-hooked. Since then I push the barbs in with a squeeze from my pliers. I don't think I lose too many bass after a hook-set. In fact I don't think I lose any because of a less barby barb. I'm sure it will happen though some day.
Fishhawk
"gotta run like a madman bye thanks see ya good luck"
User avatar
SCUBA_STEVE
Silver Participant
Silver Participant
Posts: 771
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2005 9:04 pm
Location: ottawa
Contact:

Post by SCUBA_STEVE »

well everyone!

this is the best thread so far that i have read and keep reading and learning as i read!


call me sponge steve......my brain is starting to hurt!lmbo :shock: :D

but keep going i love it!


thxs all zort
RJ
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 8445
Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2003 9:18 pm
Location: Prospect, Ontario

Post by RJ »

I too have gut hooked my share.....anyone that uses them wacky has.....

I'm going to try completely barbless to see if I guthook one if I can just slide it back out....I've tried cutting the hook.....but most bass' mouths are too small for bolt cutters....

It certainly sucks seeing another 3 pounder swim away knowing his fate may be sealed...

RJ
User avatar
Rescue78
Bronze Participant
Bronze Participant
Posts: 327
Joined: Sat May 17, 2003 6:55 pm
Location: Kingston

Post by Rescue78 »

Misses Livewell wrote: -what does a circle hook look like, is it weedless, and how would you rig it?
-how do you know what colour/size to use?

D
If you read the article I linked you to earlier, there is a hole section about the circle hooks and wacky rig picture is with circle hooks.

As for size and color, Floatfishing answered if you were talking about hooks. If you were talking about bait, I think 5" is the "norm with Senkos. If fish is really lazy, down sizing is always a good idea. Go to a 4". If the fish is really active, bigger bait should get bigger fish (notice enphasis on should)

I have fished 7" Power worms quite a bit and did not want to use bigger bait because I was having succes with that, right? Thanks to a friend of mine that convinced me to go bigger, using 10" worm, I was still catching everything else I was catching before, but I was catching bigger fish on top of that. However, remember the downsize on a slow day rule.

As far as what color where and when, I'm all ears (or eyes I guess) because I don't have an answer for that one. I use the painfull trial and error method.
User avatar
dr_feelgood
Participant
Participant
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2004 6:47 pm

Post by dr_feelgood »

I have just started to target bass since June of this year, due to surgery on my hand. I started off with tubes and now have been introduced to the senko. I purchased a pack of 5" in bubble gum. I rig it weightless texas style. The first time I used it, I believe it was the second cast and I had a smallie on. I went back to the same place the other day after physio and ended up watching a nice smallie suck in the worm.
Image
Just to give some size to the fish, my foot is 12" long.
I may not go back to hunting salmon and trout.


Wait, what am I saying? Itching to try out the hand on a salmon.
Post Reply