FS Digest

So I got back into fishing this summer. Bought a fishing kayak and try to get out once a week. I don’t suffer any issues catching fish. Sure there’s an occasional skunk, but I typically catch something and some days are better than others. My question is what am I doing wrong with a wacky rig senko? I see people swear by it but I have NEVER caught anything on it. Can’t even recall getting a bite. I fish around all types of cover and laydowns, in the shade, at drop offs, under bridges, and just about anywhere else. Nothing. I run it on a spinning rod with 8 lbs fluoro, a wacky no. 2 hook with the O ring. I’ve used Yamamoto senkos that are black and blue, watermelon red flake, and watermelon black flake. I typically cast at structure and let it drop and pop my rod to make it dance or hop off the bottom and let it settle back down. I repeat this until I’m well cleared of structure, reel in and cast again.

I’ve watched YouTube videos and can’t figure out where I’m going wrong. It’s supposed to be the laziest and easiest way to catch a bass but give me a swim jig or a TR worm over it any day. Am I doing something wrong? Do I fish weird places where I’m in a bizzaro world?

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by MeirsPops

FS Digest

Oh, this is all me. I almost exclusively use the wacky rig out of the kayak thanks to ease of use and how well it catches fish.

Rather than Popping your rod, try shaking it. Try a slow pull up and a long drop down. Or maybe give it some twitches on the way down. I developed a weird, wiggling motion with my rods that's gotten a lot of strikes thanks to the flutter it gives the bait, paired with the wobble when it falls to the bottom. Remember to always let it fall on slack line or it won't wobble correctly or not at all.

Bass often eat jigs, worms, senkos as they're falling via reaction strike.

I try to never aggressively move it. I want it to REALLY look like a wounded bait on its last leg. So never mvo I also use YUM Dingers for most of my wacky rig, weightless stuff.

I like your color choices, I'd like to politely suggest you try a watermelon senko, with the last 3/4" dipped in charteuse worm dip. I also like Junebug senkos, and switch between these two for the most part. Super dirty water I use Black with blue for gold flake.

I also use Mustad Octopus hooks, and don't use the O-ring. My hookups seem to work just fine and the action is as good as any.

I have one last secret for you! -Try wacky rigging a normal trick worm and see if that gets any bites, you'd be surprised that sometimes one is getting crushed and the other isn't. Even with the same color and tactic

Tight lines, The Shark Wrangler

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by TurtlenekNChain

FS Digest

Appreciate the info. I’ll admit, my hop is likely more aggressive when I do it. I do quite a bit of TR worms so it’s a technique that works there but I could see how it may not work with the wacky.

I’ve heard of doing the wobble on the fall by shaking the rod. Slack line amount? Obviously too much and shaking your rod isn’t going to give movement. Too tight and it’ll drop on a pendulum. Guess it’s just finding that sweet spot.

I’ve tried it lately due to the hit of miss fall bite. I can usually get a decent bass on a jig or chatterbait but then the bite seems to die so I’m trying to coax these guys out to get some more quantity.

Color wise, I do have a yum straight worm that has a chartreuse tail. Body is a watermelon/motor oil color. Might need to throw that guy on.

Thanks for the tips.

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by MeirsPops

FS Digest

TR worms usually always have contact with the bottom, unless they're weightless and that's a different story. It's a different action for different applications. But that smaller meal on the wacky sometimes does the trick, but it also wiggles way harder when you twitch it, unlike a stick bait does.

As far as slack line amount, when you slow down the retrieve and just shake, small bumps with the rod, you can almost feel the worm bending each time you move it. Depends on the rod. I just slowly lift up as I'm Working it back and then crank down back to the bottom of my motion and restart when I'm letting it fall, or adjust accordingly as you work small drops into your action.

If you're too tight on the drop it doesn't fall straight down or wobble as much, rather you're pulling and bending the worm towards you on accident. It's not as natural.

It's a great tactic around cover, and I use it primarily for throwing in between lilly pads here on Florida. While not Weedless, it's an easy meal for predators as it falls in between shade/light in pads.

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by TurtlenekNChain

FS Digest

My issue is hook sets. I'll get hits all day long but I'm lucky if I can put the fish in the boat. To be fair, I'm in an area where there aren't a lot of large Bass so they are usually small LMBs and pan fish. I feel like they grab the end of the Senko and not the hook. What hooks are you guys using and what length on the worms?

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by dubcapo

FS Digest

I definitely live by the wacky rig senko. I’ll usually use a monster shad colored 5-inch Senko on a ultra head wacky rig hook. It’s a weighted 1/8 oz weedless hook and helps with the rate of falling. I’ll cast and let it sink before popping and allow it to flutter down again. Repeat until you get a hit and set that baby in.

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by Berry_Ok

FS Digest

I just started using them again after neglecting them for a few years, I usually only throw one after I miss a blowup on a topwater but I have caught some nice fish on it lately throwing it by itself


As far as technique I really think theres no wrong way to use them, if you aren't getting bites then change your speed, slow down or become more aggressive, caught a 4.5 a few weeks ago popping it like a jerkbait

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by stormincincy

FS Digest

I was like that until a couple years ago. I take a less is more approach to fishing them. If I move it at all on the fall it's just enough to make it wiggle a little, kind of like drop shot fishing. After it hits bottom I'll maybe pop it once, then reel back up and make another cast. If I'm fishing a little deeper or trying to move faster I'll use a 1/16th weighted wacky hook. Junebug and green pumpkin/watermelon laminate red flake are my go to colors.

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by horaiy0

FS Digest

This is exactly how I do it too. Don't touch it at all after it hits the water, just let it fall and watch the line. Lift once and repeat. After 1-2 lifts you might as well bring it in and make another cast. strikes on the retrieve seem pretty rare.

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by hilldr

FS Digest

I prefer to Texas rig senkos. I like the action better. I switch it up and wacky rig sometimes, but I catch far more fish Texas rigged.

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by chitownphishead

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

I used to love senkos so much I had to make myself use other techniques
Still love em.
The tip with chartreuse tail dipping is a good one. As is green pumpkin.
Don’t try dipping the mid section. It kinda breaks down the plastic and makes em too fragile in mid section

I used to use the short shank finesse hooks in size 1 to 1-0.
Tried a Neko hook after watching a video. Wow. Little bit of improvement on hook / catch ratio. But these hooks really pin em deep.

As has been said. Try the slight twitch twitch Followed by free fall on semi slack line. instead or a hop. Too much is not a good thing with these

Watch your line. Again . Watch your line ! You may be getting strikes and not know it. Bites can be very subtle.

NoCal Steve Loc: Dunnigan, CA

FS... I had the same problem until 2 weekends ago on a trip to Clear Lake. My fishing partner who loves the wacky senko showed me a different way (for me) to fish them. Tie the hook on your line leaving 8 to 14 inches line after you tie the knot. Run the line back through the eye of the hook (from the top) and attach a weight at the very bottom. Put a watermelon/red flake senko on wacky style. Fish it slowly across the botton with occasional up and down twitches. The weight will really make that thing bounce. Does it work? This pic is my first LM on a wacky senco!

OldBassGuy Loc: Temecula, CA

I would say I catch about 90% of my fish on wacky rig. Have caught many in the 6-8lb range. Either with no weight or drop shop works.

I use 5" THIN green pumpkin Yamamoto senkos, with a 1 or 1/0 hook on 6lb fluro. The secret is to really watch your line. If you see it move left or right even slightly, take any slack out and set the hook. With bigger LMB, instead of a big hook set, try just a smooth swipe of the rod. This technique was taught to me by one of the best guides here in SoCal and works pretty well. Takes some practice because we all love to take huge swings at em.

Good Luck

Old75 Loc: Broken Arrow, OK

If all you have is small bass and you’re hooking the wacky rig correctly, I expect you will miss them. I think you would most likely catch the larger bass if rigged correctly.

jlb603

try a sweeping hook set with a tight line, and a green pumpkin senko