Soft Baits

[Bass Magnet]

Im am headin to bass pro to buy some soft plastic baits and i would like to know what you would reccomend for me to catch some big bass

[Forsythian]

I am going to buy and try Senkos (Yamamoto) this spring... I've heard they are good baits.

[Sam]

I am going to buy and try Senkos (Yamamoto) this spring... I've heard they are good baits.

You betcha they are! Dang this board, I just don't have any "secrets" left at all. Spawn and post-spawn bass fishing with Senkos is one of the high points of my fishing year.

But don't buy the Senko brand - go to Wal Mart and buy Kinami worms. They're exactly the same lures made by the same company for about half the price.

I saw an interview Gary (I think that's the first name) Yamamoto gave. He said they also sold the Senko worms as Kinami at Wal Mart to put them within reach of the "common fisherman" (that's me). That's real good of them, I think - and it's put a bunch of big bass in my live well over the years.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Actually Sam I think you'll find they are very close in price because the Kinami is a smaller pack.

BM, it depends on how you fish. Lizards seem to work well on Carolina rigs, Flukes and creature baits for flipping, etc. The two that I never leave without however are, swimming minnows and 4-6" worms. You can fish both in many different ways. If you fish TR, you have to carry Watermelon/Red.

[Sam]

If you fish TR, you have to carry Watermelon/Red.

Watermelon/Red works because some of the less picky bass are willing to say "Well, that's CLOSE to Motor Oil/Red Flake, I guess I could bite it."

[Bobby M.]

when the weather heats up, I swith to a 10 in worm, usually in plum color, have caught fish up to 6#'s during late june july and august. steep banks, with timber. good luck

[Bittle]

I havn't fished the senko at all. Whats the best way to rig it?

Bittle

[HUNTER]

Im am headin to bass pro to buy some soft plastic baits and i would like to know what you would reccomend for me to catch some big bass

SENKOS ARE GREAT IF FISHED RIGHT. TRICK OR TEXAS HOOKED NO WEIGHT WORKS WELL FOR SPAWN AND POST SPAWN FISH IN SHALLOWS "QUIETLY" TWITCH AND LET THEM FALL. THEY DO MOST THE WORK AND WATCH YOUR LINE. FINESSE WORMS, LIZARDS,FLUKES,AND GRUBS SHOULD COVER IT. STAY WITH NATURAL COLORS MOSTLY BUT THOSE SPAWNING BASS SOMETIMES GO FOR THE CRAZY COLORS TOO (PINK, YELLOW, METH., RED SHAD) IF THEY IN THE RIGHT MOOD.

[Sam]

I hook the Senko wacky-style with no other weight. Use 8 or 10 lb. test line and a spinning outfit, you can cast it a long ways. Let the worm drop straight down, and twitch it a little as it drops. Watch your line - when a bass picks up the worm, the only way you'll know it is by seeing your line act funny or jump a little - then you set the hook with a big sideways, sweeping hookset.

Most important - USE A CIRCLE HOOK. I use a #1 or #2 Kahle hook straight through the middle of the worm, then leave the hook point in the worm as it comes back through. You're fishing with kind of a slack line, and you're not going to know you've got a bite until the worm is in the fish's stomach. The Kahle hook will pull the worm up out of the stomach and give you a good solid hookset through the lip every time. If you use regular hooks with a Senko, you'll gut-hook and kill every bass you catch.

[Omaha Willie]

Senkos are very, very good baits. I rig them 'texas' style with no weight. Bait works best just falling and then being dead-sticked. Some folks I know also put a small bullet weight on the nose...the key to this bait is the 'wag/shimmy' as it falls.

also, if you're a drop shot fan, might consider looking at drop-shotting the 3-inch version (rigged wacky)...that's been known to be quite succesful an approach.

Another favorite softbait of mine is the skirted, twin tail grub. Green pumpkin, Dark Melon Bass Pro XPS stuff. Know down there Chompers get the nod, but I prefer the softer texture fished on a Bobby Garland Rocker-style head...