Is the Senko craze in the UK?

[Jeremiah T. Bagwell]

I was just wondering if you all use the Senko made by Yamamoto?

 

It seems like everyone over here in the states uses it and it gets mentioned daily on U.S. fishing sites. I just realized I had never seen it mentioned on this site.

 

The bait works great even though you don't really do anything to work it. Pretty much just let it sink.

 

JT Bagwell

[Peter Waller]

Hi JT, tell us more please. The U.K. is about four years behind the U.S.!

[Cranfield]

I,ve used them in the US, but I thought they were mailnly a bass bait.

I suppose they could work for perch.

 

They are a rubber worm bait, that has an enticing sinking action.

We just threw them , let them sink and if we didn,t get a take, we reeled in and did it again.

[Jeremiah T. Bagwell]

The senko is an extremely soft plastic bait that has the shape of an ink pen. (That is what the original mold was designed with)

 

It has a lot of salt in it and it is fairly heavy and easy to cast.

 

The way I use it is to cast it to any form of cover or structure and let the Senko fall on slack line. If a fish hits it you will see the line jump. Then you reel up the slack and set the hook.

 

If it makes it to the bottom with no strikes you can give it a little hop and let it fall again. Typically I only give it one or two hops and then I reel it in and start over.

 

You can see the Senko at

Yamamoto Homepage

 

It is a very productive bait that I just recently mastered.

 

JT Bagwell

 

<small>[ 26. September 2003, 12:10 AM: Message edited by: Jeremiah T. Bagwell ]</small>

[argyll]

I do indeed use them, along with Mepps Exudes which are a similar and even more smelly range of lures. I also use 3 and 6 inch Sluggos. I've never seen them for sale in the UK, but they make an excellent chub and perch bait being a fair representation of a slug or a very fat worm. As Peter points out, we are several light years behind when it comes to the range of small soft baits available here.

Without head weight the Exudes and Senkos seem to sink horizontally and that's what slows their descent and probably accounts for fish hitting them 'on the drop' Otherwise I fish them like small jerkbaits.

Mr Waller I'll put a few in the bag for you on Sunday.

[Tim Kelly]

I use senkos, and have had some good perch and bass (sea) on them. One reason they haven't really caught on here is that Yamamoto won't let their US retailers sell them abroad! There is some guy in Italy who is supposed to handle European sales but he only wants to sell to tackle shops, therefore you need to find a US dealer who is prepared to ship to the UK I have found some of them get quite stroppy if you ask them to, but have found one who will do it now! I actually prefer sluggos though, they are easier to get hold of, come in a better range of colours and last longer. Senkos are a bit heavier, so they cast further and work a bit deeper if you use them as a jerkbait, but the high salt content makes them fragile.

[wunnus]

Nope we aint got them round here but we do free line a worm occasionally and it has the same effect. especially from bridges etc lol

[Peter Waller]

Hi Gerry, Early start in the morning then? Twelvish?

Look forward to seeing those strange Japanese worms. Have a good barbie. Couldn't make it, the Grand-kids have descended on us for the weekend. Thankfully they enjoy fishing, phew!!

[Alan Taylor]

Jeremiah T. Bagwell:

http://www.fishtek.co.uk make a range of similar rubber lures, I am a bit out of touch with there range of products so don't know if they have scented/flavoured ones.

 

Davy Holt buys the fishtek ones in bulk, great for Pollock. I have used them Boat fishing in Dutch waters and has some nice Pollock and Cod on them and a friend of mine has had some good Sea Bass on them.

 

A big advantage with the fishtek ones is that they don't end up as a gooey mess unless you mix them up wet/damp with other rubber products. They stretch and spring back to there original size with no damage except possibly teeth marks.

 

They are a decent price, and if you send a picture of a fish caught using one of there products they send you some freebies.

 

And no I am not on commission or in any way involved with fishtek.

 

Alan(nl)

 

[ 29. September 2003, 08:21 AM: Message edited by: Alan Taylor ]

[Peter Waller]

Thanks for the Mepps Exudes Gerry. Went out yesterday evening and again this morning. I used the one rigged Texas as you had given me. Two takes, no fish. I had rigged a couple as I do mag grubz, threaded on a fine wire trace and a hanging treble mear where its vent might be. Used them as you suggest, as a small jerk bait, yep, good news. Nothing huge but both small pike and reasonable perch seem to like them. For the shallow broads I think I'm going to like them! Not enough depth down my way to effectively jig them but might try that on the Yare for perch, if I can squeeze between the pro guides up there!! Like the grooves for plastering them with smelly jelly type products, nice touch. After just one go I do like the potential. Could be the perch bait of the year!! By the way Gerry, how did you & Trev end up scoring? The small jerk bait factor is what is exciting me. And at my great age, not much excites me now!!