Senko Fishing Tricks! Beginner And Advanced!

Shallow weeds, heavy cover, clear water, or deep suspended fish, the senko is one of the most universal baits ever made! Learning how to adapt the senko (stick bait) to changing conditions will increase your catch rate tremendously. Today Tim is going in depth, showing us how to adapt a senko in different scenarios from open water suspended bass to flipping heavy cover. 

When someone says they're catching fish on a "senko" we all have a general assumption about what that means. But with all the ways this bait can be adapted, you might be surprised by what they were actually doing. Was he skipping docks? Was he flipping? Was he bottom hopping off main lake points? If you know which sizes, colors, and rigging to use, the senko can be used for virtually anything. 

Tim uses the senko for 3 main applications. He loves to skip docks with weightless baits, fish outside structure with a Neko rig, and flip heavy cover with a texas rig. He uses very specific hooks and colors for each of these methods. Below you'll find links to all the gear he discussed in the video. We've broken it down by size of senko and rigging method. We've included colors, hooks sizes, as well as rod and reel combos for each method. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 


Favorite Stick Baits... 

Best All Around- Yamamoto Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Bang For The Buck- Yum Dinger: http://bit.ly/2J8nMrF

Durability- Z Man Zinkerz: http://bit.ly/2ZVJANs

Made For Wacky- Big Bite Wacky Stick: http://bit.ly/2rrNT6g

Great Colors- Gambler Fat Ace: http://bit.ly/2aJq2AO


Wacky Rigging... 

Bait- Yamamoto 5" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Open Water Colors: Baby Bass, Electric Shad, Natural Shad

Hook- Owner Sniper Finesse (Size 1): https://bit.ly/2zXirRH

O-Ring- Frenzy Wacky saddle: http://bit.ly/2xnYcJo


Neko Rigging... 

Bait- Yamamoto 5" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Neko Colors: watermln cop org red lam, Green Pumpkin Purp copp, Green Pumpkin Blk Flk

Hook- Owner Sniper Finesse (Size 1): https://bit.ly/2zXirRH

O-Ring- G7 Protect Tubes (7MM): http://bit.ly/2PWEkUs

O-Ring Tool- G7 Pliers: http://bit.ly/2PRMNrG

Weight- Tungsten Nail 1/32 oz: http://bit.ly/2iGNSFW


Texas-Rigging For Heavy Cover... 

Bait- Yamamoto Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Colors: Black Blue, Green Pumpkin Blk Flk, Watermelon Red

5" Hook- Owner TwistLock Center Pin 2/0: http://bit.ly/2cYZ3rM

6" Hook- Owner Offset Shank Worm Hook 4/0: http://bit.ly/2D9Pmj0

7"Hook- Owner Jungle Wide Gap 5/0: http://bit.ly/2sBsR1Z


Last Year's Senko Video... 

Senko Fishing Tricks! - https://youtu.be/bTlj9cL53B8


Best Wacky Rigging/Neko Combo... 

Rod- G Loomis NRX+ 852S JWR: https://bit.ly/3y0Ss5m

Reel- Shimano Twin Power 2500 FD: https://bit.ly/3df3hX5

Line- Sunline 12 lb SX1 Braid: http://bit.ly/2tn8EzQ

Leader- Sunline Assassin 7 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Bang For The Buck Wacky rigging/Neko Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7' Medium: http://bit.ly/2osaj3q

Reel- Shimano Vanford 3000 (Available For Back Order): https://bit.ly/2PDlKlB

Line- Power Pro Braid 15 lb: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b

Leader- Maxima Ultragreen 8 lb: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9


6" Texas Rig Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'6" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Curado DC 150: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- Sunline Fluorocarbon 20 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


7" Heavy Cover Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Expride 7'7" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2nTq9FL

Reel- Shimano Curado DC 150: http://bit.ly/2yHtsp4

Line- Sunline Fluorocarbon 20 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Budget All-Around Senko Combo... 

Rod- St. Croix Bass X 7'2" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2r0xWAs

Reel- Shimano SLX 70 MGL: https://bit.ly/3gIUCgJ

Line- Sunline Fluorocarbon 15 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Pond Fishing For Bass: 5 Tips To Catch More Fish!

Tim has spent more than 30 years fishing ponds for bass! He grew up in the country, fishing every pond he could find. Over the years he's developed a handful of confidence baits that he relies on to consistently catch fish. He also has a method of covering water to quickly determine if a pond is worth continuing to fish. 

The 3 factors Tim takes into consideration when approaching a new pond are... water clarity, types and quantity of vegetation (grass), and what kind of dam the pond has. With these 3 questions answered he can quickly assess what type of pond this is and exactly how fish should be positioning. As a general rule of thumb, you should start your search near the dam, along the edges of the deepest water. 

When approaching a new pond Tim uses a "top down" approach. He begins with topwater, then switches to reaction baits, then bottom contact, then finally to a weightless presentation. This stepped method allows him to quickly identify the overall mood of the pond, the quality and quantity of fish in the pond, and whether or not this is somewhere he should continue to fish in the future. 

Below you'll find links to the exact baits and presentations he recommends using for this method. We've included links to the exact baits, including colors, sizes, and best rigging components. We've also included some great budget rod and reel combos for pond fishing. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 


Topwater... 

-Whopper Plopper (75 or 90): http://bit.ly/2bsPbQV

Colors: Bluegill, Munky Butt, Loon

-Spro Bronzeye Poppin Frog 60: http://bit.ly/2hKsO0g

Colors: Sunfish, Killer Gill, Leopard

-Zoom Horny Toad: http://bit.ly/2aY5lBt

Colors: White, Bullfrog, Green Pumpkin Pearl


Swimbait... 

Bait- Keitech 4.3"-4.8" Fat Swing Impact: http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v

Colors: SunGill, Copperfield

Hook- Owner Flashy Swimmer 5/0: http://bit.ly/2e8O4Y7

Style: Gold Colorado Blade


Soft jerkbait...  

Bait- Zoom Super Fluke: http://bit.ly/2aqys0H

Colors: Green Pumpkin, Baby Bass

Hook- Gamakatsu EWG 4/0: http://bit.ly/2ac92XG


Creature Bait... 

Bait- Reaction Innovations Man Bear Pig: http://bit.ly/2s51oIV

Colors: Flora Bama, Magic Craw Red

Weight- Swagger Tungsten Vader 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2NjDYtV

Hook- Owner Offset Shank 2/0: http://bit.ly/2D9Pmj0


Senko... 

Bait- Yamamoto 5" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Colors: Green Pumpkin, Electric Shad, Baby Bass

Hook- Owner Twist Lock 2/0: http://bit.ly/2ZlkuLl


Glide Bait... 

S-Waver 168 (Bluegill): http://bit.ly/2aiu8Sh


Budget-Friendly Combo (Frog/Flashy Swimmer/Glide)... 

Rod- Shimano SLX 7'2" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

Reel- Shimano SLX 150 XT: http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

Line- Power Pro 50 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b


Budget-Friendly Combo (Soft Jerkbait/Creature/Senko)... 

Rod- St. Croix Bass X 7'1" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2r0xWAs

Reel- Shimano SLX 150 XT: http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

Line- Sunline 15 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Budget Topwater Combo... 

Rod- Shimano SLX 7'2" Medium: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

Reel- Shimano SLX 150 XT: http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

Line- Power Pro 30 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2aFg46b


Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Shaky Head Worms For BIG Bass!! Post Spawn Bass Fishing Madness!

Come along for an awesome day of bass fishing on the Kissimmee Chain in Florida! We're targeting post spawn bass with plastic worms and its one of those special days where all the fish are biting! Shaky heads, senkos, speed worms, paddle tail worms, and chatterbaits are all getting the right bites! 

Florida can be intimidating if you've never spent time there. Endless water, all of it looks good but only a few places hold the majority of the fish. Thankfully the post spawn instantly levels the playing field just like it does in every other part of the country. Bass begin pulling to outside structure and isolated cover. You no longer worry about the endless maze in the shallows, instead you target the outer grass edges and breaks looking for a BIG bite. 

Today we caught fish on a variety of baits. We got a few reaction bites but the majority came on soft plastics. Below you'll find links to all the different baits these fish fell for, including the exact colors, and rigging. All of the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item. 


The Worm That Caught The Big One...  

Bait- Netbait T-Mac (Junebug): http://bit.ly/2jndwj9

Hook- Canterbury Shaky Head 1/8 oz Black: http://bit.ly/2aFOs0V


Other Shaky Head Worms... 

-Zoom Trick Worm (Junebug): http://bit.ly/2aWkG7E

-Big Bite Squirrel Tail (Junebug): https://bit.ly/3c7I9Ui


Texas Rig Worms... 

-Zoom Magnum Ultravibe Speed Worm: https://bit.ly/3b4uk80

Colors: June Bug, Red Bug

-Big Bite Baits Tour Swim Worm 7.5": https://bit.ly/3ut2QR1

Color: Purpletoma

-Gambler Fat Ace 6": http://bit.ly/2aJq2AO

Color: Black Blue Blue Tail

-Yamamoto 6" Senko: http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Color: Black Blue Flake Blue Tip


Texas Rig Components... 

Hook- Owner Jungle Wide Gap 4/0: http://bit.ly/2sBsR1Z

Weight- Swagger Tungsten Vader 3/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2NjDYtV

Peg- VMC Sinker Stops: https://bit.ly/38XLQd4


Matt's Chatterbait...

Bait- Evergreen JackHammer 1/2 oz: http://bit.ly/2popvj6

Color: Brett's Bluegill

Trailer- Hog Farmer Spunk Shad 5.5: http://bit.ly/2UFkCD7

Color: Natural Gill


Cobi's Chatterbait... 

Bait- Evergreen JackHammer 3/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2popvj6

Color: Black Blue

Trailer- Zoom Z Craw: http://bit.ly/2vW7Jo5

Color: Black Sapphire


Cobi's Swim Jig... 

Jig- Dirty Jigs Swim Jig 3/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2dIVUMd

Color: Crappie

Trailer- Gambler Little EZ: https://bit.ly/3jmeYgM

Color: White Lightning


Matt's Shaky Head Combo... 

Rod- St. Croix Legend X 7'1" Medium Heavy: http://bit.ly/2r3Wskp

Reel- Shimano Metanium MGL (XG): http://bit.ly/2ezIBfB

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 30 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 12 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9


Matt's Texas Rig Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'5" heavy: https://bit.ly/3aeQbYW

Reel- Shimano Metanium MGL (XG): http://bit.ly/2ezIBfB

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro 65 lb Braid: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- 20 lb Maxima Ultragreen: http://bit.ly/2ae97J9


Budget Shaky Head Combo... 

Rod- Shimano SLX 7'2" Medium: http://bit.ly/2L3wppO

Reel- Shimano SLX XT (XG): http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

Line- Sunline Fluorocarbon 12 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Budget Texas-Rig Combo... 

Rod- St. Croix Bass X 7'4" Heavy: http://bit.ly/2r0xWAs

Reel- Shimano SLX XT (XG): http://bit.ly/2BRTYL8

Line- Sunline Fluorocarbon 20 lb: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

Bass Boats Can't Go Here! Lake Chickamauga Kayak Bass Fishing!

We're sneaking around the backwaters today to avoid boat traffic. With hundreds of boats on the water and fishing pressure at an all time high, its time to jump in the kayak. Why a kayak in such a big lake? We're able to get into all the places the boats can't go! Come along as Matt catches fish in backwater coves and pockets. 

Today is all about finesse. Matt started off with a tiny underspin, a senko, and a shaky head, then added a dropshot to the mix as conditions dictated. There were a few prespawn fish around but the majority of these bass were spawning. Since he was using finesse tackle, Matt added some new rods into the mix as well. He tried out a new Halo KSII Elite, a Savage Gear Black Ops, and the new Ultegra spinning reel and had great success with all of them. 

While we love fishing out of the bass boats and using all the modern electronic advantages, there is something very rewarding about getting on the water in a small craft, no electronics, and just going fishing. If you haven't given kayak fishing a try, you really should. Below you'll find links to all the gear, the baits, and the equipment Matt used today. We've included the exact models and specific colors Matt was using as well. All the links go directly to Tackle Warehouse where you can see detailed photos and descriptions of each item, except for the kayak link which goes directly to the manufacturer. 


Underspin... 

Head- Cool Baits 1/8 oz Down Under: http://bit.ly/2boS7QA

Bait- Keitech Fat 2.8" (Electric Shad): http://bit.ly/2ab7s8v


Senko... 

Bait- Yamamoto Senko 5" (Green Pumpkin): http://bit.ly/2axAmNS

Hook- Gamakatsu 4/0 Superline: http://bit.ly/2ac92XG


Shaky Head... 

Hook- Dirty Jigs Canterbury 1/8 oz: http://bit.ly/2aFOs0V

Bait #1- Strike King Fat Baby Finesse: http://bit.ly/2aKei5y

Color: Green Pumpkin Sapphire

Bait #2- Reaction Innovations Smallie Beaver: http://bit.ly/2dR6CkP

Colors: Green Pumpkin, White Trash


Dropshot... 

Hook- Owner Mosquito Light 1/0: http://bit.ly/2zQVKx3

Weight- Swagger Tungsten TearDrop 1/8: http://bit.ly/2V2B63h

Bait- Big Bite Smallie Smasher (Chart/White): http://bit.ly/2ZpCOCY


Kayak... 

-Old Town Sportsman Autopilot 136: https://bit.ly/3h9ngaS


Dropshot/Keitech Combo... 

Rod- Halo KS II Elite 6'10" Medium: https://bit.ly/32Rp9nh

Reel- Shimano Ultegra 3000: https://bit.ly/2PeNvUH

Line- Sufix 131 Braid (10 lb): https://bit.ly/314VoyF

Leader- Sunline Sniper 7 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2p7fxju


Shaky Head Combo... 

Rod- Shimano Zodias 7'2" Medium Light: https://bit.ly/3aeQbYW

Reel- Shimano Aldebaran MGL (HG): http://bit.ly/2uQ4oH8

Line- Sunline Assassin 12 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Senko Combo... 

Rod- Savage Gear Black Ops 7'1" Medium: https://bit.ly/3aLTsAh

Reel- Shimano Ultegra 3000: https://bit.ly/2PeNvUH

Line- Power Pro Maxcuatro Braided 20 lb: http://bit.ly/2clBRiQ

Leader- Sunline Assassin 12 lb Fluorocarbon: http://bit.ly/2h4LNjm


Want TacticalBassin Gear?  

We have a variety of apparel items and custom lure designs available! Everything from hats, to hoodies, to crankbaits! Its all available direct through Tackle Warehouse with fast shipping. See it here... 

TacticalBassin Apparel and Lure Designs: http://bit.ly/38YpPIz

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