Having problems with Wacky Rig

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channaman

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Jul 7, 2014
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Hey fellas.. I tried out wacky rigging a senko yesterday for the first time.
I was fishing Rice Lake and the Ototonabee.
I hit a small 1lb smallmouth and had a couple huge hits flipping to stumps on the otonabee inlet. :cry:

I was using a 5" Yammy bubblegum color senko and rigging with plastic O-Rings as well as the weighted steel rings with a Gamakatsu wacky finesse hook that carries a weed guard.

Twice I lost senkos to Bass biting the lure on the side and pulling it clean out from the O-Ring.

Just wondering if there is something you guys do to stop this from happening.. and just any tips that you guys may have on fishing wacky senkos. Thanks! :mrgreen:
 
You might be setting the hook too early. Try circle hooks, with circle hooks u do not have to set the hook. I cast let the worm sink and let the fish swim away with it. Keep your eye on the line and reel in. That is the way i do it.
 
Your best bet is to just keep your eye on the line constantly. Watch for sudden movement on the fall and slowly tighten up on the line, if you feel a spongey type of feel on the line, pause, then use a side sweep hook set, I try not to reef on the hook sets.
 
while on this topic, I don't target bass all that often with conventional gear ( baitcaster/spinning) what would be the ideal rod choice for wacky rigging/jigging? MH?
 
To me i felt the hit and before i could set any hook they were gone with the senko and it pulled straight off the O ring. Do you guys ever get them just grabbing the side of the senko?

Any other tips on using wacky senkos is appreciated im new to this technique. I tried using them weightless in shallow water but i found that they wouldnt sink unless i let them sit for awhile. What type of weights are you guys using? Thanks again for the help.. learning a lot on here
 
FrequentFlyer said:
while on this topic, I don't target bass all that often with conventional gear ( baitcaster/spinning) what would be the ideal rod choice for wacky rigging/jigging? MH?
Click to expand...
Just a basic 7' mh xf rod will get the job done, for line go with something high vis so you can see hits on a slack line.
 
Tip, I like to use a spinning rod/reel for wacky. I stick to 20lbs braid and I use a 2-3 ft Fluorocarbon leader so that the rig sinks better and you are still able to see the line on top of the water. I suggest a rod that is M-MH with an extra fast action. You could also get away with straight 10-12 lbs fluorocarbon. Again, the technique is very simple. The bass usually will swallow the senko right up if it is a 5 inch. If you are losing them I feel they may not be bass all the time. Don't stress it, just keep fishing it and it will pay off. Just cast out, let the senko sink right to the bottom. Once on the bottom pop it up a few good times and allow the senko to fall again. Do not interrupt the fall of the senko, sometimes it will make the fish skittish and not want to take the bait.
 
Thanks a lot i really appreciate those tips. Im currently using a shimano senora 4000 spinning reel for soft plastics. Had a berkley lightning rod on it that just broke my last time out. ( my fault ). Im looking for a new rod, just wodering why you recommend extra fast vs fast action for fishing senkos?

I plan on starting to use a flouro leader to help with presentation but are there any other benefits to flourocarbon? Does it sink faster than braid? I find that it takes a while for my senko to sink below sight level.

Also is there any disadvantage to tying maybe a 6-8 foot leader instead of just 12" to allow for multiple reties before needing a new leader?

All this feedback is greatly appreciated.. thanks.

Derek.
 
channaman said:
Thanks a lot i really appreciate those tips. Im currently using a shimano senora 4000 spinning reel for soft plastics. Had a berkley lightning rod on it that just broke my last time out. ( my fault ). Im looking for a new rod, just wodering why you recommend extra fast vs fast action for fishing senkos?

To be honest, the F/XF action depends on the rod. For example, most shimano rods come with an XF tip now in comparison to my 7'1 ft Rage M F action rod. It just depends on the overall action of the rod. Some XF actions differ from rod to rod.

I plan on starting to use a flouro leader to help with presentation but are there any other benefits to flourocarbon? Does it sink faster than braid? I find that it takes a while for my senko to sink below sight level.

Also is there any disadvantage to tying maybe a 6-8 foot leader instead of just 12" to allow for multiple reties before needing a new leader?

Ultimately you can still use a longer leader but I do not find I have to re-tie my set up that often. I like using a shorter leader like a 2 ft because It allows me to see the braid stay on the top of the water because braid floats right. This gives the wacky senko the fall it needs and you are still able to keep your eyes on the braided portion.

If you find that you are in some deeper water (6+ ft) try using a wacky hook with a weighted head. I like the OWNER Wacky Jig Heads or the Ike Approved VMC Wacky Weedless Head. Those have done well for me and the weed guard on them do not prevent me from hooking into fish.
Click to expand...
 
channaman said:
To me i felt the hit and before i could set any hook they were gone with the senko and it pulled straight off the O ring. Do you guys ever get them just grabbing the side of the senko?

Any other tips on using wacky senkos is appreciated im new to this technique. I tried using them weightless in shallow water but i found that they wouldnt sink unless i let them sit for awhile. What type of weights are you guys using? Thanks again for the help.. learning a lot on here
Click to expand...
I don't know if anyone else does this, but it might be worth a try channaman. Instead of a rubber/plastic O-ring, I use heat-shrink-tube slightly larger gauge than my worms. I'll cut a piece about a quarter of an inch long, slide it onto the worm and use a lighter to, carefully, shrink it tight to the tube. Then I use either a wide gap wacky hook, or a circle hook under it the same way you normally would rig it. If it's not sinking fast enough I'll put a rubber centred weight just above the hook, or put a spike weight in the end of the worm.

I know it sounds really Redneck DIY, but I do it because I've had bass steal the worm, or broken O-rings getting snagged on debris. The heat-shrink-tube is more durable, and as long as you keep the piece short the worm still has the same action and I haven't lost a worm since I started using it. -shrugs-
 

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