Senko Knockoffs, Senko Imitations, and Senko Alternatives

Fri, Oct 10, 2008

Senkos have become such a staple in most angler’s tackle boxes that there have been a wave of senko knockoffs, imitations, and alternatives released in the tackle world. So the question that begs to be answered is: Is there a difference in soft jerk baits produced by different manufacturers, and if so what are the differences between these knockoffs, imitations, and alternatives versus the original senko bait?

As an angler that has fished with senkos and other soft jerk baits for almost 10 years now, I can tell you that I have tried almost every kind of imitation and knockoff lure out there in hopes of finding one that outperforms the original senko made by the yamamoto bait company. After all this “research” I can honestly tell you that not all stick baits are created equal.

First lets list a few of the senko imitators, and then we will go through the some the advantages and disadvantages of each. The list below is by no means a complete list of the generic / imitation senkos available on the market today, but merely a collection of some of the most popular brands.

Net Bait Salt Lick Worm
Strike King Ocho Soft Baits
Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series Stik-O
Berkley Gulp Sinking Minnow
Chompers Salty Sinker Worms
Kinami Flash
Luck “E” Strike Salty Elite Series Jogger Worm
Yum Dinger Worms
Strike King 3x Plastic Zero
Berkley Gulp Alive Jerk Shad

Now that we have a nice list lets go through some of the general advantages and disadvantages of the original yamamoto senko versus the list. The first advantage that we see with the yamamoto senko is its weight. Right out of the package you will feel that the senko is heavier than all of the baits in the list above. This heaviness gives the bait greater castability and lets it sink fast for fish in deeper water. The yamamoto senko also comes loaded with salt which some of the knockoffs do not have. As far as color and size selection is concerned yamamoto baits by far has the edge.

Now for some of the downfalls of the original senko. Even though these baits feel heavier and more rugged than some of the other baits, it has been my experience that they are easily torn and usually only last two or three fish. Some of the other baits like the Stick-O from Bass Pro and and the Berkley Gulp Sinking Minnow tend to hold up much better. I have caught 15 bass on a single Stick-O Lure. A second negative to the original senko is the cost. At roughly $6.99 for a bag of 10 baits, senkos are by far the most costly, giving you less bait for the buck. For a cheap alternative try the Kinami Flash which is also made by Yamamoto baits, but it is labeled under the Kinami name. For an even better value the Stick-O is about half the price for double the baits, and has a great selection of colors and sizes. I highly recommend giving them a try if you have a bass pro shops close by, or you can order them online.

One differentiating feature of some imitators versus the original senko is smell. This can be a positive or a negative depending on the situation. Obviously when the fish are feeding they can be triggered to strike solely on movement, vibration and sight, but when the fish are fickle an attractant may improve you chances of hooking up. If you aren’t catching fish with a scented bait you still get stink hand for your efforts, especially with the berkley baits.

The moral of the story is that with all of the baits listed in this article you will catch fish, but under certain circumstances one will work better than the other. I still feel that the original senko reigns supreme, but, if you want an all around good soft jerk bait without the price tag on the yamamoto baits, the Stick-O by bass pro shops is my number one choice. If you can’t get your hands on a package of Stick-O’s the Kinami flash is your next best option since they are sold locally at almost every sporting good store and walmart.