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.

Number 4: Yozuri Banana Boat

I have found that the Yozuri banana boat is one of the best lures to use when fish are active and you are looking to cover alot of water in a little amount of time. The following features and characteristics are what set this bait apart from the rest and make it a must have in any bass angler’s tackle box.

• Castability – The banana boat is very aerodynamic and casts like a bullet. Being able to cast this bait a long way makes it a better choice over a conventional popper or topwater walking bait. Make a nice long cast parallel to structure and start working the bait back and forth and the fish won’t be able to resist striking.
• Unique Action – Like most other floating topwater baits, the banana boat is fished with a “walk the dog” presentation, however the action produced while “walking” the banana boat is very unique and that is what will trigger more hard hitting strikes over a conventional topwater bait.
• Fast Retrieve – Since a banana boat is best used when fishing for active fish feeding on the surface, a fast retrieve becomes a plus for this bait since you can cover alot of water very quickly.  This is helpful in finding fish, as well developing a pattern for the rest of the day.
• Treble Hooks – With 6 treble hooks on a small bait like the banana boat, you will notice a good ratio of strikes to hookups versus a bait that only has a single hook or 3 treble hooks.  The design of the bait also allows for the bait to sit upright in the water in between twitches, which increases the chances of hooking up.

Now that we have seen the positives of this bait, I would like to touch on some of the negatives that come along with the banana boat, and most topwater baits in general.

The first negative is the amount of work expended walking this bait. A constant twitch retrieve is required for maximum action on this bait, and a few hours of this can really be a workout… The good news is that you don’t notice how much your arms hurt when you get a bunch of explosive strikes.

The second negative is that many times after a cast or during the retrieve your line will get caught on the front treble hook, or even on both sets of hooks, which costs valuable time in the strike zone.  Although this happens with the banana boat, it tends to happen more so with other similar topwater baits, and mostly with poppers in my experience.

The third negative has to do seasonality. This bait only produces fish when the conditions are right.  The bass must be actively feeding and willing to chase a bait.  This limits how many fish you can catch on a banana boat, and is ultimately why this bait is near the end of our top 5 list.

The baits come in 7 different colors, including: Blue/Silver, Clown, Gold/Black, Trout, Tennessee Shad, Black/Redhead, Red Head. My personal favorite is the Tennessee Shad.

So the next time the fish are chasing bait, try the Yozuri Banana Boat, you won’t be disappointed!

Up Next is the Wiggle Wart Crankbait Coming Soon

Previous Segments:

Number 1: The Senko

Number 2: The Spinnerbait

Number 3: The Spider Grub

Number 3: The Spider Grub

I have ranked the spider grub number 3 in the list because of its extraordinary fish catching ability, ease of use and broad range of fishing techniques available. The following characteristics are what make the spider grub a great tool to help you land more bass on a consistent basis.

• Castability – The spider grub is a jig based lure meant to be fished along the bottom and is therefore heavier than most artificial baits. The heavier a bait is, the farther you can cast it, allowing you to be far enough from your target structure so you don’t spook the typically skittish cold water bass.
• Versatility – A spider jig can be fished a number of different ways. The most common is a jig and stop retrieve in which you cast towards the structure you want to fish (rocks, submerged stumps, knocked down trees, etc) and let the bait fall to the bottom. Once on the bottom, reel the slack out of your line, and wait a few seconds. Most of the strikes come on the initial drop so be ready to set the hook. If you don’t get a hit on the initial drop give the lure a jig by giving an easy controlled jerk of the rod upward, and reel in the slack, wait a few seconds and repeat. Don’t waste time jigging all the way back to the boat, if a fish doesn’t hit within 10 feet of your target structure, you likely wont get one on that cast, so reel in and recast. Another common retireve is a “swimming” retrieve, in which you keep a steady slow retrieve, keeping the bait swimming horizontal along the bottom. This is most effective when fish are more active, mostly the end of spring and beginning of fall. I have personally found the swim method to produce less fish and most fish I do catch seem to be from drop offs where the horizontal motion becomes vertical. If you had to choose a technique stay with the vertical jigging, it will produce more fish.
• Ease of use – The spider jig is easy to use; simply cast it out, reel in the slack, and give it a jig. The difficult part for beginners is the hookset. My advice is to not react too quickly when throwing a spider jig. Typically a fish will grab the bait and hold onto it, allowing you enough time to reel in your slack and get a solid hookset. With no slack in the line (especially when using braided line), your hook to bite ratio will go up substantially.
• Variety – With more manufacturers jumping on the spider grub band wagon, there is are is an abundent assortment of styles, colors, shapes, and sizes to choose from. Here are a few of my favorites:

Cabin Creek Salty Spider Jig

.

Chompers Hula Grub (smells like garlic)

.

Yamamoto Double Tail Hula Grub

.

The Cabin creek salty spider jig is great if you want the jighead included, but they get expensive since bass tear them apart, but they also sell just the “spider jig parts” at online retailers. The other two listed above perform equally well if you use a 1/4 to 3/8 ounce jighead, and are a better value as you get more baits per dollar. If you could only buy 2 colors I would get a black with blue fleck, and a pumpkinseed color. Those two colors will cover 90% of your fishing environments well.

I would have ranked the spider grub higher in the list if it wasn’t for the fact that it is a “seasonal” bait, having most if not all of it’s success in the colder months of the fishing season (here in the Northeast those months are March-May and October-December), when the fish are tight to the bottom and are feeding only if presented with an easy meal. So what are you waiting for, get out and buy some spider grubs for this Fall!

Up Next is the Yozuri Banana Boat CLICK HERE to keep reading…

Previous Segments:

Number 1: The Senko

Number 2: The Spinnerbait

Many novice fishermen and fisherwomen ask me how I always know how and where to catch fish. In this series of articles I will attempt to address the first question by giving you my top 5 lures that I always have in my tackle box and would never want to be on the water without.

Number 1: The Senko

This lure is an absolute must have. It has completely revolutionized the artificial bait industry, and has made the old fashioned rubber worm obsolete. The senko was originally created by the Yamamoto bait company, but has been cloned by almost all major lure manufacturing companies. Here are the names of some of the senko knock-offs: Stick-O by Bass Pro Shops, Kinami Flash, Wave Tiki Worms, Mann’s Hard Nose Freefall Worms, Berkley Gulp Sinking Minnow, Chompers Salty Sinker Worms, Netbait Salt Lick Worm, Strike King 3x Plastic Zero Worm, Yum Dinger Worms, and the list goes on and on!

The characteristics that set this bait apart from the rest are its fishability, durability, and multitude of rigging options.

• Fishability – This lure is extremely easy to fish, casts like a bullet, and is an appropriate bait choice for almost any weather condition, season, or body of water. Most of the time you will get a hit simply by throwing it around cover or structure and letting it sink. All you have to do is set the hook and bring in your catch. Sometimes it requires a twitch or two, but even that is a simple way to catch fish.
• Durability – Built to last, you can easily land 5-10 fish on a single bait depending on your rigging method and brand of choice. The Mann’s Hard Nose Free Fall Worms tend to hold up the best since the tip of the bait is made of a harder material. Even if the top of a senko type bait gets torn, you can snip it off and the bait functions as normal, and continues to catch fish. Try that with a normal rubber worm!
• Rigging Options – The senko is possibly the most versatile bait on the market today. It can be rigged texas style, wacky rigged, carolina rigged, or jigged. Whether it’s shallow shoreline, under docks (you can easily skip a texas rigged senko), deep structure, or around fallen trees, the number of rigging options with a senko allows you to fish any conditions you are faced with.

If you haven’t tried a senko yet, you don’t know what you are missing! Here’s a couple tips if you are going to try one of these baits for the first time:

Fish it slow and keep you line tight so you can feel when a fish picks up the bait. Set the hook if you are texas rigging, jigging, or carolina rigging. DO NOT set the hook if you are wacky rigging with a circle hook. If you don’t get a hit within the 10 feet of the structure you are fishing, reel it in and cast again (most fish are caught on the initial drop). Now get out there and catch some fish!

Up Next is the Spinnerbait… Click Here to Continue Reading!