Senko

A Senko is a soft plastic stick bait with no built-in action of its own. It has a simple worm-like shape, thick and heavy for its size, with no tail or legs. The bait's whole appeal comes from how it falls: it sinks slowly and shimmies side to side, then settles with a slight quiver. Bass often hit it on the drop, before it even reaches bottom.

Most anglers rig it wacky style, hooking through the middle so both ends flutter independently, or Texas rigged for fishing around cover. It works best fished slow and simple. Cast it out, let it fall on a slack line, twitch it gently, then let it fall again. It shines around docks, laydowns, and any clear water where bass can see and track a subtle bait. It belongs in the same category as other soft-plastics anglers keep rigged for finesse situations.

One practical tip: use as light a hook as you can while keeping it strong enough to land fish. A lighter hook lets the bait fall slower and keeps that shimmy going longer, which is often what triggers the bite.

• No action built in. All movement comes from the fall.
• Wacky rig or Texas rig depending on cover.
• Fish it slow with slack line for the best fall.