Withdrawal

[Jim Carlson]

It was tough and I felt the itch the whole time, but I did it. After fishing with nothing but Senko and related knockoffs for the last many weeks, I made it through the day without touching them.



We are talking cold turkey here!



Nothing but spinner baits and a brush hog. It was the bass that saved me. Had they decided not to bite, I'd probably have given in to the Senko demons. I would have been tackle box diving and coming up with them in my teeth.



It's really hard to let go of a confidence bait. But I needed to try some other baits and techniques. Was the first time I have ever caught a bass on a spinner bait, and caught two that way today. The brush hog came up with another five.



The withdrawal demons aren't gone but I've gained a little confidence in the other baits.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

It's good to be versitle but you will have to pry my dead cold hands off of my last pack of Watermellon Black fleck Senko's. Confidence bait is an understatement.



TOXIC

 

[Bob G.]

I'm right there with ya Tox....I get the shakes if I'm down to my last bag of green pumpkin or blue/black Senkos and the fish are on!! The horror of trying something different!!! LOL!!



Bob G.

 

[Jim Carlson]

I've been fishing mostly junebug and somtimes the amber/red with red flake here in central FL. I picked up a couple of new colors to try too. They have been mostly the BP knock-off call Sick-O.



My main reason for forcing myself into a day without them is just to learn what else might work. Dang, that was hard to do. I felt like a little kid without a safety blanket!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I use the old ones like chew, I break off a piece and put it between my cheek and gum. LOL!! They saved the day for me Saturday....threw everything in the boat but nothing bit till the Senko's came out. And they just didn't bite...they INHALED them. It was a light winter bite but with one difference, they would tap the bait once, if you let them tap it again, they were gut hooked. No second chance here. 3 of my fish were deep hooked (all removed safely) and that rarely happens with me. They weren't messing around.



TOXIC

 

[Paul P]

Hi Jim,



What has been your experience using the BP Stick-o's. I bought a pack this year. First thing I did was check their sinking action and it seemed totally different than that for Senkos. Once I realized that, confidence in Sticko's went out the window and now they just take space in my tackle box.



Paul

 

[Tony Payne]

I don't use the senko's like I used to... but if I dont have a particular grub in the boat, in quantity, (wether I use it or not) I just "know" the fish won't bite.



I have several baits like that... strangely enough 3/4 of them are made by Yamamoto, the others by Reaction.



Tox, What would you say is the best Senko/Fluke rod? Currently we're using Loomis Gl2 783 spinning...

 

[Jim Carlson]

Paul,

I have been using mostly BP Sick-Os and recently a locally made version of the same thing. I have had great luck with the Stick-Os. Most of the time I am fishing cover so I texas rig and use the 5+ inch size. The fastest and largest number of bass has come on the amber/red with red flake, but I think the junebug is a more predictable producer. I don't dead stick the bait, but use more of a finesse technique - that is if I really understand what that means



I used to use a spinning rig but am getting pretty comfortable with the Curado BP Extreme XPS combo on this size "Senko".

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Sim, I am sponsored by CastAway so that's my choice. I am going to study up a little before this years rod allotment gets ordered. I am going to devote a senko rod and a dropshot rod, both spinning. I have 2 JLM spinning reels for them already in the boat.



You guys that are throwing them on baitcasters explain to me how you are getting a neutral fall, are you hand feeding line? Or do you not fish them in this style?



TOXIC

 

[Jim Carlson]

Toxic,

I fish them with both spinning and baitcast. When I look for neutral fall on the baitcast I hand feed line - if needed. But most of the time, following a fall, I give them enough of a jerk that they glide into free line and fall naturally. However, being the beginner that I am, I probably do all kinds of things in an "incorrect" way. You would probably just shake your head in dismay watching me fish!



Sim - thanks for the tips on the baitcaster in response to the "Baitcast First Timer" post I put on ROFB several weeks back. Good advice and I think I have improved.

 

[Tony Payne]

No problem, but "ROFB" ?? Whats an "ROFB" ??



Toxic... dont talk brands.. talk action vs. Power... what in a castaway would you look for ?



I was looking at a Shimano Crucial tonite... MH- Extra Fast... seemed about right. Probably equivalant to a "3" in loomis terms.

 

[Jim Carlson]

Sim - maybe there is another sim? ROFB is rec.outdoor.fishing.bass.

 

[Tony Payne]

There should be no other sim... LOL...



But I have never posted to ROFB...I shall go look and see who this "wise sim" is!

 

[Jim Carlson]

Sim,

Just do a search on jim_32766 or Bait Cast First Timer in ROFB and you should be able to find the thread. I just checked and the name was SimRacer. I just assumed that it was you with a different suffix on Sim.

 

[Tony Payne]

yep... not me.



Good thread tho... I've posted (and others as well) similar tips on this board...



Practice, practice, practice... in time, you'll be a pro at picking out overruns!

 

[Jim Carlson]

So that's what Pro means - just better at picking out the overruns! LoL