Boy oh boy, it's gotta be 20-years plus since the Gary Yamamoto Senko made its debut on the bass fishing scene. Since then, there've been zillions of copies, some good (think Yum Dinger), some eh, not so much (think.... Well, I'm not going to say it here).
Anyway, the soft stickbait is still a staple in many anglers' arsenals. From pro to the occasional angler, anyone who's used these lures knows their effectiveness for coaxing bass to bust 'em.
Weighted or weightless?
You can rig your soft stickbait wacky style or weedless. Both presentation can be done without weight. The wacky rig works best when you want a slightly more aggressive retrieve. The weedless/Texas rig with no weight is a much more subtle approach with a very
subtle wiggle.
Peg a sinker to that stick and you have a great big-bass bait for flipping grass and penetrating into the pockets where the big beasts roam.
And now for the age-old question: Braid, monofilament or fluorocarbon?
For most applications, fluorocarbon or monofilament will be perfect for soft stickbaits. Use monofilament when you want your bait to float more. Fluorocarbon is better if you want the bait to sink a little quicker.
Now braid is often overlooked when using a soft stickbait, but make sure you try it. Sure, you can punch through matted weeds with a Texas rigged version, but try a weightless soft stick with your favorite braid fished other the thick stuff. It's almost like fishing a frog, but you can let this offerings do its sexy wiggle in weed openings and still yard those piggies out of their pen.
by Pros4- 1Source's Dave Landahl
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