Braid for Senkos?

[SteveSchmelzle]

I fish senko's in super heavy cover with braid...and always weightless.

30lbs braid with 20lbs to 25lbs flouro leads....

I can't imagine trying to use straight 20lbs flouro and casting a weightless senko with any distance...especially using a 4 power rod.

My 804 nrx will feel a braid hit on slack braid...

of course, I don't use a baitcasting reel....a spinning reel with my finger on the braid 100% of the time...

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

I fish senko's in super heavy cover with braid...and always weightless.

30lbs braid with 20lbs to 25lbs flouro leads....

I can't imagine trying to use straight 20lbs flouro and casting a weightless senko with any distance...especially using a 4 power rod.

My 804 nrx will feel a braid hit on slack braid...

of course, I don't use a baitcasting reel....a spinning reel with my finger on the braid 100% of the time...

I was throwing a 5" senko today with a 7' MH/F Helios rod, Daiwa SV105 and 16# Sniper FC the distance wasnt great at all maybe just fair. The thing is when I used 10# sniper to throw senkos and get out very far my hook-ups suffered due to stretch. I dont let my braid form loop de loops of slack, like these others must be doing, and with just barely any tension hits are noticed on the fall with braid/nanofil. If the wind blows that makes enough tension in the line to feel hits on the fall.This cant detect hit on the fall with braid is a farce or people just dont pay attention while fishing.

[toddmc]

I fish senko's in super heavy cover with braid...and always weightless.

30lbs braid with 20lbs to 25lbs flouro leads....

I can't imagine trying to use straight 20lbs flouro and casting a weightless senko with any distance...especially using a 4 power rod.

My 804 nrx will feel a braid hit on slack braid...

of course, I don't use a baitcasting reel....a spinning reel with my finger on the braid 100% of the time...

I was throwing a 5" senko today with a 7' MH/F Helios rod, Daiwa SV105 and 16# Sniper FC the distance wasnt great at all maybe just fair. The thing is when I used 10# sniper to throw senkos and get out very far my hook-ups suffered due to stretch. I dont let my braid form loop de loops of slack, like these others must be doing, and with just barely any tension hits are noticed on the fall with braid/nanofil. If the wind blows that makes enough tension in the line to feel hits on the fall.This cant detect hit on the fall with braid is a farce or people just dont pay attention while fishing.

You don't have to worry much about having tension on a Senko when the fish are aggressive in shallow water because you can even catch fish working it towards the surface like a Fluke. But, in deep clear water with highly pressured fish, it is important to let the Senko fall to the target with plenty of slack. The number of bites will go down drastically if you apply too much pressure. We fish them weightless in the West down to 60 feet. It is tedious and requires a ton of patience.

[toddmc]

I fish senko's in super heavy cover with braid...and always weightless.

30lbs braid with 20lbs to 25lbs flouro leads....

I can't imagine trying to use straight 20lbs flouro and casting a weightless senko with any distance...especially using a 4 power rod.

My 804 nrx will feel a braid hit on slack braid...

of course, I don't use a baitcasting reel....a spinning reel with my finger on the braid 100% of the time...

Yes, 4 powered Loomis rods are too stiff to accurately cast a weightless 5" Senko on heavy fluoro in my opinion. Loomis recommends a 3 power or lighter. I've got several 3 and 4 powered Loomis blanks and all lengths in a 3 power cast the weightless Senko on any size line more accurately. You need a little tip for the weightless Senko and also the Ika.

[adam lancia]

Though not a glamorous choice, I like white 20# Sufix 832 with a leader. You don't have to worry about the white line spooking fish (if that's something that is on your list of concerns to begin with) and it doesn't bleed. I fish a wacky rigged 5" Senko with an extra long leader (usually around 10') and with my finger on the line. I can definitely discern when a fish is nibbling at one end of the worm vs when it has the hook in its mouth.

[SteveSchmelzle]

I fish senko's in super heavy cover with braid...and always weightless.

30lbs braid with 20lbs to 25lbs flouro leads....

I can't imagine trying to use straight 20lbs flouro and casting a weightless senko with any distance...especially using a 4 power rod.

My 804 nrx will feel a braid hit on slack braid...

of course, I don't use a baitcasting reel....a spinning reel with my finger on the braid 100% of the time...

Yes, 4 powered Loomis rods are too stiff to accurately cast a weightless 5" Senko on heavy fluoro in my opinion. Loomis recommends a 3 power or lighter. I've got several 3 and 4 powered Loomis blanks and all lengths in a 3 power cast the weightless Senko on any size line more accurately. You need a little tip for the weightless Senko and also the Ika.

Absolutely, however, some of the water I fish, with a 3 power or below, the fish will manhandle you. I broke my last 803 NRX (thank gawd for wild cards) on a small bass getting it out of the cane.

But a nice spinning rod setup (less than popular on this site) including a 804 nrx spinning rod loaded with 30lbs braid (no silly shallow spools, no silly backing), will cast a weightless senko just fine....

a 4 power baitcasting rod, like u said, is not adequate for casting weightless senko's with heavy flouro mainline.

an example of a spinning rod being more effective than a baitcasting rod.

[zodiak311]

Though not a glamorous choice, I like white 20# Sufix 832 with a leader. You don't have to worry about the white line spooking fish (if that's something that is on your list of concerns to begin with) and it doesn't bleed. I fish a wacky rigged 5" Senko with an extra long leader (usually around 10') and with my finger on the line. I can definitely discern when a fish is nibbling at one end of the worm vs when it has the hook in its mouth.

X2
I use various colors of 20lb Suffix, and Tufline with no issues, all the time. I fish the California Delta, and use a 872s NRX paired with a Vanquish 2000, with a shallow spool. It takes some skill, and quickness here, or you will end up in the tules, a car, or a boat.

[cure-hb]

I prefer to use sunline 14lb for senko, cuz they sink.

[lifeofRiley]

https://www.flwfishing.com/news/2013-03 ... ll-the-way

You don't need fluorocarbon for this technique, it's going the way of the dinosaur except for leader material. brent ehrler, Brett Hite and even a mart is using braid on all their spinning stuff now.

[USA-RET]

20lb braid (2lb dia,), Flouro leader works for me.

[Bassmar]

Either 10 or 14 lb Fireline Fused and a 10 or 14 lb (depending on the cover) Fluoro leader. NRX 803s paired with a 2500 Stella.

[DavidSA]

30# green braid on NRX 894's has worked wonders for me on Lake Okeebobee. No leader. 30# is light enough that it blends with vegetation. I'm throwing unweighted 5 inch senko a very long way with this rig.

I start to loose some confidence when I go with bigger lines or colors a human can see.

I've caught a ton as well on spinning gear with 20# braid over the years on the Rim canal that surrounds the Big O.


If I was fishing Dale hollow I would not be recommending braid.