Package of Gary Yamamoto 5-inch Senko Worms © BassFishingFacts.com

December 21, 1976 – Gary Yamamoto and family arrive in Page, Arizona where they have purchased a campground to run. Once in the U.S., Gary quickly picked up competitive bass fishing. Looking to create an edge over his competitors and with a desire for more lifelike lures not commercially available, Gary set out find suppliers so that he could create his own custom lures. After each batch was made Gary would often have extras – so many in fact that he needed to sell the oversupply. In 1983, seven years after arriving in the U.S., the Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits company was created. Gary’s love for fishing drove him to create high quality soft-plastic fishing lures that are still popular and deadly effective to this day. Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits ships over 2.5 million baits world-wide each year.

About the Senko

Texas-Rigged Senko Worm on 3/0 EWG Offset Hook © BassFishingFacts.com

Gary Yamamoto designed the Senko in the early 90’s and was one of the only stick baits on the market at the time. Many if not all other lure companies now ofter their own version of the Senko, but none are able to quite replicate the effectiveness of the original.

Senko Rigging

Senko worms can be rigged to fish in many different ways: weightless, wacky style, and Texas-rigged are the most popular but anglers also fish them Carolina-rigged, and even on jigs or shakey heads.

Senko Size Selection

The Senko is now offered in 3-inch, 4-inch, 5-inch, 6-inch, and 7-inch sizes, along with a Slim Senko, Thin Senko, Pro Senko, and Swim Senko.

Of all the available options the 5-inch version is the most popular and widely-available. Most anglers recommend a watermelon, green-pumpkin, or Junebug color.

Senko Color Selection

The Senko is offered in over 110 different color and glitter combinations. They offer any color an angler can think of from cream white to chartreuse to color combinations they have give names like Houdini, Baby Bass, PB&J, and Watermelon Slice.

Senko Fishing Tactics

Largemouth Bass Caught with a Texas Rigged Senko © BassFishingFacts.com

Once you have rigged your Senko you’ll want to cast towards the shore and any changes in structure that you see. Cast towards low hanging branches, stumps or rocks visible from the surface. You’ll typically want to the worm to land 3-5 feet from the shore – this means you’ll be casting to pretty shallow water (5-8 feet). If fishing from land, remember that is it is not necessary to cast as far out and as deep as possible, many times casting to either side along the bank can yield success.

The best part of fishing a Senko is that you don’t have to do anything for it to work. After you cast count slowly to 5 in your head before doing ANYTHING! All the while making sure to keep an eye on your line for any movement to be ready to set the hook – many times bass will attack and take the bait as it falls when first cast. If you don’t have any bites after 5 seconds reel a couple of time and pop up the rod tip. This brings the worm back closer to the surface of the water and then allows it to slowly fall again. Work in the reel in this way (reel and pop) 3-5 more times before reeling in the bait and casting out again.