I know I've posted about drifting Senko style worms before and I make no excuse for this because I'm still catching loads of Bass on the method which I'm continuing to develop and improve. Overall, Bass numbers have exceeded 350 easily. I'm pretty much guessing but it's likely more than that. Not many days have passed where multiple Bass haven't been caught to be honest. I know that sounds conceited but It's not meant to be. In fact, I only quote figures so you can make comparisons to the fact that not many trips have been 100% Bass focused. We are still getting loads of Wrasse, Pollack etc but recently, I've been working with improving Bass HRF weightless and weedless methods so here we are again...Senko's.

Yes, Xlayers work too but they lack the true sink profile of the Senko. They are also stupidly expensive and if I wasn't using Senko's I'd be clocking up £50 round trips just on soft lures each time I go out and get a load of fish. Obviously, that is inhibitive to being productive with a soft lure so, I choose a lure that a hook can pull through easily, it has scent, a level fall and, the right profile. Ok, essentially it is a plastic stick but don't let that put you off.

So, Senko's. Cheap as chips, in a range 3" though 7" should you choose to get 7" lures all work. They are heavy for their size and they cast very well. So far, so good eh...

Trouble is, they work the best for Bass in just a few situations. A long falling presentation in and around white-holes and, in shallow fast water drifted either split shotted or completely weightless. Remember, a 5" Senko weighs 10g thereabouts.

To give you an idea of physical size of a 5" Senko rigged 'Stoopid' here is an image of one across my hand for comparative purposes.

I've included the above because even though I spoke about stoopid rigged senko's in a previous article seen here...  http://www.jerseybassguides.com/bassfish/blog1.php/2010/07/13/stoopid-another-modern-rigging-option . I didn't have a photograph of one. That is now corrected.

This is the Senko shown above after taking a fish or 2. You can see the 'stress marks' made in 2 areas. First, the head. Basically, a Senko is heavily salt impregnated and where we screw in the hitch hiker, the lure will change colour and start to break down. The crush mark seen centre of the Senko here is what a Bass does to the worm after it's been down it's neck.

The same Senko in running water, shown at 6 - 8 " deep. Drifted, it picks up the micro current and still twitches enticingly. When swinging up and across after a drift, the current helps make the Senko undulate. I know I used a flash gun to take this image but look at how the flake impregnated in the Senko lights up.

In general, we target fish in fast water shallow constrictions. Sometimes, the water is but 12" deep but Bass still kick the crap out the Senko as it tumbles or just manages a drift mere millimetres above the bottom.

Unfortunately, this action usually occurs in the dark and can create a whole new set of problems with bite detection.

I've described in recent articles how the lure is cast up-current etc so won't repeat that here. Just search the blog and you'll find tons of info on this and other stuff.

The problem with day v's night is detecting takes in the first half of a drift. From mid point onwards, it's not too bad. The lure can be tumbling or tighter and turning against the tension created by the bow in the braid created by the current. This was always a problem with night time fly dead drifting too. Believe me, dead drifting flies IS THE METHOD to beat all methods for purity and skill in Bass lure fishing. I'm not detracting from HRF tactics here by saying all rush out and buy fly gear but, a fly caught fish, dead drifting is the pinnacle for me of saltwater British fly-fishing. I digress...

I went out with Callum for a few hours on the SW the other night. It was tough. We blanked. People, boats, noise etc must have sealed thse fishes mouths shut. I had 2 bites that were so faint I missed them both. Afterwards, It was time to hit a South coast mark over mixed shallow but very, very fast water ground on a near 37ft tide. It was pitch black on my arrival.

I fished 'Stoopid rigs' and straight shank weedless Senko rigs on PE #1 YGK 8 carrier braid to a 14lb Tenyru FC leader. I was wading, not skishing an area just South of 'Five Swords' and the tidal current literally screams off a rock ledge into another 3ft of water that itself is again constricted. It's a hot spot alright but only for 20 minutes on this tide. Just below this, 100 meters out is First Blood but, it doesn't run on the Ebb so Five Swords is a really targeted flow.

Number 1 hits the bank. Drifted 5" Senko does the business. This one hit the lure just as it makes the turn in front of you. Perpendicular to the drift from your position.

Same fish showing 'pegged lure' a 5" grey/pepper/blue Senko on a 5/0 straight Decoy Worm Hook. I'm casting well up the flow but...retrieving ! Just maintaining contact and I mean JUST maintaining contact until the Senko rolled over the ledge and made the turn. The lure hasn't 'swung' at all in this drift. It might NOT have sunk as far it would or drifted as fast because I've not allowed a bow to form. This is upcurrent Senko fishing.

A few more casts after returning this fish and a couple of solid boils in the run. My heart races each time I hear this because it always feels like it's right under your lure. Anyway...I continue with the upcurrent Senko and make longer and longer casts up current. The worm now starts to tumble as I'm picking up the line with the lure coming back towards me. However, be careful. Winding braid back under little to no tension is asking for trouble. I make a few flicks with the lure well away from the run and pinch the line between thumb and forefinger to get tension back on the spool.

Bump, bump, bump...

Lure turns..., bail off, grab the line and slip the lure down tide......

Slam !

Look how deep these fish take these lures. Yea, ok, still lip hooked but, they are really eating these lures.

These fish are lighter and more 'Golden' in shade than other Bass caught locally. I think they do this to match the vast amounts of sand they cross. You'll likely notice this 'golden-ness' in other gutter fish photo's too.

Back in the water though, to my eye's, directly from above, this Bass displays that classic 'Steel-Blue' look.

Yet with this one, the golden shade is seen. This was the average size taken during this Senko fest. This one was caught on the 'Stoopid Rig' shown earlier.

Various Senko colours were used as were lengths in what was, a very short lived 30 minute session. I had a few runs through with 'White' but no takers. Grey through Pumpkin, Chocolate and Watermelon are usual killing colours. Basically, shades of green and brown. Reds and Purple shades were not ultilised on purpose as we've already determined Junebug/Emeraude and the violet end of the spectrum is awesome. *** Both Night and Day ! ***

There you go....

Another highly productive HRF Bass session.

Until next time....

Thanks for reading.....