Freshwater Lure Guide
Stick Bait (Senko)
About the Stick Bait (Senko)
The stick bait — most famously the Yamamoto Senko — is the most deceptively simple lure in bass fishing. A straight, salt-impregnated soft plastic stick with almost no built-in action. But rigged wacky-style (hooked through the middle) or Texas-rigged, it produces a slow, side-to-side fall that bass absolutely cannot ignore. The magic is in the fall — just cast it out and watch it sink. Post-front, cold front, pressured fish, clear water — when nothing else works, a green pumpkin stick bait on a wacky hook usually does.
Best Conditions
Water Temp
50–85°F
Best Seasons
Spring, Summer, Fall
Water Clarity
clear, stained
Best Weather
post-front, stable, overcast
Color Guide
Green Pumpkin
Clear water, universal
Watermelon Red
Clear to slightly stained
Black/Blue
Stained water, low light
Junebug
Stained water, low visibility
Natural/Smoke
Clear water, pressured fish
Target Species
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