Senko / Stickbait
Soft Plastic — stick worm
The Senko-style stick worm is a salt-loaded soft plastic with no built-in action — its magic is the slow, shimmying fall. Rigged wacky, weightless Texas, or on a light head, it catches bass everywhere in Central Texas and is the single most dependable bait for numbers.
Why: The most foolproof bait ever made.
Evidence: Verified knowledge from Bryan Cotter, 26+ years guiding all 16 Central Texas lakes.
Related: Wacky Rig · Texas Rig · All bass lures
Verified Answered by Bryan Cotter, Texas Hawgs guide · Updated Jul 12, 2026
Why it works
The subtle, horizontal, quivering fall looks like an easy, defenseless meal — bass eat it even when they won't chase anything else.
Brands that make this style: Berkley PowerBait The General sponsor, Yamamoto Senko, YUM Dinger
As an Amazon Associate, Texas Hawgs earns from qualifying purchases. Brands marked sponsor are companies Bryan proudly represents — see the sponsors page.
Senko / Stickbait at a glance
- Family
- Soft Plastic
- Sizes
- 4 in, 5 in
- Weights
- 1/8-3/16 oz or weightless
- Water temp
- 55-90°F
- Skill level
- ●○○○○
- Bryan's confidence
- ●●●●●
Catches: Largemouth Bass, Guadalupe Bass, Smallmouth Bass
When to throw it
Best seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall
Best conditions: Calm / Slick Conditions, Post-Frontal / Bluebird, Spring Warm-Up
Where to throw it
Depth: 0-10 ft; cover: Docks, Wood, Grass, Open; structure: Spawning Flats, Docks, Laydowns.
How to fish it
Rig it with: Wacky Rig, Texas Rig, Neko Rig.
Retrieve: Cast, let it fall on slack line, twitch, and let it fall again — most bites come on the sink.
Color selection
By water clarity — Clear: green pumpkin, watermelon red · Stained: black-blue, junebug
By forage — Shad: white, pearl · Craw: green pumpkin
Lakes where it produces
Lake Travis · Lake LBJ · Lake Bastrop · Fayette County · Canyon Lake
Common mistakes
- Reeling instead of watching the fall
- Line too heavy, killing the shimmy
- Not using an O-ring when wacky rigging
Pro tips
- Let it sink all the way on the first cast to find the strike depth
- Green pumpkin is the do-everything color in clear water
Keep exploring
All bass lures · Wacky Rig · All techniques · Central Texas bass fishing guide
Want to catch 'em on a Senko / Stickbait? All tackle is provided on a guided trip. See rates and book or call 512-762-0190.