New Senko Setup 2025
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
So I am upgrading my gear to technique specific rods, and am looking for a rod dedicated to senkos/small texas rigs and maybe flukes. I prefer casting gear, and have been considering
-Powell Endurance 683
-Phenix Feather 6 9 MH
-St Croix Mojo 6 8 Medium extra fast
For the reel, I am looking at
-tat SV
-Met MGL
-Chronarch MGL
I have started to become a bit of a Shimano fanboy after purchasing several Curado K's, and have been curious about their higher end reels for a while. I also have a tat SV which I really like(especially for skipping), though. Would like to keep the setup under $400ish if possible.
snel6424 reply :
Dobyn's Fury 703 would be a good one.
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
I originally bought that exact rod for this purpose, but the rod is a lot more moderate than I would prefer. I really like it for topwater baits, though.
IgotWood reply :
That 6’8” St Croix makes a fantastic Senko rod. Although I tend to gravitate to spinning gear for Senko these days, if I am fishing some heavy grass with a heavier leader, that Mojo is the cat’s a$$
Matt_3479 reply :
The only rod out of that list I’ve fished is the mojo and it’s a great rod. I’d probably opt for an avid or avid x. As far as reel goes I’ve never fished the met mgl but will be my next but love my chronarch mgl’s I’ve got 4 of them!! I’ve learned to skip them easier then my tatula sv
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
Why do you prefer about the avid over the mojo? The are both the SCIII blank. The only advantage I see the Tat has over the Chronarch would be skipping, so that definitely makes me lean towards the Chronarch!
CroakHunter reply :
My "senko" setup is a duckett micro magic 7ft mh with a tatula sv on it and I absolutely love it. The castability and price of the sv makes it very nice for skipping light jigs and texas rigs akong with stickbaits.
kschultz76 reply :
The St Croix Avid or Avid X in the 6’8” M/XF is a great choice, I like it in both spinning and casting for Senkos. An LTB or Legend Elite would be even better 
.
Another great senko rod rod in my arsenal is the Kistler Helium 3 Light MH/F, I have a 7’0” and it also comes in a 7’3”. Very versatile and great taper.
Id be looking at the Zillion SV TW for Senkos or the Tat SV if budget is tight.
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
How much of an advantage do you think the zillion gives over the Tat SV?
Matt_3479 reply :
On 10/29/2018 at 8:54 AM, newyorktoiowa57 said:Why do you prefer about the avid over the mojo? The are both the SCIII blank. The only advantage I see the Tat has over the Chronarch would be skipping, so that definitely makes me lean towards the Chronarch!
I actually cannot tell you why! It’s weird, to me the mojo is one of the best bangs for buck rods out there but the avid just feels better in the hand. Similar models between them the avid feels like it has more backbone for driving 3/0 hooks for senkos. I love my 7’ medium fast avid x
in all fairness for the tatula I think mine actually could be problematic. Not enough to detour me from them but would like to try someone elses before making another purchase. It is extremely sensitive from 1 brake setting to the next, I could have it on say 8 and could whip it as hard as I can and no backlash but if I go to 7 and try to cast even a lighter cast it birdsnests like crazy. All my chronarch are the same, cast a country mile, smooth as heck, and extremely consistent. Easy to use, good to look at and now I can skip a jig or senko fairly easily! I love these reels!
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
On 10/29/2018 at 10:55 AM, Matt_3479 said:
I actually cannot tell you why! It’s weird, to me the mojo is one of the best bangs for buck rods out there but the avid just feels better in the hand. Similar models between them the avid feels like it has more backbone for driving 3/0 hooks for senkos. I love my 7’ medium fast avid x
in all fairness for the tatula I think mine actually could be problematic. Not enough to detour me from them but would like to try someone elses before making another purchase. It is extremely sensitive from 1 brake setting to the next, I could have it on say 8 and could whip it as hard as I can and no backlash but if I go to 7 and try to cast even a lighter cast it birdsnests like crazy. All my chronarch are the same, cast a country mile, smooth as heck, and extremely consistent. Easy to use, good to look at and now I can skip a jig or senko fairly easily! I love these reels!
Mine is the same-when I go below 8 bad things start to happen suddenly. Which rod do you mean has more backbone? The mojo or the avid/avid X?
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
On 10/29/2018 at 9:58 AM, kschultz76 said:The St Croix Avid or Avid X in the 6’8” M/XF is a great choice, I like it in both spinning and casting for Senkos. An LTB or Legend Elite would be even better
.
Another great senko rod rod in my arsenal is the Kistler Helium 3 Light MH/F, I have a 7’0” and it also comes in a 7’3”. Very versatile and great taper.
Id be looking at the Zillion SV TW for Senkos or the Tat SV if budget is tight.
How much of an advantage do you think the zillion gives over the Tat SV
Matt_3479 reply :
On 10/29/2018 at 11:45 AM, newyorktoiowa57 said:Mine is the same-when I go below 8 bad things start to happen suddenly. Which rod do you mean has more backbone? The mojo or the avid/avid X?
The avid x. Still super light, very sensitive, but it drives those hooks on a Texas rigged senko better
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
On 10/29/2018 at 5:15 PM, Matt_3479 said:The avid x. Still super light, very sensitive, but it drives those hooks on a Texas rigged senko better
I'm not really a micro guides guy, so do you think the same applies to the avid?
Troy85 reply :
I love my St. Croix Mojo. I have the 7'1", Medium Heavy, Fast. I like the Medium heavy rod for my Senkos because I fish them around a lot of grass. As far as the reel, you can't go wrong with the Chronarch imo.
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
On 10/30/2018 at 4:45 AM, Troy1985s said:I love my St. Croix Mojo. I have the 7'1", Medium Heavy, Fast. I like the Medium heavy rod for my Senkos because I fish them around a lot of grass. As far as the reel, you can't go wrong with the Chronarch imo.
do you feel the rod loads properly with the senko?
kschultz76 reply :
On 10/29/2018 at 12:01 PM, newyorktoiowa57 said:How much of an advantage do you think the zillion gives over the Tat SV
Hard to quantify any advantage in absolute terms. Pros of the Zillion for me are a lighter spool with less restrictive braking profile but still well controlled. More versatile in selection of compatible spools across the Daiwa and aftermarket spool lines. And with the Zillion having the free floating spool design I can service and swap out spool bearings without partially tearing the reel down. How that all translates to on the water performance will vary based on many other factors.
Price wise and and I believe spool weight wise the Zillion is a closer comparison to the Chronarch MGL.
I have a Tat SV as well, and it’s a great performer but I had mine tuned and stick bearings swapped for HH ZRs, so it’s a different animal then stock. My Zillions have ZPI bearings in them.
Matt_3479 reply :
On 10/30/2018 at 2:26 AM, newyorktoiowa57 said:I'm not really a micro guides guy, so do you think the same applies to the avid?
Most likely but I’ve never fished the avid.
Right now my most recent main purpose senko/finesse rod is a glx 852c (7’1” medium extra fast) and I prefer throwing weightless t-rigged senkos over wacky style. But I’ve noticed on almost half the fish I’ve caught on it, it doesn’t drive the hook like some other rods I’ve fished. As far as wacky style (smaller hook) it’s deadly! I’m going try again next season but most likely I’ll be picking up a medium heavy for weightless t-rigged senko’s. Early this season I was using a 7’ medium heavy kistler helium and it was wicked for senko’s, loaded up great, and plenty of back bone and that’s the reason I’ll probsbly grab a glx or nrx 893c for my weightless-1/8oz weighted t-rigged senko’s
Troy85 reply :
On 10/30/2018 at 5:23 AM, newyorktoiowa57 said:do you feel the rod loads properly with the senko?
I think so. I don’t have any issues with the med heavy. I flip and pitch a senko most of the time, but on the rare occasion that I’m chunking it, I’ve never had a problem.
I fish around a lot of grass year round, so I always go with a more stout backbone. Only rod I have that’s a medium action is for crankbaits.
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
Yea I fish a lot of very grassy northern lakes. I may end up going with the powell, as it is a lighter medium heavy which may be the best compromise.
Troy85 reply :
Thats seems like a good solution. Oh btw, if you are still on the fence about the reels, tackle warehouse has a demo program for reels. https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/demoprogram.html
BassNJake reply :
On 10/29/2018 at 2:33 AM, newyorktoiowa57 said:So I am upgrading my gear to technique specific rods, and am looking for a rod dedicated to senkos/small texas rigs and maybe flukes. I prefer casting gear, and have been considering
-Powell Endurance 683
-Phenix Feather 6 9 MH
-St Croix Mojo 6 8 Medium extra fast
For the reel, I am looking at
-tat SV
-Met MGL
-Chronarch MGL
I have started to become a bit of a Shimano fanboy after purchasing several Curado K's, and have been curious about their higher end reels for a while. I also have a tat SV which I really like(especially for skipping), though. Would like to keep the setup under $400ish if possible.
My tourney partner has all Chronarchs and loves them.
Unrelated- My brother went to Grinnell mid to late 90's.
OnthePotomac reply :
My Senko setup for many years on the tidal Potomac massive grass beds has been BPS Carbonlites, 7' and 6'6"MH, fast tip with a variety of Curado reels, currently 8.5:1 Curado K's all spooled with 15lb Invizx and a 4/0 Gammie EWG hook. My adult daughter, when with me, uses a 7' Medium Carbonlite spinning rod spooled with 8lb mono, same hook. Sad to say sometimes she does better than I do.????
Paul Roberts reply :
Well, for lightly weighted, or unweighted, soft plastics -the way I most often fish stick worms, and other SFLs in shallow water- I like a rod with plenty of power in the butt, but a softer tip. Since bass tend to hold lightly weighted soft plastics, I am able to "weigh the line" with a softer-tipped rod to better identify bites and to tell what a bass is doing with my bait. Problem is, bass will take soft plastics too deep if given enough time. So, I like to be able to gently weigh the line to feel tension, and "life" down there. I've also gone to barbless hooks on many of my lightly weighted soft plastics, making esophagus hooked fish easier to deal with.
The action type I'm describing is a Mag-Light in Loomis speak, as is often found in powerful drop-shot rods. The one I'm using, and LOVE for this type of fishing, is a 7' M Kistler Helium. I generally do not like soft-tipped rods. Why waste that length? But, for such SPLs, they have a place. And that Kistler is so freaking light, with plenty of power, it may just be the most sensitive rod I own.
For more heavily weighted soft plastics I use rods with power all the way out -the same ones I use for larger jigs.
newyorktoiowa57 reply :
On 10/30/2018 at 9:38 PM, OnthePotomac said:My Senko setup for many years on the tidal Potomac massive grass beds has been BPS Carbonlites, 7' and 6'6"MH, fast tip with a variety of Curado reels, currently 8.5:1 Curado K's all spooled with 15lb Invizx and a 4/0 Gammie EWG hook. My adult daughter, when with me, uses a 7' Medium Carbonlite spinning rod spooled with 8lb mono, same hook. Sad to say sometimes she does better than I do.????
Do you primarily cast or pitch the bait? The 2.0 carbonlite is a sick looking rod but I'm unsure if the tip is too stiff for senkos.
OnthePotomac reply :
I only cast and the fast tip is needed to get them out of the grass bed and keep them hooked. I fish with the barbs crunched down and have for years. Never had a problem with them tasting the Senko on those rods.LOL
junyer357 reply :
I have the st croix 6'8"med in an avid casting, with a lews speed spool and 15# flouro. I found it to be a good tex rig rod, but hard to control at times with a weightless senko. I ended up going to a 683 dobyns champion spinning rod for that and its amazing. I actually have better control with it when casting. I paired it with a pflueger supreme and 15# slick8. I even use it for ned rigs down to 1/15oz some.
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