Ready to catch bass in any depth, any season, even when they aren't biting, all with one simple bait?

Bass University's on-the-water masterclass combines two of our most popular classes focused on fishing with soft stick baits, also known as Senkos, featuring top stick bait anglers like John Cox and Pete Gluszek. John Cox has won a ton of money on soft stick baits and throws them all year. Pete Gluszek calls a Texas-rigged Senko a bait system that triggers strikes from finnicky bass that he likes to use whenever he can. These classes explore various effective techniques for fishing with soft stick baits, highlighting their versatility, covering the entire water column from inches of water to deep.

In this Bass University exclusive class, you will learn preferred methods and approaches from some of the best professional anglers in the game. John Cox discusses his specific setup including rod, reel, line, and knot tying. He details his preferred hook sizes and styles, explaining how hook size affects sink rate and visibility and when to use specific bait sizes (5 or 6 inch) based on the fishing conditions and location, such as using the 6-inch for giant bass or the 5-inch when fishing is tough. Pete Gluszek outlines his finesse wacky style setup, including line, hook, rod, and reel and his heavier Texas rig power fishing setup designed for handling cover and bigger fish, utilizing heavier line and a rod with significant backbone. Each angler showcases a different style and brand of stick bait, employing a variety of rigging methods. John Cox demonstrates wacky rigging (often his go-to), weighted wacky methods using nail weights to control the fall rate, and Texas rigging with a pegged weight and bobber stop for fishing cover. Pete Gluszek covers the weightless wacky style and Texas rig, including a tail-weighted Texas rig method (known as the Dean's rig) that allows for faster water coverage. You can pick and choose tips from each angler to enhance your fishing skills and increase your success on the water.

Soft stick baits are widely recognized as one of the most popular lures for bass fishing, and Senkos are trusted by anglers throughout all seasons. You will gain insights into the best colors to use based on water clarity and target species. Learn strategies for fishing different types of structure and habitat, including creeks, wood, docks, seawalls, and grass flats. Discover how to adapt your technique, from fan casting large areas to pitching to visual targets. Get tips on how to trigger bites from pressured or inactive fish, including letting the bait soak and using subtle movements like shaking the line. Understand how to handle bites and fight fish effectively around cover, especially when using lighter line, by letting the fish pull drag or move away from the structure before setting the hook. Find out how these techniques allow you to cover water quickly or stay precise on targets, with explanations of how each rig behaves in the water (quivering vs. darting). This masterclass merges two of our most viewed on-the-water classes to provide the ultimate experience in learning how to fish with soft plastic stick baits.

Soft Plastic Stick Bait (Senko) Masterclass Chapters

• 0:26: John Cox Stick Baits
  Unlock the secrets to consistent success with soft stick baits. Learn John Cox's proven year-round system for rigging and fishing stick baits to catch giant bass, even on tough days and around heavy cover.
• 29:11: Pete Gluszek Senko
  Master the Dean's stick bait system. Learn Pete Gluszek's strategic approach to choosing between wacky and Texas rigs to effectively catch both numbers of fish and big fish in any condition or cover.

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