If your fishing these baits strictlyTexas rig weightless ( say near the 5" size) , no wacky rig, what prompts you to use one over the other? I have a dedicated bait caster set up with one or the other always tied on, but I couldn't tell you in what particular scenario why I would choose one over the other. If I'm fishing topwater, I like to have the weightless senko on deck as a follow up for a blow-up and miss, but I guess I could just as easily use the fluke. If I'm fishing shallow, I like throwing these baits to targets, but I really couldn't tell you why I would use one or the other. I've caught more fish with a weightless senko, because I've used it more than the fluke and I like catching them this way, but recently have started using the fluke more. Are there scenarios where one is better than the other Texas rigged weightless? Also I know some of you can fish these over deeper water with great success, I just really haven't developed the patience to let one of these baits fall in over 8 ft. of water. Is that a mistake I need to correct? I don't have FFS, which I could see would be beneficial to see if fish are reacting to your bait. I would appreciate any info, thanks in advance.

Weightless senkos are generally fished by casting them out and letting them fall, the bite comes on the fall or when it hits bottom. I usually just reel in and make another cast if I don’t get bit…

Weightless flukes have a different action that can be worked similar to a jerkbait, but different.

Sometimes you just need to throw different stuff and see what they open their mouths for.

I have a Ring Fry and a Shad style bait always tied on and the one reason is that if I am fishing an area where I expect fish to be I will throw a Shad bait and let it dart around the area looking for active fish like where I may have been catching topwater fish.
If I am actually fishing targets like dock poles or stumps or lay downs where I want my bait to go to a specific spot I go with the Ring Fry so I can pin point my cast so the bait moves exactly where I want it without darting 2 or 3 feet away from the target.

If you don't mind sharing, what shad style bait do you use and is it weightless?

On the senko I really like to screw in a small #3 willow spinner in the tail. Adds some flash. Caution: once you start doing it you won't fish it naked anymore. You're welcome.
To answer your question, if fish are more cover oriented I throw a senko. If I'm not sure where they are or if they are scattered or they are chasing shad or I'm having to cover water faster I'm throwing a fluke type.

Grass/pads/docks/skipping under brush/spring/fall/high water/aggressive fish….fluke

Timber/rocks/summer/winter/finicky fish….senko

Thanks guys, great info, this is what I'm looking for. I'm not very fast out of the gate, but I usually make up for it near the finish line sometimes.

Sounds expensive. With as many senkos I go though on a typical day of fishing, the spinner blade addition would make me take a second mortgage.

In the middle of winter slooooooooooow dragging a fluke across the bottom can catch fish on days when nothing else works. I think it works better than the senko because it falls slower. The trick is going so slow its nearly painful.

Other than that, around cover I will probably senko and around structure I will probably fluke. I have a dedicated rod for each and if 1 is working, both rods will be on deck to see which is working better.
I use 12 or 15 lb Fluorocarbon with a senko and 10 or 12 lb mean green with a fluke.

Do you use the same rod for both? When you say drag a fluke on the bottom, how deep are you talking and are you still doing it weightless?

You should consider expanding on the senkos versatility.

I could. I prefer a jig over a senko about 98% or the time.

Yeah you lose a few. I usually save that for tourneys but I don't fish many anymore. I try to save mt blades off my old a-rigs and various other spinners and buy the little screw things and make my own. Try to get the fish to the boat before he can sling it.LOL.

I use a few different Shad style baits. The Strike King Caffeine Shad, Lake Fork Lures Sancho and of course Zoom Super Fluke which I use for Carolina rigging. I use the Sancho when I am really covering water quickly and the Caffeine Shad with a 1/16 ounce weight when I am fishing really slowly on the bottom.
I also use a Shad style bait on an Owner Flashy Swimmer rig which is a Lake Fork Lures Magic Shad and Jawtec Punch Shad I have rigged on a Texas rig with 5/16 ounce weight for mainly flipping in heavy cover.

No on the rod choice. I use a 6'10" medium jerk bait rod for the fluke and a 7'3" medium heavy rod for senkos.
If there is light or no wind, you can fish the fluke down to about 10. Unless I am specifically targeting a dock, I very rarely fish weightless deeper than 8 ft. The c rig allows you to cover more water deeper and is usually a better option for that.