About 7 years ago I came home with some Gary Yamamoto stuff, including some 5" Senkos. Recently, I tried one of these Senkos, and it really worked good, weightless wacky. I started running out, and found nobody had this particular one, so I had to special order a few bags. To my surprise the new ones did not work as good, not even close. I discovered that the original ones came in a bag/package FULL of salt (very salty). And, the new ones have zero salt.
Is salt THAT meaningful/effective..?

Salt in senko's is there to make them heavier , so they sink with out adding weight and cast farther. You can easliy add table salt, grind it first in a coffee grinder.

Salt on the inside is what makes Yamamoto's baits special and also easy to tear.

The fish like them so I use them.

Actuall GYCB Senkos has salt and sand, yes sand, this is why they have the fall rate they do. This is also why they change colors when pulled on, its the sand comming out.

Salt is actually impregnated in baits to make the fish taste the bait and hold on longer. Gene Larew was the first company to actually patent the salt impregnation process. While they don't make an exact senko type bait they just came out with a new bait called the Salt Flick'R. I pinch the legs off when I want to use it like a senko either tex-sposed or wacky worm...can also be used with a Hard Head (shakey head type rig) or c-rigged...