Does anyone have any tips for using a Wacky Rig?

Fished with brother this week and tried several different lures but no strikes. I finally put on a wacky rig with a 1/0 weedless hook and a 5 inch Senko. Caught two small bass and lost three. One "good 'un" broke my 10 lb. Stren line.

I made sure the Senko was balanced so that it sank straight down. Cast or swung lure into cypress tree roots and let it slowly settle. I would then raise the rod tip and then let it sink back down.

Once I had overcast a leaning tree branch with the intention of bringing it over the laydown and let the Senko sink on my side of the tree. I quickly reeled in the Senko, letting it splash across the surface until I got it over the branch. Just as it touched the other side of the branch, a bass struck it. Didn't take the lure so there was no hook set. Tried the branch again, but to no avail.

Any other suggestions on working a Wacky Rig?

It sounds like you were doing the right thing... Important thing about Senkos and wacky rigging is less is more.. in terms of you manipulating the bait.

Learn to "SKIP" it . I catch fish under Boat Docks by letting it just sit there and barely move.

wild bill

Not just a finesse technique...

I did "skip" it a few times under the cypress tree branches. Wasn't intentional but it surprised me. Used a medium heavy spinning rod. Going to try it with a medium fast action rod next time.

Don't overwork the bait. Lift and fall.....lift and fall.

wacky Senko's are one of the best lures ever --shallow or deep , doesn't really matter .
wacky rig with and without a weight . I will set up a Drop shot with a long leader and small weight for all depths . I think changing up weights can change up the drop speed and fish will tell you what they want . I even throw a weightless wacky senko in 30-35 feet of water , especially in winter .
I will recommend if you throw one long enough , they absorb water and in some cases , the water logged ones tend to more flimsy and the action gets effected

Shhhh!

It's a secret of mine to purposely waterlog a bag of each color. For weeks before using.

every "weedless" hook I've tried hangs up on everything

I just put a bag of them in my pocket when I start fishing, then I fall in. The soaking time depends on water temperature. Fell in Grand one time with my inflatable on, got in so quick it did not deploy. That was when I was young and quicker than a cat. Doubt I could do it again.

Lately I have been doing the “Backlash technique”. I’ll throw to my target and then strip line like I’m pulling out a backlash. It makes me slow down and sometimes fishing this technique is key. Use a high speed reel to take up that extra slack more quickly.

Or with the small hooks with weedgards, they still get slung off a lot. I went back to a 4/0 after trying a bag of high dollar 1/0s

I catch a lot just drop and falling it . Real good under docks.

Saw some 3 inch Senko type worms at Bass Pro Shop. Anyone ever used a 3 incher? Seems like it would be tough to use.

I've REALLY been liking this hook lately. Hook up ratio has been awesome since trying these hooks. I picked them up at Academy

Yep....been doing pretty good with the weedless hook from VMC, using an O-ring...and braid.
The braid helps feel that super light bite.

Oh and use the O rings, will save you a lot of baits for sure.

3 inch senkos work great, especially when the baitfish are small. However, you will have to use spinning tackle. I use 1/4 inch pieces of 1/4-1/8 heat shrink tubing for the 3 inchers. it's the same diameter as the senko so you can put it on without heat if you stretch the senko as you install. Hook it through the tubing and the senko and your hook will be perpendicular to the bait instead of horizontal like an o-ring. Use 3/8-3/16 for the bigger senkos.

Does wacky rig work on pines much?

....There are so many tips, tricks & things to do with a wacky rigged Senko or Trick Worm that it might be impossible to list them all.
everyone has their favorite way to hook and fish one. There is not one technique that is better or more fish catching than another.
O-Rings-Shrink tube--zip ties (of different colors)-- molded in rings
small open hook, big open hook, weedless circle hooks, gamagatsu hooks with weed guards in 2/0-3/0-5/0
4 inch, 5 inch, 6 inch
you name it .... you can do it
find the technique you like and JUST DO IT !!!!

oh I forgot --- weightless, nose weighted, tail weighted, middle weight, crimped weight on the line above the hook, C-Rigged, Texas rigged, floated under a bobber -- yes that's right... when it is windy rig up a wacky Senko and put a bobber 12-18 inches above it, throw it in front of a weed bed and let the bobber float the Senko back into the weed bed & wait, jiggle, wait & be ready to set the hook

A wacky rigged Senko is one of the most effective techniques around. I have also been in search of the perfect hook. The last time I was at Fork Eddie Garrett showed me a hook at Oak Ridge that works really well around brush. http://www.hallhooks.com/

The best tip I can offer you is to let the bait fall on a slack line. Too many folks try to hold the line taut so they can feel the bite. The thing that makes the Senko so effective is the way it wobbles when it falls. Let it fall on a slack line. If it is heavy when you pick up on it set the hook!

What he said.

I bet if someone took a count there is a hundred different ways to fish it... I like circle hooks myself... they snag a lot less.

I have yet to find a weedless wacky hook I can trust to be weedless in the thick brush I fish. If have tried wire guard, flouro/mono guard, cheapos, newer expensive models. Nothing I have found can keep out of the thick brush and limbs.

The key to not getting hung, all the time, with an exposed hook, weedless or not, as you work it back, don't let it lay over on it's side, when coming thru brush, etc., a semi-taught line will come over limbs gently, then fall again.

I love the VMC weighted weedless wacky hooks. they seem to be a lot more weedless than others. The hook up ratio has been close to 80% for me.

Gonna try a watermelon red Senko set as Wacky Style with the O-ring at Lake Fork next week. Hope it works.

use the "wicked wacky" gamagatsu hooks --i like a 2/0 or 3/0 --hi vis yellow power pro braid

i also fly fish so i approach wacky in the same manner --its a slack line presentation (hi vis helps this)
i get bit 95% of the time on the initial fall-- i rarely work it back to the boat !

senkos catch way more fish than anything else -though yum dingers are much more durable

o ring them all !

good luck !