Skipping with a baitcasting reel

[Flippin222]

This year I intend to learn how to skip a bait with a baitcaster. Does anyone have any suggestions or tips to get me going in the right direction? Or is this just a get on the water and figure it out kinda thing? Any pointers would be a helpful starting point.

Thanks in advance.

[motocross269]

I know this isn't the answer you are looking for...

In this state I think you are just as well off sticking with a spinning reel...Primarily we are skipping around lighter cover around docks with light baits....
That is just my opinion though...I skip shakey heads,Senkos and lightly weighted tubes alot(On light braid or Flouro)....Most of our docks are in shallow water and very rarily find the need to Skip heavier jigs....

If you do a google search there is a ton of info out there on skipping with baitcasters..you may even find a youtube video..Good luck...

[TCook]

There are definitely situations that skipping with a baitcaster would be a big advantage over spinning so I started trying it last year. Its not easy at all and I still suck at it. I tighten the tension knob considerably down and still backlash a little every 3 or 4 skips. I don't think there are any special ways of doing it just alot of practice until it becomes a natural technique for you. The one suggestion I can give you is try it with a high quality reel and a MH rod with a soft tip.

[bigjc]

I almost hate to offer suggestions on this subject, since I suck at it also, but I believe that starting out with a 6 or 6' 6" rod, until you get the hang of it might help.  Just a thought.  It seems like the longer rod is more difficult to master than a shorter one.

[gr@ssmonkey]

besides a good reel and rod the lure/jig is everything,some lure's just don't skip very good,the tube jig and a jig with a flatter head like the nemesis flippin jig,them lures are the one's i stick with on a baitcaster when skipping it......and i agree with motocross i tend to use this technic around deeper/bigger industrial docks

[LipRip]

skip it with a 6'6" or 7' rod. its really not that hard. just have to believe u can! I do it with a 6'6" mh mojo bass with a pos quantum code and a worm without a weight. just make u stowing the spool down a little after the first time ur bait hits the water. visualize it daniel son!

[Frank]

Show me someone that can beat me while I use my spinning stuff and then ill figure it ou

[Frank]

Sorry for the cockyness. I was warned about posting while intoxicated

[dartag]

Stay out in the middle of the lake with me and it is no problem.  

I fished with Dave Smith who fishes the Elite series.   He could skip a baitcaster way under docks.  He said it took years of practice.  He also said you would become an expert in getting backlashes out at the same time.


you can use my dock for practice if you want.

ss

[TCook]

Of course the weight, leadhead, or body makes a big difference in skipability. A 1/4oz nemesis upskirt jig is ideal, the flat part on the back of the head skips across the water nicely. I am willing to bet a good majority of the best shallow water fisherman have mastered this technique and for good reason so I will continue to practice at it. I seen Randy Van Dam skip a stretch of docks with a baitcaster on Paw Paw a few years back and it was a sight to see. I don't care who you are it would take years to get that accurate and get the distance skipping a jig proficiently that he was. Some situations require more power and speed to get big bass out from way back underneath docks when a spinning rod would let them wrap you up. What if you wanted to skip a swimbait or a frog? Would you go with a spinning rod for that? What about a buzzbait, you wouldn't be skipping it but with enough accuracy you can put that thing way back under a dock. With this ability you are putting a bait in a place where a bass has never seen it before. Advantage me!

[McCarter]

here are a few tips that will help you.

Buy the cheepest line you can find and spool it on a smooth reel.  try to use no lighter than 15 lb to start.  heavier line is easy to pick out of a backlash.

use heavier baits until you start to get a feel for it.  and use compact baits like tubes, soft plastic stick baits, jigs.  you dont want something with a lot of appendages on it cuz they will catch the water and fowl up the process.

practice pitching on a smooth flat surface such as a hard wood, or linoleum floor.  it sounds funny but trust me it will help you learn to get that snap in your wrist that is critical to skip a bait on the water.

i am still not great at skipping with a baitcaster but i can do it good enough to get a bait where i want it.  it takes a long time, so dont get discouraged.  one last tip that might help ( as it helped me ) find a 9 lb largemouth on a bed that is back behind fallen branches and the only way to get a bait to her is to learn to skip it.  that was a fun time while down in s. carolina.  never did get the fish to bite but did learn to skip with a bait caster....and how to pick a backlash like a pro.

McCarter himself

[1javelin]

I've used this technique a few times, and I'm always scared of getting that rat's nest so I don't take my own advice.  Maybe you will.  You have to snap your wrist hard, momentum is what makes it skip.  On docks, you'll break a few jigs.  You'll hit hard enough at the eye occasionally to snap your line.  Don't do this by boats until you're good.  The faster you swing, the further and easier skipping is.  But, the harder it hits objects and the bigger the backlash.  Can I watch when you try it the first time??

1jav

[djkimmel]

After you get gone with the non-water practice, try it on the water out in the open. Just pretend a dock is there for a while. Once you start getting the feel for it, try clean docks first for a while.

[matt]

No way,no hell...I'll stick with spinning reels for now... LOLl

It AMAZES me how people who can do it does it.....

[SethV]

When you are learning, make a cast a bit longer than you plan to skip.  Put a couple rounds of tape over the line remaining in the spool.   That way, when you do get a backlash, it won't go super deep and its easier to get out.

I skip with spinning, up here because of the clear water and slower fall rates / smaller baits.  down south on the floating docks, the fish are often deeper or like a faster fall rate of a heavy jig.

[thedude]

skipping with a baitcaster - to me - is like trying to drive a phillips head screw with a flat-head screwdriver. Sure - you can do it, but it so much easier to just use the phillips .

There's no benefit to it really, it takes TONS of practice and on the converse side of things - doing it with a spinning rod takes about 10 casts to figure out. There are only 2 things i even consider using a spinning reel for - dock skipping and fishing with 6lb test line or less.  Drop shot, shakey head etc - i would prefer to do EVERYTHING on a baitcaster - except skipping docks.

i use a cut-down 6'6" (down to 6'2") custom rod built on an allstar MB784 blank. (m-hvy/hvy) i run 30lb power pro on a 3500 size spinning reel. Haul 'em right out, in clear water i just add a short 20lb floro leader.

[Bender]

What if you wanted to skip a swimbait or a frog?

That's a good point. I hadn't considered skipping with a baitcaster until I was out fishing with a former forum member last year and he started effortlessly skipping Bronze Eye frogs way up through pontoons. It's something I would like to try this year too so thanks for all the tips on here. 

[fowlmouth]

  Put a couple rounds of tape over the line remaining in the spool.   That way, when you do get a backlash, it won't go super deep and its easier to get out.

That's some solid advice wish I would have thought of that when I was learning how. The ol' cuss jar was full after that! I taught myself on the driveway, using  a 7'6" MH with a Horny Toad. The only piece of advice I can give you is cast harder and keep your thumb on the spool(lightly) to start.

[djkimmel]

Anybody ever see the lasso or big loop cast O T Fears would do to get under docks and brush? (He used to live and work in the UP by the way.)

[Bender]

Not knowing exactly what that is it sounds like what Jon was doing with the frog to get under the pontoons. Had probably 6'+ of line hanging past the tip and whirled it around to shoot under there. Quite impressive really.