I am starting to see the need for me to know how to skip my baits to get them where (I think) they need to go. Any advice on the best way to learn how to do this? Can you skip a Texas rig with a worm or craw on it? I mainly use baitcasters but I keep a spinning reel/rod with me too. Ive tried a few rimes and it either goes decent or I get a huge back lash I have to pick out. Any advice would be appreciated! 

Keep your breaks up high when you first start out.  I’m not great at it at all but I kept the breaks super high to start off and try and keep the birds nest from happening each cast

Just now, Indiana Bass Angler said:

Any advice on the best way to learn how to do this?

Practice

Just now, Indiana Bass Angler said:

Can you skip a Texas rig with a worm or craw on it?

My experience - there's very few lures that can't be skipped.

1 minute ago, Indiana Bass Angler said:

I mainly use baitcasters but I keep a spinning reel/rod with me too. Ive tried a few rimes and it either goes decent or I get a huge back lash I have to pick out.

Anytime I try to skip with a BC - I end up with a bird's nest. Reason I have M/F and MH/F spinning rigs...I can skip with spinning gear and have few problems...trick is learning how to feather the line coming off the spool.

24 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

My experience - there's very few lures that can't be skipped.

 

I skipped a red eye shad the other day. It was kinda on accident but I was legit surprised that a) it did so well, and b) I wasn't wearing the contents of my spool because of it.

I only skip with a spinning rod. My technique, is that I swing the rod tip low, close to and parallel to the water. Let the lure go when the rod is pointing at the target. 

^ Yep - me exactly.

Certain lures or plastics will skip better than others. Plastics with all kinds of appendages don’t usually work as well as plastics like stick baits or tubes because the appendages catch the water rather than skipping. Also, flat water is better than water with waves or a ripple. Not every dock is created equal either. The better ones seem to be in deeper water or in proximity to deeper water with a lot of shade.

 

I also skip with a MH spinning setup and I got to be quite good last season using it.

I actually skip more with a baitcaster than I do with spinning gear.

While you can skip with any reel, to me a Diawa with the sv spool makes it much easier. Especially for beginners. I have three Diawa Tatula svs. they all see some skipping action. super flukes, senkos, and jigs are what I skip the most.

I also never use braid on baitcasters when skipping. it is usually fluoro, with occasional mono.

if the reel does backlash during a skip, braid usually involves a knife to fix.

One  problem  I have seen anglers have with skipping is using baits that are too heavy. even with spinning gear a light bait skips much easier than a heavy bait. 

It is easier to skip  with an easy fluid cast. I have seen anglers try to wind up and sling the bait. with a baitcaster that will leave you with an awesome birds nest.

With experience you will learn to feather the skip with your thumb and the rod angle.

Finish with the rod tip high...don’t throw it as hard as you think you have to. Bigger line skips easier than smaller line.

 

Lots of practice and cursing to follow...

1 minute ago, Russ E said:

with occasional mono

Thats interesting. With all those sharp edges under a dock I would think mono will break off too easy. A good size bass can wrap around a post or lift pretty quick.

2 minutes ago, 813basstard said:

and cursing to follow...

Sometimes I could make a sailor wince.

1 hour ago, Denny said:

Keep your breaks up high when you first start out.  I’m not great at it at all but I kept the breaks super high to start off and try and keep the birds nest from happening each cast

Good advice. Ill definitely crank my breaks up when I get brave enough to give it a go

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

Practice

My experience - there's very few lures that can't be skipped.

Anytime I try to skip with a BC - I end up with a bird's nest. Reason I have M/F and MH/F spinning rigs...I can skip with spinning gear and have few problems...trick is learning how to feather the line coming off the spool.

Good to know that most lures can be skipped! Thanks for the info!

44 minutes ago, Scott F said:

I only skip with a spinning rod. My technique, is that I swing the rod tip low, close to and parallel to the water. Let the lure go when the rod is pointing at the target. 

I think im going to try to learn on my spinning set up. Id rather do that vs ruin a perfectly good spool of fluro with a massive backlash lol

11 minutes ago, Russ E said:

I actually skip more with a baitcaster than I do with spinning gear.

While you can skip with any reel, to me a Diawa with the sv spool makes it much easier. Especially for beginners. I have three Diawa Tatula svs. they all see some skipping action. super flukes, senkos, and jigs are what I skip the most.

I also never use braid on baitcasters when skipping. it is usually fluoro, with occasional mono.

if the reel does backlash during a skip, braid usually involves a knife to fix.

One  problem  I have seen anglers have with skipping is using baits that are too heavy. even with spinning gear a light bait skips much easier than a heavy bait. 

It is easier to skip  with an easy fluid cast. I have seen anglers try to wind up and sling the bait. with a baitcaster that will leave you with an awesome birds nest.

With experience you will learn to feather the skip with your thumb and the rod angle.

Thanks for all the info!

7 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Thats interesting. With all those sharp edges under a dock I would think mono will break off too easy. A good size bass can wrap around a post or lift pretty quick.

Braid is actually less abrasion resistant than most fluoro or mono. Here in Kansas the zebra mussels wreak havoc with braid.

10 minutes ago, 813basstard said:

Finish with the rod tip high...don’t throw it as hard as you think you have to. Bigger line skips easier than smaller line.

 

Lots of practice and cursing to follow...

Its the opposite of what I thought. I figured to get a good skip id have to whip it out there. Ill keep that I mind! Thanks

8 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Sometimes I could make a sailor wince.

Defiantly some cursing to follow lol. First time I tried to skip I backlashed my line so bad I ended up just taking it all off. Lots and lots of cursing followed closely by the "why do I even fish" conversion with myself

I actually learned how to skip with my baitcaster, in my driveway, during winter. While not exactly the same as on water, bouncing a a bait across the cement helps teach you how to control the reel and bait during the skip.

1 minute ago, Russ E said:

I actually learned how to skip with my baitcaster, in my driveway, during winter. While not exactly the same as on water, bouncing a a bait across the cement helps teach you how to control the reel and bait during the skip.

I didn't think about trying something like that. What kind of lure did you use?

24 minutes ago, Indiana Bass Angler said:

I didn't think about trying something like that. What kind of lure did you use?

a fluke, senko. and jig. I had 15 pound trilene big game line on the reel. it is cheap. cement is pretty abrasive on line.

33 minutes ago, Russ E said:

I actually learned how to skip with my baitcaster, in my driveway, during winter. While not exactly the same as on water, bouncing a a bait across the cement helps teach you how to control the reel and bait during the skip.

I was going to suggest something similar, a gravel driveway works well but it doesn't mimic water exactly.

 

One thing I might add. Try to skip under your vehicle or a table or some other object to give you the sense of getting it under a tree or dock.

7 minutes ago, Russ E said:

a fluke, senko. and jig. I had 15 pound trilene big game line on the reel. it is cheap. cement is pretty abrasive on line.

Ok thanks. Im going to try that

2 minutes ago, jbsoonerfan said:

I was going to suggest something similar, a gravel driveway works well but it doesn't mimic water exactly.

 

One thing I might add. Try to skip under your vehicle or a table or some other object to give you the sense of getting it under a tree or dock.

Thats a great idea too. Thank you!

This is a great topic IBA ! Lots of good information. 

I skip with a baitcaster.  I started with a jig, a half ounce with a flat bottom.  I found a flat beaver style trailer helps.  I set the cast control knob loose and the brakes on full to start.  Twenty pound floro was my line of choice but mono while learning flows off the spool a little easier.  The most critical aspect in the motion was to roll my wrist and the initial contact of the jig was much closer to me than I would have expected.  Keep adjusting the speed until you find what works.  I just practiced of the docks at a local launch and developed muscle memory.  I found a 7’1” MH rod worked best for me.  I never did curse that I recall.

51 minutes ago, Columbia Craw said:

I skip with a baitcaster.  I started with a jig, a half ounce with a flat bottom.  I found a flat beaver style trailer helps.

X2

 

I like to skip finesse jigs under docks or laydowns.  I've been liking the 3/8 Buckeye Ballin Out Jig with a BPS 3.5 River Bug recently.  It has a round head, but still skips great (heck, it was made by GMAN so ofc it skips great). 

Not an expert skipper by any means, however I did want to chime in...

On a recent thread someone mentioned casting out about a casts worth of line and then putting some tape on the spool to minimize potential backlashes while learning to skip baits.

Something to consider.

Also, One of the things that i've noticed during my successful skips is that less effort is typically better, and finishing with the rod tip sweeping up at the end of the skip cast is almost critical for my success.

Good luck!

 

This was the biggest bass I caught skipping last season.  Felt like an anchor when I hooked it.  You can actually see the dock I caught it under in the background too.  Chartreuse senko with black flake was my go-to color last season in that stained water.