last weekend I was kinda good at it.   I was putting the bait into some impossible places.  so fun.

 

I am not 100%.  not even close.  but when it get that tight, "kish kish kish" sound of a bait skipping perfectly, it is like hearing a perfect golf shot.  or a basketball swish.  

 

I am still at it.  practicing when I can.  Shimano Bantam is getting it done.  big epiphany was that I didnt need to put heat on the cast.  a gentle cast is all that is needed.  and I keep my thumb on the spool full time.  guarding against the backlash.  I even skipped backhanded once.  nobody was around to witness it.  

 

the Deps Coverscat is my current practice bait for skipping.  

I love skipping weedless frogs under overhanging trees. Such a blast when you skip it so far under you can’t even see it anymore, you just hear the blow up.

I have been practicing too. @Darth-Baiter & @Jar11591, what action rod are ya using? For me, it’s  7 ft med-med/ fast  paired with a spincast Zebco Bullet…. I can not , no way , no how skip a baitcaster. Even a spinning reel is hard for me. Some thing clicked when I tried skipping with a spincast. I am far from mastering the skill, but I’m getting better. 

@GRiver I’m using a F action, a 735 for the weedless frog skipping. If I’m skipping a senko it’s a M/F action spinning rod. 

Heavy fast rod.  Megabass FMJ to be exact. 

Skipping is 50 per cent skill, 50 per cent bait. The easiest lure I have found is tthe PopShadz by Z-man.

My rod is an old version of a Bass Pro tourney special. It says it’s a m/m fast  but feels way softer, almost too soft. @Darth-Baiter, @Jar11591 you two are skipping a lot heavier artillery than I am. 
 

You said, " big epiphany was that I didnt need to put heat on the cast.  a gentle cast is all that is needed". Maybe that is my problem. I've been practicing, practicing, and more practicing but still only get two or three skips. I'll have to try backing off the force of my cast. Thanks.

@VTFan another thing that helped me a ton, raising your rod tip on the follow through. I was able to get a few more skips out of my lure.

I can skip a senko from here to eternity. Anything else I'm sitting on the deck with a pair of scissors cuttting out backlash. lol

I would try skipping baits more often, if only I could skip this step in the learning process.

Skipping topwaters into weird places is indeed one of life's great joys.  😍

I have been watching videos on YouTube about skipping.  One thing I noticed was some are using a roll cast.  I have yet to try it this spring but I hope it improve my skipping skills.  

I've gotten to be really good with a stick bait, tube, or other type of various soft plastic and a spinning setup.  One particular lake I visit frequently holds fish under a lot of docks in the summer time.

 

I do not skip hard baits, or anything that has exposed lead (like a jig).  Although my accuracy is nearly 100%, I do miss sometimes.  When I miss with a weightless plastic, there is almost no noise.  When you miss with a hardbait, there is a lot of noise.  Nothing announces your presence like a 1/2 ounce jig that clangs off a pontoon float at 7am in the morning.  That is attention I don't need.

 

Respecting people's private property is important to me.  I avoid any docks that have people present on them, in the yard, etc.

Today. My mojo was off.  B-lashed on first try.  It was deep!

18 hours ago, scaleface said:

PopShadz by Z-man

What hook you using with these?

 

Skipping is one thing, acurate skipping while seated in a kayak... now that's a feat. 

 

Wjat size line are yall using to skip through the dock pilings, I've lost some no doubt bass because they turned left... basically all it took haha

For skipping under metal stuff - it's gotta be big game and probably at a minimum 10 lb for me.  If I lived on a lake where I was skipping docks often with a spinning rod - I could see myself using braid to leader.

6 hours ago, Banned User said:

What hook you using with these?

Just a wide gap hook. Dont know the brand or size. I just  have them  thrown  in a compartment and dig through until i find one I like. 

A weightless fluke skips very well on spinning.

Never mastered skipping on casting gear.

1 hour ago, Bird said:

A weightless fluke skips very well on spinning.

Never mastered skipping on casting gear.

I use a MH 6.5 foot rod and a 2500 size reel. The medium heavy action of the rod has the back bone to pull sizable fish out from under a dock quick before it wraps up. It’s pretty much the only presentation I use it for.

I skip jigs quite a bit and for me two things are important. One, a roll cast  and a jig rod with good tip action is important, and two, just accepting there will be backlashes. If I overthink it I end up screwing it up even more so it's best to just find a groove and accept not every cast will be perfect. 

 

It finally clicked for me a few summers ago and there are some days it really makes a difference. Being able to geta  bait 4 feet under a dock or past the branches of a tree in closer to the base some days can be the difference between bites and no bites. 

I was skipping creature baits pretty well this weekend. Poop baits skip great also. 

 

One thing I think helps is every few casts tossing to deep water so I can 'tighten' the line. If I don't do this, I backlash at some point, usually within 5 casts. 

On 4/26/2025 at 9:41 AM, king fisher said:

I would try skipping baits more often, if only I could skip this step in the learning process.

“That’ll buff out”

I've not mastered it yet with anything. But I want to master it with a baitcaster. I have mostly mastered overhand and side casting with a baitcaster, and I do okay left handed if I have to.

This is something I always wanted to get good at and just never put the time in. I think I’m gonna work on it for sure this year……… better put some old braid or mono on now lol