Another member's post got me thinking about skipping, something I've rarely even tried.

 

I realized I have no idea what baits work and what don't.

 

So, I thought I would break it down into 3 categories for my question:

 

Baits you can skip easy?

Baits you can skip that require decent skill?

Baits you just can't skip?

 

Thanks!

 

 

Wacky rigged 5” Senko with spinning tackle is easy to skip under floating docks and ideal to catch suspended bass located in the shade.

Bait casting tackle takes a lot of practice to skip any lure.

Tom

1/2oz arky jig with a rage bug is a decent way to start also. Dial your brakes back when your learning. 

Same principles of skipping a rock applies to me.  Uniformly shaped and flat is best. 
 

the coverscat and bullflat almost skip themselves.   So will a Magdraft. 
 

line management is the problem.    I’ll skip a bait beautifully and can still booger up a spool of line. 

The coverscat is ideal for beginners.

Baits you can skip easy: big soft swimbaits like the magdraft; "poop" style heavy baits like the yamatuniki; neds, senkos and flukes on spinning gear.

 

Baits you can skip that require decent skill: chatterbaits, jigs, buzz baits, T Rigs, frogs.

 

Baits you just can't skip (or at least I can't): spinnerbaits, crank baits, drop shot.

I'm a beginning skipper. Jigs, flukes, and texas rigged lures so far have been successfully skipped. Jigs skip the best of things I've tried.

 

Spinnerbaits and crankbaits are a no go.

There aren’t a whole lot of docks to skip under in this entire state, so usually my skipping has been limited to flukes or Senkos under the brush or into old culverts.
 

I was shown the art of skipping a Silver Minnow spoon under docks on Lake Conroe, and that was a ton of fun - they’ll skip pretty easily and go a long way. 

I use a baitcaster to skip 1/2 oz. jigs with a modified Rage Bug or 4" salt craw trailer.

 

Do a search on Youtube for skipping jigs for bass and you can find all the info you need to become proficient at this.

The sound of a perfectly skipped bait ranks up there with good golf ball hit, “nothing but net” basketball swish, the clap of an arrow on arrow Robin Hood shot.  

The easiest lure I have found to skip is the Z-Man Pop Shadz. 

If you're trying to learn on a baitcaster, something like a magdraft- heavy, aerodynamic, minimal appendages, but also not a dense sinker is a perfect start.  Flat baits help.  A toad is a good skipping bait because it has weight to it and nearly floats.  Frogs will skip but are a little tougher since they will slow down a lot more.  A texas rigged tube is a good skipper.  Things like a paddle tail and similar swimbaits, especially rigged on a texas rig or weights screwlock instead of a jighead, skip great.  What you're looking for is a balanced weight distribution (aka no big sinker on the front), a flatter profile, and minimal drag.

 

Treble hooked baits are a no-go, or at least are pretty tough.  A sexy shad will skip, but the hooks grab water and anything else.  A spinnerbait is tough.  A buzzbait is okay if you have a toad on it or similar plastic, but not a skirted one.

Flukes and Senko's on spinning is all I ever skip.

I " skip " trying with casting gear 😁

8 hours ago, ElGuapo928 said:

There aren’t a whole lot of docks to skip under in this entire state, so usually my skipping has been limited to flukes or Senkos under the brush or into old culverts.
 

I was shown the art of skipping a Silver Minnow spoon under docks on Lake Conroe, and that was a ton of fun - they’ll skip pretty easily and go a long way. 

Don't limit skipping to docks and overhangs. Skip a bait close to shore, especially parallel to the shore. Skipping baits in open water can work as well.

Lighter flatter plastics on spinning tackle skip easy

 

Jigs and most anything with a baitcaster requires more skill. Some spinnerbaits do skip. A flatter head, a flatter trailer, and less blades help, but it is definitely harder. A Zorro short arm with a beefy flat trailer skips better than most spinnerbaits I’ve tried.

 

Impossible to skip? An Alabama rig maybe 

 

These are all great answers and my experience mirrors them.

The easiest I've found are poop baits and stick baits. 

Jigs and t-rigs are doable with the right setup. 

Any baits that are flappy or floppy are very hard to skip. 

I agree with most here about the type of lures to skip regarding plastics. Certain ones that have a lot of appendages don’t work well.

 

I exclusively skip weightless soft plastics. No lead or hard baits for me.

 

The noise that a half ounce jig makes when you skip that thing into a pontoon is enough to let half the lake what you’re doing, including the homeowner.