What kind of equipment do you guys use when skip casting and does anyone know of a video or diagram to help me learn how to do it????

I skip under docks on Lanier as a finesse technique using weightless senkos, trick and finesse worms on jig heads and light tubes.

I like to use a 6' medium-fast spinning rod with a matching sized reel (I use a stradic 1000) with 6lb mono.

As far as technique and learning how to do it, I just make a short, almost whipping, sidearm cast as low to the water as possible.

Good luck,

adam

6'6" MH spinnng, 12 lb P-Line floroclear.

Skipping a bait is kind of like skipping a stone, just imagine your bait doing what the stone would. Then, make the same motion with your rod/arm that you would when you throw a stone (to skip it). A quick short motion coupled with you keeping the bait horizontal to the water surface is what your trying to acheive.

I highly recommend another type of cast also. Once you are able to skip the way I described above, practice pitching the bait with spinning gear. Once you can pitch ok, you can actually get the bait to skip using a pitching motion. This is a highly effective way to fish from the back of someone's boat or to put baits in really tight places often overlooked by other anglers.

6'6 MH spinning. Is it possible to do it with a baitcaster w/o backlashing it?!

I use a baitcast reel with no more than 10 lb line and a medium action 6' rod for skipping,although when I'm trying to put it in spots no bigger than a hockey puck,I use a spinning reel and 6'6" rod.I'm much more accurate with the spinning gear.

If you are just learning to skip baits,I would suggest a super fluke for starters......you can skip those a country mile.Once you get used to the skip cast motion you'll be able to skip just about any soft bait.

The easiest thing to skip is a tube. Start with that. When you get good at it, you can skip it all the way back to beginning of the dock. Anything that's lanky, like a worm is going to be harder to skip when you're just starting to learn. A spinning rig is the way to go, IMO.

I can do it better with a spinning rod.  6'6 M or MH.

If are not really good with a spinning reel you can always use a spin cast. No risk of backlash there.

I use a 6'6" Medium action spinning rod. The extra fast tip really helps to whip a weightless trick worm or senko way up under a dock or tree. But I also like using a 6'6" MH casting rig to skip jigs under docks. To skip with casting tackle you really have to get a good feel for when and how much pressure you should apply to the spool with your thumb, it takes a lot of practice but once you get it down it is a very effective technique.

5' 6" MH spinning rod, 10 lb. line, and Penn Spinning reel.

I like to make my Yozuri top water bait make a couple of skips at the end of the cast but do that with my bait caster. The lake I mostly fish doesn't have docks or overhangs so don't do much skipping under them.

A method I use on lakes that have docks and actually prefer is your dang old Zebco's on a short 5'6 or 6' rod. Hold the bait in one hand, the rod and reel in the other with the thumb button pressed, pull back on the lure to load the rod and shoot it under the docks buy letting go of the lure and the button at coordinated times. I've can shot a worm, tube and others 20 feet under a dock doing this. This is not something you're gonna learn in just a few trys but once you get the hang of it, you will get to fish no one else can. All you gotta do is hope your buddies don't see that "ZEBCO" in your boat or you will never live it down, until you match catches.

I got this from Woo Dave's when he won a tournament in VA many years ago using a Zebco to shoot under bushes/trees hanging way out over the water that there was no way you could make any kind of normal presentation and get it far enough back under them.

Two other suggestions I can add are watch how hard you throw when skipping and also try the Strike King 3x zeros. Since they are more boyant they seem to skip easier and also they last alot longer which is nice when you are trying to learn. As I said don't over power you cast some of my best skips are when I throw it a little more easily.

bassdocktor

I have been doing a little thing I call the "Pitch N' Skip" using my baitcaster. It works well for what I do. But then again,if I ain't pitchin', I'm not fishin.

But I also like using a 6'6" MH casting rig to skip jigs under docks. To skip with casting tackle you really have to get a good feel for when and how much pressure you should apply to the spool with your thumb, it takes a lot of practice but once you get it down it is a very effective technique.

Can anyone go into more detail here? For the life of me, I just can't skip cast with baitcasting gear - instant backlash. For normal casts, I'm good with a baitcaster, and my thumb is pretty educated. I can also skip really well (e.g, with senkos, flukes, etc.) with spinning gear. I just can't seem to figure it out with my baitcaster...

Any further tips would really help. Thanks!

Another cast that I think should be added is the bow and arrow cast.  I use a 6'3 medium Rawhide spinning blank.  Any spinning rod should work.

Drop about half a rod length of line off the tip of the rod.  Hold the bait in your off hand, be careful of the hook, and pull the bait back putting a bow in the rod.  Bend over and point the rod at the target and release the lure.  It will shoot out just like an arrow toward the target.  

If you hold the rod parallel to the water and low enough, you can shoot the bait clear under some long docks or overhangs.  If you angle the rod down it will work well for skipping also.

Any small plastic bait will work.  I typically use tubes and small plastic worms.

I use a 6' ml casting rod.  I agree that tubes are among the easiest baits to skip under a dock, but don't forget horney toads.  They skip well and the bass tear em up.

Avid - so how do you actually pull off the skip casts without major "backlashage"?  I just don't get it....

I saw an BassCenter a while back, Byron was explaining skipping with a baitcaster.  He made it sound as though it was easier, meaning less backlashes, if you tighten the cast control knob up a little.  You have to put a little more effort in the cast but it doesn't birdsnest as much.  I can do it somedays and then others I can't seem to get it right.  It just takes more practice.

I saw an BassCenter a while back, Byron was explaining skipping with a baitcaster. He made it sound as though it was easier, meaning less backlashes, if you tighten the cast control knob up a little. You have to put a little more effort in the cast but it doesn't birdsnest as much. I can do it somedays and then others I can't seem to get it right. It just takes more practice.

Cool, well that sounds pretty intuitive then.  I guess I missed that episode of BassCenter.

Thanks for the info, I'll give it a try....

Its been my experience that no one can tell you how to do it and keep you from backlashing with a baitcaster. Each person uses different reel settings, casting techniques, etc. Its all in getting the settings right on your reel for your cast with the brake and magnets and getting the feel for it. The first thing I would suggest is to go with someone who can do it and let them teach you. If that isnt possible then get a reel that the adjustments for the brake and magnets are all on the outside of the reel. Start with the brake adjusted to where the bait will not move after slowing down and hitting the water. This way a backlash is imposible Turn the magnet all the way up and back off each a little at a time until you get the settings right to match your cast with out backlashing. Some people cast hard and others cast easily to get the same results so setting differ for each person. The other part of the secrect is to keep the trajectory of the bait flat and low to the water and provide a little lift with the rod at the end of the cast while using both the rod and your thumb on the spool to give just enough lift to keep the bait on the surfacebut not off the surface or under the surface. The only video that I know of that shows how to do it is Denny Brauers "Jig Fishing Secrects". It really doesnt go into detail though. Maybe I need to make a video and sell it. :

Awesome, thanks Randall!

p.s.  If you make it the video, I'll buy it.   ;D

I use mostly spinning gear except for jigs.....5.4 M and 6.6 MH.

Weightless Senkos most of the time