Skipping Lures

[Log Catcher]

I have never had any luck trying to skip baits with a bait caster. I have seen many videos explaining the mechanics of skipping and how to do it. I always end up with a major birds nest. One thing I have never seen discusses the weight. What is considered the ideal weight or weight range I need to be using to try to skip baits? Thanks in advance for any help.

[CroakHunter]

I like a 1/4 ounce and up. Whether thats jigs or texas rigs. A flat smooth trailer that has a smooth fluid transition to the head helps a lot

[Russ E]

1/4 oz. and 3/8 oz. are the 2 weights I skip with a baitcaster.

 

I learned by skipping a jig across my driveway, during winter. 

Once I was comfortable with the driveway, transitioning to water was pretty easy.

 

One thing that helps while learning is. turn the brake up to high. It will minimize the skipping distance, but also minimize backlashes. once you get it down start backing the brake off.

 

Another thing is, cast the bait out on a long cast, then wrap electrical tape once around the spool and reel it back up. If a backlash starts, the tape will keep it to a minimum.

 

Any reel will work for skipping,but this is one technique where a quality reel will create a lot less headaches..

My preferred pitching and skipping reel is a Diawa Tatula SV. The SV spool keeps backlashes to  a minimum.

 

when you get comfortable try different angles. I practiced backhand skipping a lot. Once you get comfortable it is amazing how many places you can fish.

 

[Log Catcher]

I am usually using a Lews Tournament MB for skipping. I do have some older Shimanos I could try. I have some old Curado B and Citica D reels I could try skipping with.

[FryDog62]

I started skipping with a baitcaster 4 years ago with a variety of quality reel manufacturers.  I might get 1-2 casts off but would always end up in a rats nest.  

 

A couple years ago I got my first Daiwa SV spool.  Markedly better, but you still have to adjust, refine, practice.  I’d say I’m 90-95% backlash free now, and when I do over-run it’s not very far... and it’s usually quite easily fixable.  

 

I’m getting to the point that I can pinpoint my casts pretty consistently and getting good distance.  To see if my improvement was due to lots of practice or the SV spool... a couple times last year I tried to skip with my other reel brands.  Maybe slight improvement, but usually after 2-3 decent skips I was back to making nests again.  

 

I’m not sponsored by anyone, just Joe Amateur... but if you really want an advantage to learn skipping techniques, I’d bite the bullet and invest in an SV spool.

 

To answer your weight question, I find 3/8 oz best for jigs. I do skip Caffeine Shads a lot on a 3/32 oz Owner Twistlock Light hook too - that thing’ll skip across the pond with the best of them..

[Russ E]

2 hours ago, Log Catcher said:

I am usually using a Lews Tournament MB for skipping. I do have some older Shimanos I could try. I have some old Curado B and Citica D reels I could try skipping with.

I would take them all out and start bouncing baits down your driveway. It won't take long to figure out which one skips the best. 

the Tatula SV is not the only reel that works. It is just the one that works the best for me.

I occasionally skip with a gen4 revo sx. I have to crank the brakes up when I use this reel.

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

3 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

I started skipping with a baitcaster 4 years ago with a variety of quality reel manufacturers.  I might get 1-2 casts off but would always end up in a rats nest.  

 

A couple years ago I got my first Daiwa SV spool.  Markedly better, but you still have to adjust, refine, practice.  I’d say I’m 90-95% backlash free now, and when I do over-run it’s not very far... and it’s usually quite easily fixable.  

 

I’m getting to the point that I can pinpoint my casts pretty consistently and getting good distance.  To see if my improvement was due to lots of practice or the SV spool... a couple times last year I tried to skip with my other reel brands.  Maybe slight improvement, but usually after 2-3 decent skips I was back to making nests again.  

 

I’m not sponsored by anyone, just Joe Amateur... but if you really want an advantage to learn skipping techniques, I’d bite the bullet and invest in an SV spool.

 

To answer your weight question, I find 3/8 oz best for jigs. I do skip Caffeine Shads a lot on a 3/32 oz Owner Twistlock Light hook too - that thing’ll skip across the pond with the best of them..

I was a pretty decent skipper before, but once I bought my Zillion TWS SV, wow. I can't believe how well that reel skips.

 

I like a 1/4-1/2oz to skip with. Got to be pretty parallel to the water with the cast and lift the rod tip up towards the end of the cast to help keep the bait from wanting to dive down. I'm no Andy Montgomery, but I can get a bait back there pretty good. 

[lo n slo]

i stink

[bagofdonuts]

one thing that helps me is to keep moving the rod tip up on the follow thru. keeps the line out of the water and seems to give me more room for error. the sv spool really helps too. weights above are what im comfortable with as well (1/4-1/2).

[scaleface]

I dont  know how to skip with a baitcaster either . It might be the crafts I fish from . My boat has a six inch hand rail that gets in the way and the john boat has the gun wells . I once stuffed a Johnson silver minnow inside  a tube jig and could skip it well under docks but that was with a spinning combo .

[Log Catcher]

3 hours ago, lo n slo said:

i stink

You still haven't paid me for those lessons I gave you. 

I am just fishing for fun. I try to buy reels in the $150 or less price range. I can't spend $300 or $400 for a reel. 

[Drew03cmc]

I skip with a Mettle, Ardent Apex Tourney, Piscifun SAEX (same Haibo model as the tourney) and an Ardent Apex Magnum. You can skip all weights. Hudd gills skip very well, as do Dark Sleepers. I have some Jackall baits I bought due to their uniqueness and ability to skip in creeks and shoreline structure. 

[Fishes in trees]

I've learned my lesson on this one.  If I have to skip something somewhere, spinning gear makes it easier for me.  I just bought a Curado 150 DC and it has a skipping setting, so I'm sure I'll try that at some point this spring.  Weather here sucks right now though and I don't see me getting out on the water til maybe late March.

[Drew03cmc]

7 hours ago, Fishes in trees said:

I've learned my lesson on this one.  If I have to skip something somewhere, spinning gear makes it easier for me.  I just bought a Curado 150 DC and it has a skipping setting, so I'm sure I'll try that at some point this spring.  Weather here sucks right now though and I don't see me getting out on the water til maybe late March.

If you're reliant on technology to do it for you, you'll never learn. Tape your spool and go skip baits. Casts don't often need to be longer than 60 feet or so, so practice, practice, practice. Get out there and make it happen. I learned by accident.