Skipping Jigs under Docks part 2

[James Niggemeyer]

Hey BR,

 

New video up on skipping jigs under docks, part 2 with an emphasis on mechanics, technique and gear is up.  Hope you all like it!

 

Thanks for watching, James N

 

 

[roadwarrior]

[the reel ess]

I can do this maybe 2 out of 3 tries. On the third I get an overrun that I have to pick out. Invariably, that's when the bite happens. I have reeled up after picking the backlash out to discover a bass is swimming around chomping on my jig. I've also reeled up on top of a backlash when I got a bite. That tells me I need to let the bait sit sometimes right after a pitch.

[FryDog62]

On 12/10/2020 at 8:44 AM, the reel ess said:

I can do this maybe 2 out of 3 tries. On the third I get an overrun that I have to pick out. Invariably, that's when the bite happens. I have reeled up after picking the backlash out to discover a bass is swimming around chomping on my jig. I've also reeled up on top of a backlash when I got a bite. That tells me I need to let the bait sit sometimes right after a pitch.

That’s what I’ve been learning. My biggest fish this year was caught on a backlash and the lure soaked a long time before pulling up this 5.84. 
 

In the past few years, I’ve gravitated away from jigs and am throwing almost exclusively weightless plastics.  First, a 3/8 oz jig will hit a dock post or worse yet a pontoon often enough.  That not only ticks off homeowners, but spooks fish.  Second, I have found both reactionary bass plus neutral/negative fish hit a slow falling plastic as much as anything. Overall, I seem to get bit more now, and sometimes dead-sticking is the only thing that works.
 

Best lure this last year was a 1/16 oz nail-weighted wacky worm. Okay, it has weight but is buried in the plastic and doesn’t make any noise when hitting objects and allows for a gradual fall-rate.
 

I can’t fish as fast as throwing a jig, but closer than I thought. James probably has to work very fast in tournaments so I get why he uses a jig a lot. 

[the reel ess]

4 hours ago, FryDog62 said:

That’s what I’ve been learning. My biggest fish this year was caught on a backlash and the lure soaked a long time before pulling up this 5.84. 
 

In the past few years, I’ve gravitated away from jigs and am throwing almost exclusively weightless plastics.  First, a 3/8 oz jig will hit a dock post or worse yet a pontoon often enough.  That not only ticks off homeowners, but spooks fish.  Second, I have found both reactionary bass plus neutral/negative fish hit a slow falling plastic as much as anything. Overall, I seem to get bit more now, and sometimes dead-sticking is the only thing that works.
 

Best lure this last year was a 1/16 oz nail-weighted wacky worm. Okay, it has weight but is buried in the plastic and doesn’t make any noise when hitting objects.  
 

I can’t fish as fast as throwing a jig, but closer than I thought. James probably has to work very fast in tournaments so I get why he uses a jig a lot. 

Well, the jig's a big bass bait and that's why people skip it into places that might be easier to reach with a different lure. Big bass won't tolerate it. And, I would add, I've made noise at a particular target and still caught a big bass with the jig. You just never know what a crazy old bass will do.

[FryDog62]

1 hour ago, the reel ess said:

Well, the jig's a big bass bait and that's why people skip it into places that might be easier to reach with a different lure. Big bass won't tolerate it. And, I would add, I've made noise at a particular target and still caught a big bass with the jig. You just never know what a crazy old bass will do.

Very true. However, when I skip Nekos I do use large profile worms to get the bigger bites like a jig does i.e. GrandeBass Rattler, GB Airtail, Yum Genie, 6.7 Flute Worm.

[gim]

I rediscovered skipping docks this past season too and it contributed greatly to the best season I've ever had.

 

I exclusively used a wacky rigged senko, mostly in bright colors.  The lake I primarily used this tactic on has very stained water, almost like pea soup.  Chartreuse with black flake was my top producer.

 

I'm very hesitant to use anything that is hard and could make a loud bang off a homeowner's property.  I generally try to go during the week and most homeowners are not around, but there's no way to know for sure.  I try to put myself in the shoes of the homeowner.  They're paying a lot more in property taxes than I am and I wouldn't want someone to start clanging jigs off my property.  Rarely do I get snagged with a weightless stick bait but that does happen on rare occasion.  Getting snagged with a big heavy more expensive jig gives me nightmares.

[James Niggemeyer]

On 12/10/2020 at 8:44 AM, the reel ess said:

I can do this maybe 2 out of 3 tries. On the third I get an overrun that I have to pick out. Invariably, that's when the bite happens. I have reeled up after picking the backlash out to discover a bass is swimming around chomping on my jig. I've also reeled up on top of a backlash when I got a bite. That tells me I need to let the bait sit sometimes right after a pitch.

For sure it always pays to be observant to how and when you got the bite.  I think we could all let our baits sit a little longer. 

[datkins]

Revisited the forum here after having not fished most of 2020. Decided recently to dedicate some time to learning to skip a jig, so these two videos were timely discoveries for me.

 

One question that's popped in my head a lot while I've been practicing : How far away from you does your skip usually end up? I've heard/read that you try to have the first contact with the water about half the distance to the target, but how far away from you are you usually targeting with a skip?

[MGF]

 I get it skipping pretty quick...just a few feet in front of me. When you get it right it can be like the bait has a motor. It just wants to keep going. It's pretty amazing.

[datkins]

3 hours ago, MGF said:

 I get it skipping pretty quick...just a few feet in front of me. When you get it right it can be like the bait has a motor. It just wants to keep going. It's pretty amazing.

And on average how far do you end up skipping it?

[MGF]

I don't really have a reference to put a number to it but I'd guess 30 or 40 ft is pretty easy. About a moderate casts worth?

[datkins]

16 hours ago, MGF said:

I don't really have a reference to put a number to it but I'd guess 30 or 40 ft is pretty easy. About a moderate casts worth?

All good, just curious. Thanks!