Putting together a skipping combo.

[FryDog62]

7 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Gravel driveway

Street is part ice, part packed snow over the tar

Snow on the ice covering the lake.

Limited time away from the house - wife is partially disabled and I'm her PCA

 

So, currently have no way to practice...I'm fairly proficient already at skipping with spinning gear - which is why I got the upgraded rig to hand heavier lures.

Once you get out on the water, try to focus on a rig that skips easiest and build confidence from there. A wacky worm is good, but one of my favorite you can actually get to "ski" even more than skip is a 4 inch Biwaa Craw on a 1/8 oz jig head... will make you feel like a pro! 

[MN Fisher]

8 minutes ago, FryDog62 said:

Once you get out on the water, try to focus on a rig that skips easiest and build confidence from there. A wacky worm is good, but one of my favorite you can actually get to "ski" even more than skip is a 4 inch Biwaa Craw on a 1/8 oz jig head... will make you feel like a pro! 

Man, I'm happy with the spinning rigs. Let's just drop trying to convince me to go to BC...K?

[gim]

5 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

Man, I'm happy with the spinning rigs. Let's just drop trying to convince me to go to BC...K?

 

I hear ya.  I had some great success using the setup I did this past season and didn't lose a single fish.  I guess the issue for me, at least, is that I have a lot more control with a BC and I can horse a fish (especially a big one) out from under a dock easier because of the "wench" type power it has.

[MN Fisher]

13 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I can horse a fish (especially a big one) out from under a dock easier because of the "wench" type power it has.

I could quite happily go spinning only, truth be told. For that type of fishing where I want to 'haul' a fish out of heavy cabbage - Penn Battle III, Penn Spinfisher, Diawa Saltiga - lots of 'salt water' spinners that have the power needed. Add an inshore rod, and I could toss hard-swimbaits.

 

No technique NEEDS a BC - everything you can do with BCs can be done with spinners.

[gim]

6 minutes ago, MN Fisher said:

No technique NEEDS a BC - everything you can do with BCs can be done with spinners.

 

I disagree with that.  Except for using a saltwater spinning setup designed for sharks, you aren't going to have the power you need to horse big fish out of heavy cover using a standard spinning setup.  Using a spinning setup to frog fish in heavy slop just isn't practical.

 

Regardless, I think we can both agree that dock skipping with our current spinning setups still works well but there's part of me that thinks it will work "better" with a BC.  Plus, if others on this website say it works better, I believe them.  There are a lot of anglers on here that do it way more often than I do.

[WRB]

You might be surprised that Gary Yamamoto Owner of GYCB and Pro angler only uses spinning outfits. Mark Davis Pro bass anglers uses a spinning outfit to skip lures.

Tom

[GReb]

Don’t overthink it. Use a rod with a nice tip that can load up and tie on something that has a large surface area (think toad or beaver). 90% of it is the angle. High quality, fresh, supple Line is your friend 

[optimator]

I've got a E6X 853S that I wasn't sure what I'd do with. Maybe see how it'll work with this technique. 

[Fastbee]

18 hours ago, GReb said:

Don’t overthink it. Use a rod with a nice tip that can load up and tie on something that has a large surface area (think toad or beaver). 90% of it is the angle. High quality, fresh, supple Line is your friend 

Really good advice...been skipping for years, long before SV spools and such.  Skipping with a BC is like anything else, practice makes perfect but you have to practice properly and learn the motion, it should be automatic with no thought.  IMO, folks rely too much on the "skipping" reels and rods.  If they help you build confidence then great, but I learned to skip with an Ambassadeur 5600 on a cheap no name rod my uncle gave me.  Here are a few thoughts that I have given to guys I've helped along the way:

- Get over your fear of backlashing...it's going to happen no matter how good you are.

- You've got to commit to the cast, don't hold back.  

- Keep your eyes fixed on the target...find where works best for YOU.  I skip docks and overhangs alot, so I focus on where I want my bait to "disappear" but others find different focal points better.

- Put some mustard on your casts...the force I use on roll casts for skipping isn't any different than my overhand casts, it might even be a little harder.  You need that to load the rod.  This goes along with the first and second points.

 

The video from Jonny Shultz (Fish the Moment) is almost a carbon copy of what I do.  Keeping the elbow close really helps and the smooth "whipping" action is key.  A side note:  my neighbors think I'm a little crazy sometimes but I stand on the short retaining wall between our properties and skip old jigs into my garage under my boat and my wife's SUV to keep sharp.  I don't do alot of skipping in the winter or spring while fishing so I practice along the way to keep the muscle memory.

 

 

Also, that OG Tatula 7' MHR mentioned earlier works great for skipping. 

[Deephaven]

4 minutes ago, Fastbee said:

Really good advice...been skipping for years, long before SV spools and such.  Skipping with a BC is like anything else, practice makes perfect but you have to practice properly and learn the motion, it should be automatic with no thought.  IMO, folks rely too much on the "skipping" reels and rods. 

Not everyone asks the question for reliance.  I need another setup so I am moving a reel to a different rod.  Having a 9 and 11 year old that want to copy dad means I want something ideal for it so they can pick it up as well.  Yes, they have their own spinning setups that are nearly ideal for it, but when they see me hook a big 'un on a 1/2oz jig they will want to throw my rod.  I don't want to tell them no and shorten their excitement in any way.

 

[Fastbee]

Deephaven - That's my point, you can use a wide variety of rods/reels for this application.  With practice, the OP could use any of the equipment he listed and be successful just like you could.  No need to purchase anything extra, just put in some work.

[new2BC4bass]

1 minute ago, Fastbee said:

Deephaven - That's my point, you can use a wide variety of rods/reels for this application.  With practice, the OP could use any of the equipment he listed and be successful just like you could.  No need to purchase anything extra, just put in some work.

 

That is ultimately my goal.  I just want to start with a combination that will help minimize backlashes.  I will not use the fluorocarbon I ordered.  Cheap mono to learn.  Nice big parking lot nearby.  Was going to order some practice plugs, but maybe 1/2 oz. bank sinkers will be sufficient.

 

[Fastbee]

That Tatula 7 MHR is one of my favorite skipping rods.  The action is really good and it's heavy enough to drive a big hook home.  I like centrifugal brakes over magnetic brakes but that's just me.  I've tried the SV spooled reels from Daiwa for skipping and while effective, I prefer the Shimano SVS braking system (or even older centrifugal brakes).  Also, I prefer to use more spool tension and less braking with centrifugal brakes and less spool tension and more brakes with magnetic.

[Fastbee]

I use old jigs to practice with but the sinkers would probably be fine on concrete or pavement.

[new2BC4bass]

Thanks Fastbee.  I will be sure to try my Tatula 7' MHR.  Rally like the OG Tatulas.      I've only been out once with my SVS braked reel.  Not as easy to set up as my older Shimano reels so I will not be using that reel to learn on.

[Deephaven]

20 hours ago, Fastbee said:

Deephaven - That's my point, you can use a wide variety of rods/reels for this application.  With practice, the OP could use any of the equipment he listed and be successful just like you could.  No need to purchase anything extra, just put in some work.

And shortening the learning curve is the best way to build confidence.  There is no "need" but there is also no need to carry anywhere near as much tackle as we all do.