Dock Skipping Weightless Senkos

[Choporoz]

I have been working on my dock game for last couple years.  I often feel like I've come a long ways....but even more often feel like I'm leaving a lot of fish.

If you have gotten to where you feel fairly proficient at skipping Senkos under docks, I'd like to hear your specific gear choices:

Spinning or casting?  Rod length?.. What line have you found works best?  Wacky or Texas Rig?  

Do you try to pendulum to base of a particular piling?  Or generally try to get the Senko to bottom beyond a piling and work it back into the base?  Any good tips not commonly discussed?

[BrianMDTX]

I don’t have docks to skip, but I do have a lot of trees at the water’s edge with branches about 6” above the water that can extend out 6’-8’. I normally use a Fenwick HMX 66M-FS-2 rod and a Daiwa Revros LT2500 spinning reel with 6 or 8 lb mono or YZH. Either WR or weightless TR (75% WR). IMO it skips them pretty well. 
 

I find it easier with the Senko about 10”-12” from the rod tip when skipping. Too close to the tip makes it more likely to overpower the cast. 

[Bird]

I'm much better at skipping with spinning and shorter rod for better accuracy 6'6 - 6'8.

Wacky rig Senko seems to Skip better than T-rig and better yet is Zoom fluke.

 

In clear water i always have a Flouro leader 8 - 10# tied to 15# braid......hard to beat limp braid for skipping. Imo

 

 

[FishinBuck07]

One lake I fish has a lot of docks, I use a 7'1" medium spinning rod with a 2500 size reel on it!  10# hi vis braid to fluorocarbon leader, I use wacky and Texas rig, depends on what the fish are acting like.  Try to get it to the furthest piling back and work my way back out to the boat.

[JustJames]

Of course spinning gonna skip senko far better than and less trouble than baitcaster especially when you are on kayak. Any rods length M or MH, Any line types should work. For baitcaster though I would use M/F or XF 6’6 to 6’10, line size 6- 8lb copolymer.

I might not be as proficient as you call it but I can do in a pitch. Have you tried Fatika on baitcaster? this is a lot more forgiving and you get more distance than senko. 

 

[huZZah]

When skipping weightless I’ve always been under the impression you want a heavier worm.  I can say the lighter worms make it a lot harder. I typically do a 1/16 weight or a split shot right at the hook just for extra help if I’m struggling on a day with Yum sticks. But I do weightless Senkos some as well. Wacky is harder to cast but easiest to fish for me. 

I also don’t do docks as much but lots of way overhanging trees, old piers, and just rocky escarpment types from erosion. 

Spinning is a must for me. 6’6” is easiest. My 7’ is much more difficult unless it’s going to opposite side of creek.  I like a 12-15# or 20-30# braid in case I do get hung in a tree. Which I do some still. 

[Choporoz]

I use both spinning and baitcaster.  I can typically skip farther with spinning.   But I am far more accurate with a baitcaster...it isn't close.  I probably should commit to one and get better at accuracy with spinning or distance with baitcaster....but I am still uncertain which way I'm headed.

[MN Fisher]

I try to skip with a BC and I end up with bird's nests, so all my skipping is done with spinning gear.

 

7' Medium/Fast with a 2000 reel for lighter baits, including weightless stick-worms. Been doing it enough that I'm pretty accurate with it.

[JustJames]

7 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

I use both spinning and baitcaster.  I can typically skip farther with spinning.   But I am far more accurate with a baitcaster...it isn't close.  I probably should commit to one and get better at accuracy with spinning or distance with baitcaster....but I am still uncertain which way I'm headed.

I’m now pretty good with spinning after about a decade of hating it ?. One spinning will always be on my kayak no matter what. I skip everything from wacky, Texas, Neko rig Ned rig with it. When skipping with spinning I aim to the open spot and try to let the lure first drop right in front of it. 
I haven’t lost any lures to the tree for at least 6 months, I think I’m good now ?.

[gim]

I really got into some big bass last year doing some dock skipping. I got to be pretty good at it too.

 

If I could do it with a BC, I would. I don’t have the right setup, so I’ve been told. So I use a 6’6” MH spinning setup with a 2500 size reel. At least 30 pound braided line too.

 

I previously used a VMC wacky hook but started using a Neko hook instead based on Frydogs advice. It seems to work better, at least so far. I wacky rig my senkos using an o-ring. I think other plastics would also work. The key is the shape. A flat, round rock skips better than a square, irregular shaped one and the same concept applies with plastics.

 

It’s a tactic I didn’t do for a few years but re-discovered it last season. I intend to do it again several times this year too.

[roadwarrior]

Hard to beat a Senko.

[MN Fisher]

4 minutes ago, gimruis said:

I intend to do it again several times this year too.

Given the sheer number of docks on both North Arm and Phelps Bay, skipping docks could be a full-time job.

[BrianMDTX]

1 hour ago, huZZah said:

When skipping weightless I’ve always been under the impression you want a heavier worm.  I can say the lighter worms make it a lot harder.

I can skip a Zoom Trick, but nowhere near as good as a 5” Senko. They definitely have enough weight while “weightless” to carry distance. Plus that stickbait profile really skims the surface well. 

[MN Fisher]

Just now, BrianMDTX said:

I can skip a Zoom Trick, but nowhere near as good as a 5” Senko. They definitely have enough weight while “weightless” to carry distance. Plus that stickbait profile really skims the surface well. 

Ya, you definitely want the heavier worms when skipping. GYCB Senko, Zoom Zlinky, BPS Stik-O, SK Ocho are just a few examples.

[throttleplate]

my lakes dont have many folks living on them and some none at all. My question is when you are skipping docks and the residents are outside and can see you and you them do you bypass their dock or ?

[MN Fisher]

Just now, throttleplate said:

my lakes dont have many folks living on them and some none at all. My question is when you are skipping docks and the residents are outside and can see you and you them do you bypass their dock or ?

Long as you don't hit their boat...or them...I've never had an issue. People around here are well aware of the law that on a public lake the water, even under their dock, is public.

[Bird]

I will also add, 

It's much much easier to skip under docks while standing. 

 

I've not mastered it yet seated in a fishing kayak and still get some stray casts......something I miss about the bass boat. 

[Mike L]

I skip with a 7’ BC. 
I don’t fish a lot of water with docks. Almost all of my skipping is either under overhangs, across a flat with non   emergent grass bottom or all around isolated clump of reeds, mats and especially lay downs. 
 If it’s mostly flat water I’ll skip where most folks with just use a t rig. 
 

I agree it’s much easier with a heavier weight as opposed to say a weightless trick worm which I hardly ever throw anyway. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Teal]

What I have found is as far as rod selection, short is good, but tip softness is more important.  My new conquest 844c MBR, has the best tip.  I dont know why I didnt go loomis a long time ago.  Those mag bass actions are awesome.  

[gim]

2 hours ago, throttleplate said:

my lakes dont have many folks living on them and some none at all. My question is when you are skipping docks and the residents are outside and can see you and you them do you bypass their dock or ?

I prefer to simply avoid the ones that have people on them, in the yard, etc. The time is inevitably going to come when you hook something and you don’t want that kind of trouble or confrontation. I will admit that I get hung up sometimes. When I do, it’s on a dock that has no one present so I can go up to it and remove it safely.

 

I try to keep in mind the other perspective. I am not a lake front property owner and never will be but I am anal about my own property and I would likely not appreciate it if it was my dock. Be respectful and stay off people’s property. That includes sharp hooks.

 

Going during the week helps avoid people.

[gim]

7 hours ago, Bird said:

I will also add, 

It's much much easier to skip under docks while standing. 

 

I've not mastered it yet seated in a fishing kayak and still get some stray casts......something I miss about the bass boat. 

I will also add that it’s also easier in a bass boat than a non-bass boat too. Low sides make a world of difference in this scenario. I have tried in my Fathers Crestliner Fishhawk which has higher gunnels of a deep v model and it’s much harder.

[Munkin]

9 hours ago, throttleplate said:

my lakes dont have many folks living on them and some none at all. My question is when you are skipping docks and the residents are outside and can see you and you them do you bypass their dock or ?

 Usually I just move past and say hello. Some people get bent out of shape about it.

 

Allen 

[RDB]

Lot’s of good advice.  I skip from my boat and kayak with both spinning and baitcasters (usually spinning for finesse).  People always say it’s like skipping a rock but it isn’t.  When skipping a rock, you throw sidearm and finish on the same plane.  When skipping a bait, you will release low but finish with your rod tip high.  Follow through is very important.

[MGF]

I do a lot of skipping with seko, flukes, tubes, grubs and even a light ned. I use spinning for that stuff but there's nothing special about the gear I own. I have a couple of cheap medium weight rods of 6'6 or so. Most often I spool my spinning rids with 10 pound braid and tie on a fouro leader. 

 

At times that might seem light for under docks but that's where the BC comes in...skipping a jig, bladed jig or whatever and heavier line.

[MGF]

11 hours ago, gimruis said:

I will also add that it’s also easier in a bass boat than a non-bass boat too. Low sides make a world of difference in this scenario. I have tried in my Fathers Crestliner Fishhawk which has higher gunnels of a deep v model and it’s much harder.

I guess a lot of things are easier with a bass boat but for the millions of us who have to get by without, LOL...point the bow or the stern at the target and cast down the side of the boat.

 

It's not too hard casting across the bow. As the "driver" in the back I manage when casting over the gas and electric motors. It's not ideal but how many things in life are?