Any tips for someone just learning to skip a baitcaster?

[Brutal_boost]

It's my goal to be able to skip a bait caster consistently by the end of the year. I've been doing a lot of research but it seems like a lot of what I am reading and watching is geared towards people who can already skip and it's just showing them ways on how they can improve. I get a decent skip every once in awhile but for the most part its birds nests and the bait hitting the water and not skipping. Any beginner tips on the best way to learn?

 

A couple things I have been doing are underhand roll casts (I think that's what they are called) and keeping my elbow pinned to my side when casting. I am fishing from a kayak also so I don't know how much different I need to cast compared to a boat. I am standing up when skipping, or at least attempting to skip lol.

[ATA]

Ive try that few times and I had no success. I had birds nest and in so many case I needed to respool. I learned something though.

your rod need to be short especially if you are bank angler like me, because the first thing you'll face is your rod tip rub on ground , deck or anything you are on. second just try to do it slow and short casts with your lure for start and just do the way you throwing stone to jump on water.

last thing is about the lure, some lures can help you to get to the point faster, frogs and wacky rig stickbait would be my choice to start.

I cant say I gave up, just its not the time for me yet but I wish you the best and success.

[Kenny Yi]

practice, endlessly. 

 

I watched YT videos and just went out to try exactly what they did, still figuring out the fine details thou, a DC reel helps.  If you watch world-record rock skippers, they always lean over and throw low to get the rock to glide parallel to the water, it's the same with a bait.  Focus on getting the rod tip close to the water on release.

 

my go-to skipping setup/bait is a 7'2" MHF with a Curado DC using 20# fluorocarbon and a finesse jig. 

 

Whenever Im getting skunked, I always start practicing my skipping, for both improvement and amusement. 

[Deleted account]

Hook up with the Seaguar CEO's ugly daughter...

[12poundbass]

Practice, practice, and more practice. 
 

I tried for years then gave up. Last year I was fishing off my dock, the fish weren’t biting so I decided to practice skipping and I spent the next hour or two trying to skip and that’s all I did. I first got the fundamentals down then I started working on accuracy. One thing that helped was on the follow through slowly lift the rod tip and this is what helps the lure skip further, this is something I still struggle with at times. Another tip is to turn your brakes up, and as your thumb gets the hang of skipping, back it off a little at a time. Mark Zona who’s a great skipper says it’s something you need to continue to do otherwise you’ll get rusty and the muscle memory will go away and you’ll be back to square one. 
 

Mark Zona, Andy Montgomery, and Brian Latimore all have good YT videos that help. 

[Indiana Bass Angler]

Ive been practicing with my spinning combo just to cut down on the bird nests lol. It helps me get the motion down. I also got a tip from someone on this forum to practice in the driveway. Thats also helped me a ton. I go out and cast my Texas rig set up on the driveway and practice my thumb control. Next time I was out on the water my practice definitely helped but ill be completely honest I still screw it up. Just keep practicing!

[LCG]

That's on my list as well. I bought a lot of extra line

[gim]

I’ve heard it’s easier with a Daiwa Tatula SV...

[ironbjorn]

Red hot needles under the fingernails sounds like a less painful time than skipping ?

[MN Fisher]

13 minutes ago, ironbjorn said:

Red hot needles under the fingernails sounds like a less painful time than skipping ?

With a BC - ya, I agree. Now with spinning gear...

[Dumbbassanglr]

I literally finally just learned the other day. Here’s what I did different: I used a 1/2 oz jig with a beaver trailer. In the past I had used lighter jigs. I think the heavier jig actually gets up to speed easier. Also, I actually turned the brakes down so I could get the necessary speed and I just thumbed it the whole time. If you turn the brakes up too high it’s actually counterintuitive because you need that speed to get the skip. And actually Gerald Swindle recommended this in a video I saw on YouTube.

[Choporoz]

I got my head start from Swindle and Andy Montgomery videos.  I also practiced with spool tensioner cranked pretty tight.  I don't like to fish with it like that, but it helped me learn the motion

[InfantryMP]

I like to skip a 3/8 chatterbait and trailer. I think the key for me besides practicing was my rod and reel. 

 

I use a 7'2 MH with an extra fast tip. I also use a SLX DC to help with backlashing. The roll cast is a must, and I would not try to skip personally sitting down. I just don't think I get a good angle. 

 

Keep the thumb feathering the spool to help with backlashing for sure. Also believe it or not, I feel like my follow through with the rod is important as well, if I try to half ass it and not follow through I get more issues like not on target or hitting the side of the dock etc. 

[Bankc]

8 minutes ago, Dumbbassanglr said:

I literally finally just learned the other day. Here’s what I did different: I used a 1/2 oz jig with a beaver trailer. In the past I had used lighter jigs. I think the heavier jig actually gets up to speed easier. Also, I actually turned the brakes down so I could get the necessary speed and I just thumbed it the whole time. If you turn the brakes up too high it’s actually counterintuitive because you need that speed to get the skip. And actually Gerald Swindle recommended this in a video I saw on YouTube.

That's pretty much what I do.  Keep your thumb on the spool the whole time.  Maybe once you get better, you can avoid having to do this.  But for me, I don't have to worry about bird's nests while skipping because this is how I do it.  I do, however, have issues actually getting the darn thing to skip.  I might have to try upsizing the baits like you suggested.  As it stands, I'm about 50/50 as to whether I'll get a decent skip or not.  

[Linewinder]

I learned that for me it is better on a more heavily accessed lake immediately adjacent to where kids typically throw rocks into the water, just to blend in better.  ?

[papajoe222]

I guess it's different for baitcasters with magnetic braking systems as they come into play more toward the end of a cast. All of my casting reels  are this type and the way I set the reel is with a little side to side play in the spool (backing off the spool tension) and turning up the magnets.  The thumb never comes off the spool. I also stopped overpowering the cast. A smooth roll cast will skip pretty far and when skipping, distance isn't a top priority.