Northwest Fishing Reports

Another thread reminded me of a question I have been wanting to ask you all for awhile now.

How do you skip cast under stuff (like docks)?:scratch:

I have been trying to figure it out on my own, and have been successfull about 0.5% with 80% resulting in rats nests and the other 19.5% landing like a missile about 3' from the end of my pole.

I am using baitcasters, but it sounds like I should be trying with a spinning outfit?

Even if you don't want to give up the whole trick, I would be happy with a pointer or two8-[

It is just like skipping a rock.. It isn't that hard if you practise on open smooth water where you aren't worried about snags. It is a side arm cast and just imagine skipping a rock from the tip of your pole.(I keep my bait only a couple inches from the tip when skipping not down a ways like when normally casting)

With a bait caster keep your thumb on the spool it can be tricky at first but totally possible....

Hey Gringo,

An early Happy Birthday to you even though you did get that reel from Chris before I could ... lol. I thought my son, R0cky23 had brought this up as well so I went back through the older posts and found this thread ....

http://www.washingtonlakes.com/forum/ya ... Lures.aspx

I haven't tried it yet but casting sidearm from the tube when I am already at water level allows me to get up under the docks a little better but am sure if I practice this technique it would only help me get into those dark places under the docks.

Gringo Pescador wrote:Another thread reminded me of a question I have been wanting to ask you all for awhile now.

How do you skip cast under stuff (like docks)?:scratch:

I have been trying to figure it out on my own, and have been successfull about 0.5% with 80% resulting in rats nests and the other 19.5% landing like a missile about 3' from the end of my pole.

I am using baitcasters, but it sounds like I should be trying with a spinning outfit?

Even if you don't want to give up the whole trick, I would be happy with a pointer or two8-[

I Will show you show to make a skipp cast , after the Casting Contest is over and i claim my winnings ...lol

Honestly Mark , if your attempting to educate your thump with the skipp cast by way of your baitcaster , i would say continue to work at it , all you need to do if find a piece of water close to you and spend some time "just casting" . making adjustments to you baitcaster rod selections etc all makes a diffence with properly making the skip cast . I personaly cant skipp with a baitcaster only a spinning reel , and thats mainly because i just putting in the time to learn it .. in my opinion i would suggest atleast 6'8" rod with a fast tip and med-hvy action .. start off with setting your tention tight on you baitcaster to avoid min backlash..as you get with throwing that bait slowy ease the tention off and before you know it you willbe ready for next years casting contest ! lol ..hope you get something out of this !!

BBD

The best way to practice skipping under docks is to try skipping without a dock. Like anything it takes some practice, but skipping without a dock is much easier, obviously hehe... Try it - pick a spot you want your lure to end up at and then try skipping it in open water and get it as close as you can. Once you can skip with some accuracy, then start hitting the docks - you'll be dropping it in the middle of the darkest, scariest parts before you know it.

This also comes in very handy for getting into other tight spots like under overhanging tree branches or into exposed root systems.

I started with a spinning reel and a senko. I spool braid (always power pro for me) on a spinning reel and connect a leader of florocarbon. I personally like the double uniknot to connect my braid to leader. I think the braided line makes a huge difference because it comes off the spool cleaner. There are other reasons too but I am trying to stick to the skipping part. I also agree skipping in open water first takes away some of the anxiety. Once you are set up and ready to roll try to think about the tip of your rod being your hand. What I mean is...you know where your hand needs to be to skip a rock.....so put your rod tip in that same position. The lower to the water the better. I started with a 6'6'' rod. I ended up using a 7' rod once I was confortable because it gives you more leverage on the fish. The bait you are attempting to skip plays a big roll in the deal too. Some baits are easier to ship than others just like flat rocks are easier to skip than round rocks. The more velocity you create in your casting motion the farther the bait will skip. I find that when I end up making a bad cast it's because I am trying aim it. I don't know if you have thrown abaseball much or not but the more you try to aim the ball the less accurate you are. Let your brain do the aiming and just sling it out there.

Baitcasters are a whole different monster and honestly you could probably fish the rest of your life and not really ever need one for this application. I use one but I don't use it the same way I do my spinning reel. I use a really fast flippping motion. The same motion I would use to flip anything I just speed it up. I hold the bait in my left hand and try to keep it barely above the water as it is headed toward the target. Velocity if the key because I am not typically skipping something that glides as smoothly on it's own like a senko does. Typically it is something weighted which always makes it tougher. You know how you have to throw a heavy rock harder to make it skip than you do a lighter rock. Same deal and as you probaly already know the harder you throw a bait caster the better you have to handle it because more speed equals nastier knots. It would be much easier to learn from somone in person. If you can find somone to show the motion you will pick it up quicker. I am certain ther are other methods that may be better than mine but that's how I do it.

I almost forgot to preface this by saying I fish from a boat so this may not all apply, particularly the baitcaster part.

Great response DC! i was trying to figure out how best to respond and running through my head the best way to approach it, but now I don't have to! I don't use braid on spinning gear myself, but could definitely see some advantages to doing so! I throw flourocarbon on everything but topwater baits these days, and I use the same exact technique you described when it comes to skipping with a baitcaster. Personally, I've been trying for years to figure out how to become more proficient at skipping a jig with a baitcaster, but I'm just not sure it's gonna happen! I do know that you have to back those magnets off to loosen that spool as much as you can, which is another invitation for a monster backlash, but that's how I pitch anyways so not a big change for me there!! I love my baitcasters, but when it comes to skipping, I'm just way more accurate and way more confident with spinning gear! Without a doubt though, if you are just starting out, do what DC did and use a senko to practice with, they skip as well as anything, and they are virtually snagproof, when you have them texas rigged and tex-posed. Dave

DC, you need your own forum on the site here...

Great info.

Im pretty partial to the swimtail senko on a weighted Gamakatsu hook as they can skip very well and get up under docks and heavy cover like a dream, not to mention relatively snag free when you bounce it up into the tree roots.

E

Thanks all! Took all your advice, practiced for awhile in the back yard sitting on a milk crate and aiming for the bottom of the shed door (neighbors think I'm nuts). Then some more today on the lake. Improved by leaps and bounds already! =d>

[quote="Gringo Pescador"]Thanks all! Took all your advice, practiced for awhile in the back yard sitting on a milk crate and aiming for the bottom of the shed door (neighbors think I'm nuts). Then some more today on the lake. Improved by leaps and bounds already! =d&gt]
I did the same thing when I was learning by practicing in the yard, the living room, etc. It is hard to practice the skip cast though because the bait just doesn't skip. What you need to do is, next winter when it gets down to freezing, take a hose and flood your driveway right before dark. The next morning you have the perfect place to practice skipping.

platinumroof wrote:It is hard to practice the skip cast though because the bait just doesn't skip. What you need to do is, next winter when it gets down to freezing, take a hose and flood your driveway right before dark. The next morning you have the perfect place to practice skipping.

Every hip surgeon in the Seattle area thanks you for this suggestion

Skipping is a very valuable tool that any bass angler should master. It can be done rather easily with a spinning outfit. I prefer my 6'8" Powell rod with a med action for my spinning gear. Getting the right combination of soft tip and med heavy action in the lower action of the rod is important. When you hook the fish, your rod will need enuf backbone to MOVE the fish. The soft tip is necessary to be able to load the lure up and get it to skip. I prefer a rod around 6' 6", longer rods are harder to manage around trolling motors, water level in relation to boat height off the water, and accuracy. Shorter rods don't provide the combination of soft tip and backbone necessary to move a fish. I too like the braid ( stren super braid for me ) to flouro leader. Senko's, beaver's, tube's, grubs and flukes work well for the spinning rods.
As too baitcasting, its all about being COMMITTED to the cast. Take your time and practice before you head out on the water and try it under a dock. Sit in still open water and learn how to adjust your baitcaster. I will also add that a quality baitcaster is essential. Shimano Curado, Quantum PT's, Abu Revo's, etc are essential. Without a GOOD baitcaster you will be wasting your time picking birdnests all day. The reel needs both a centrifugal brake, and inertia brake. You will have to adjust both down to reduce the backlash. This is why you have to be committed to the cast. You will need to cast HARD. Any pussyfooting around will result in a bad cast, backlash, or lure flying somewhere you don't want. I prefer my Powell 703 CEF for skipping with the baitcaster. Again a great combination of a light tip with incredible backbone. When skipping with a baitcaster, I am usually throwing a 1/2 jig or a tube with a heavier weight, because I am fishing a deeper dock, or a dock with alot of snags, cover, boatlifts and need the extra power that a baitcaster provides in hooksetting power and MOVING the fish away from the dock.
The cast for both is about the same. Start with the rod tip low to the water. Sidearm cast with conviction and watch the lure flight to stop the bait at the appropriate time under the dock or tree.

Hope this is helpful

Mark