Skip casting under docks

Hi all, I have become curious about skip casting under docks and want
to try and learn how to do it. What type of rod works well? Fast
action spinning? What power, length and what type of butt. I have a
fast action 7 1/2 foot St. Croix Tidemaster that will for sure produce
enough lure speed for the skip but it may be a bit too long and the
long butt might get in the way of side casts. Anybody have any
favorites? What type of baits work well? Last but not least what line
works well? Seems to me the line has a tough job, got to be thin and
light for the fast cast but strong enough to pull the bass out of a
tight spot. I'm not a big fan of the braided lines but this might be a
real good job of one of them.

Thanks for any tips, DC
--
Dale Colemam

On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 12:54:25 GMT, (Dale Coleman)
wrote:

Hi all, I have become curious about skip casting under docks and want
to try and learn how to do it. What type of rod works well? Fast
action spinning? What power, length and what type of butt. I have a
fast action 7 1/2 foot St. Croix Tidemaster that will for sure produce
enough lure speed for the skip but it may be a bit too long and the
long butt might get in the way of side casts. Anybody have any
favorites? What type of baits work well? Last but not least what line
works well? Seems to me the line has a tough job, got to be thin and
light for the fast cast but strong enough to pull the bass out of a
tight spot. I'm not a big fan of the braided lines but this might be a
real good job of one of them.

Thanks for any tips, DC

I just use a 6' spinning rod with backbone and 8 or 10 lb Stren. I
also have Power Pro on the spare spool in case I need a stronger line.
The trick is to make low side-arm casts so use the length rod that you
are comfortable with for that technique. Baits: tubes, double tail
grubs, single tail grubs, and senkos would skip Ok.
Richard g
www.bassstalkers.com

Dale, personally, I use one that is stiff and short. One that the tip eye
comes close to the surface of the water while standing on the casting deck.
Point the boat at the target so you can along the side of the boat and get
some good velocity to the bait. This way the height of the release is
already nice and low. Use the rod and reel that you are the most proficient
with at first. I often use a long skip cast in open water and a quick
zoom-zoom-zoom/walk-the-dog to imitate a creature that has mistakenly
crossed domains and is struggling to get back out of the water. A deadly
tactic, if I do say so myself! Do this on several casts to the same area
and the theatre is set for a larger fish to take a look at some other slow
presentation to the bottom. For smallies off of a point where little islands
and weedbeds and 30 foot water is in close proximity. Tubes ,curly tails
skip well and Sencos as the main coarse. Watch out for muskies too;-)
--
Stony
--

"Dale Coleman" wrote in message
...
Hi all, I have become curious about skip casting under docks and want
to try and learn how to do it. What type of rod works well? Fast
action spinning? What power, length and what type of butt. I have a
fast action 7 1/2 foot St. Croix Tidemaster that will for sure produce
enough lure speed for the skip but it may be a bit too long and the
long butt might get in the way of side casts. Anybody have any
favorites? What type of baits work well? Last but not least what line
works well? Seems to me the line has a tough job, got to be thin and
light for the fast cast but strong enough to pull the bass out of a
tight spot. I'm not a big fan of the braided lines but this might be a
real good job of one of them.

Thanks for any tips, DC
--
Dale Colemam



---
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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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I agree with Steve, stiff & short. Especially if there's only a few inches
of target to hit. A flimsy tip only detracts from accuracy in these cases.

Warren

--
http://www.warrenwolk.com/



"Steve & Chris Clark" wrote in message
...
Dale, personally, I use one that is stiff and short. One that the tip eye
comes close to the surface of the water while standing on the casting
deck.
Point the boat at the target so you can along the side of the boat and get
some good velocity to the bait. This way the height of the release is
already nice and low. Use the rod and reel that you are the most
proficient
with at first. I often use a long skip cast in open water and a quick
zoom-zoom-zoom/walk-the-dog to imitate a creature that has mistakenly
crossed domains and is struggling to get back out of the water. A deadly
tactic, if I do say so myself! Do this on several casts to the same area
and the theatre is set for a larger fish to take a look at some other slow
presentation to the bottom. For smallies off of a point where little
islands
and weedbeds and 30 foot water is in close proximity. Tubes ,curly tails
skip well and Sencos as the main coarse. Watch out for muskies too;-)
--
Stony
--

"Dale Coleman" wrote in message
...
Hi all, I have become curious about skip casting under docks and want
to try and learn how to do it. What type of rod works well? Fast
action spinning? What power, length and what type of butt. I have a
fast action 7 1/2 foot St. Croix Tidemaster that will for sure produce
enough lure speed for the skip but it may be a bit too long and the
long butt might get in the way of side casts. Anybody have any
favorites? What type of baits work well? Last but not least what line
works well? Seems to me the line has a tough job, got to be thin and
light for the fast cast but strong enough to pull the bass out of a
tight spot. I'm not a big fan of the braided lines but this might be a
real good job of one of them.

Thanks for any tips, DC
--
Dale Colemam



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.588 / Virus Database: 372 - Release Date: 2/13/04

One of the better skip casters that I've seen is a member of this group
named Randy, (alwaysfishing).

"Dale Coleman" wrote in message
...
Hi all, I have become curious about skip casting under docks and want
to try and learn how to do it. What type of rod works well? Fast
action spinning? What power, length and what type of butt. I have a
fast action 7 1/2 foot St. Croix Tidemaster that will for sure produce
enough lure speed for the skip but it may be a bit too long and the
long butt might get in the way of side casts. Anybody have any
favorites? What type of baits work well? Last but not least what line
works well? Seems to me the line has a tough job, got to be thin and
light for the fast cast but strong enough to pull the bass out of a
tight spot. I'm not a big fan of the braided lines but this might be a
real good job of one of them.

Thanks for any tips, DC
--
Dale Colemam

That is one of my favorite bass fishing strategies, and I do pretty good
with a spinnng rod, and a side arm cast...took a lot of practice, but I
am very confident with it now. Some of the biggest bass I have caught
came with this technique. I think it is an nidividual comfort "zone"
thing, I tried different techiques, but this one was what I ended up
using, and becoming accomplished at. My advice is to try all the
suggetions and see where your personal confidence takes you.
It is definately a place that holds a nice bass now and again, and worth
the effort to master the technique!
JK

On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 11:05:14 -0500, "Steve & Chris Clark"
wrote:

Dale, personally, I use one that is stiff and short. One that the tip eye
comes close to the surface of the water while standing on the casting deck.
Point the boat at the target so you can along the side of the boat and get
some good velocity to the bait. This way the height of the release is
already nice and low. Use the rod and reel that you are the most proficient
with at first.
---cut---
Hi all, thanks for the tips. I went down to the local lake yesterday
just to give two of my spinning rods a tryout. It was windy with a lot
of chop so it was not the best day to try skipping. I tried a 7 1/2
foot fast action rod and a much slower 6 1/2 foot. From what I could
tell off of the chop the fast action rod was much easier to skip but
was a bit awkward. I think I will try to find a nice fast action
spinning rod about 6 foot long with a quick taper. None of my current
spinning rods are well suited for skipping. All my good bass rods are
baitcasters and I can't see skipping bait without backlashing the
reel. I'm thinking I will be better off getting a new rod and learning
to do it right then trying to make do with the long rod or the slow
one.

Thanks again, DC
--
Dale Colemam

Just an observation regarding skip casting..

I remember one 99 sunny degree day here in Houston, TX. A buddy and I were
fishing the docks. We were skip casting underneath every one we came to.
After about an hour, we both realized that the docks that held fish were
SOLID covered board docks..the docks that were made up of OPEN slatted
boards rarely held a fish. I'm sure it had to do with shade and cooler
temperatures under the "solid" boarded docks.

I'd also guess, that in the winter, you'd get exactly the reverse results.
The slatted docks would hold more fish, since they would let in the sun's
warmth.

RichG
http://groups.msn.com/CarolinaSkiffOwners

"Dale Coleman" wrote in message
...
Hi all, I have become curious about skip casting under docks and want
to try and learn how to do it. What type of rod works well? Fast
action spinning? What power, length and what type of butt. I have a
fast action 7 1/2 foot St. Croix Tidemaster that will for sure produce
enough lure speed for the skip but it may be a bit too long and the
long butt might get in the way of side casts. Anybody have any
favorites? What type of baits work well? Last but not least what line
works well? Seems to me the line has a tough job, got to be thin and
light for the fast cast but strong enough to pull the bass out of a
tight spot. I'm not a big fan of the braided lines but this might be a
real good job of one of them.

I do a lot of skipping for bass. This is a deadly tactic and one that sees
very little use in my area. Last summer, I pulled three nice largemouth
from one dock while a guy on the neighboring docked looked on. He said that
he never knew that bass that size were in the lake!

For my skipping, I built a 7' fast action spinning rod with a lot of
backbone. I made it with a shorter butt section so that the handle wouldn't
get in the way. I use a Shimano Stradic 2500 MG and PowerPro 10/2. This
line is great for this application as I've had bass stitch the line around
supports, crossmembers and not break off. One bass had me so wrapped that I
just tightened up on him and moved the boat in close, ran my hand down the
line and lipped him, then, after he was released, I had to spend a couple
minutes untangling my line from the dock.

Fluke type lures, Senko types and unweighted tubes all skip well.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

"Dale Coleman" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 11:05:14 -0500, "Steve & Chris Clark"
wrote:

Dale, personally, I use one that is stiff and short. One that the tip
eye
comes close to the surface of the water while standing on the casting
deck.
Point the boat at the target so you can along the side of the boat and
get
some good velocity to the bait. This way the height of the release is
already nice and low. Use the rod and reel that you are the most
proficient
with at first.
---cut---
Hi all, thanks for the tips. I went down to the local lake yesterday
just to give two of my spinning rods a tryout. It was windy with a lot
of chop so it was not the best day to try skipping. I tried a 7 1/2
foot fast action rod and a much slower 6 1/2 foot. From what I could
tell off of the chop the fast action rod was much easier to skip but
was a bit awkward. I think I will try to find a nice fast action
spinning rod about 6 foot long with a quick taper. None of my current
spinning rods are well suited for skipping. All my good bass rods are
baitcasters and I can't see skipping bait without backlashing the
reel. I'm thinking I will be better off getting a new rod and learning
to do it right then trying to make do with the long rod or the slow
one.

Thanks again, DC
--

My $.02:
For skipping wayyy back in, I also like a faster action spinning rod. I
usually hammer it hard closer to the boat, rather than a soft presentation
that touches down more adjacent to the dock. Any soft plastic that doesn't
have too many appendages skips well, IMO (ie crawworms, lizards & DT grubs
are worse than worms, tubes, etc).

I rarely keep a spinning rod setup for plastics after the spring fling is
over, so I can usually get one decent skip on baitcast gear (with the thumb
working overtime).