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Skipping Techniques
by Bud Fields
Touchdown Worm
How many times have you been bass fishing and noticed a bass
up under a pier or under a low hanging tree limb and try as you
might, you could not cast your lure to it. This has happened
to me a lot of times EXCEPT I have a technique that is just what
is needed.
Years ago, I witnessed another angler using the Skipping
Technique and he flat loaded the boat with bass. I was busy using
another popular technique referred to as Flipping but I could
not get the lure under the pier to the fish. It didn't take me
long to start observing the "How To's" of this technique.
When you were a youngster, remember when you would throw
rocks and watch them skip across the surface of the water? It
is the very same technique. It is not the easiest technique to
master but with some dedicated practice, I will assure you, you
will start catching fish you never caught before.
Many of the BIG MONEY bass tournaments are now being won
by anglers employing the Skipping Technique. I remember reading
the year Dion Hibdon won the Bassmaster's Classic, he caught
a number of his winning fish by skipping.
As far as equipment, I highly recommend using spinning equipment
because with bait casting equipment, the free spool will cause
alot of backlashes. I will list what I personally prefer using
and it is simply a guide line. You can try it and make modifications
of your own.
I prefer to use a good quality 6 foot graphite spinning rod
with a matching quality reel with a good drag system. I will
normally use 8 pound Stren line.
For Skipping, alot of different lures will work. I have had
great success skipping Sluggos, Yamamotos, Gitzits, all types
of tube baits, Slider Worms and my all time favorite is a small
worm made right here in Indiana called a "TouchDown Worm."
This TouchDown Worm is approximately 5" long and is
poured with a slight bend right in the middle of the body. It
had a monofilament leader and also comes with a swivel and small
sinker. The hooks are very small and they have little "Fingers"
that are attached to the body of the worm. The ends of the fingers
can be pushed over the hook points making the TouchDown Worm
very weedless.
Now for the actual Skipping Technique. I like to fish piers,
boat houses and pontoons, especially on warm, sunny days. The
bass will often seek the shade under the piers and pontoons and
many anglers pass these fish by because they cannot get a lure
back to where the fish are hiding.
The small sinker that I mentioned that comes with the Touchdown
Worm, I place it right in front of the nose of the worm. This
allows the worm to have the weight forward of the lure and it
allows it to be skipped to unbelievable distances, depending
upon your skill level.
I will approach the pier or pontoon with the rod tip held
low to the water. When I reach the distance I prefer, I will
open the bail on the reel and using my wrist, I will bring the
rod tip back and then snap it forward keeping it low to the surface
of the water and release the line. This will allow the rod to
"load up" and propel the lure across the top of the
water.
With the Touchdown Worm, I let it sink all the way to the
bottom and when I notice the slack line, I will "slow roll"
the worm back with the rod tip held low. The worm will slowly
rotate and I will promise you, if there is a bass under there,
IT WILL STRIKE THE LURE HARD!!!
I have literally had the rod jerked out of my hands many
times as the bass strikes the lure so be cautioned and when you
feel the weight of the fish pull against you, set the hook.
Another word of assurance, don't be intimidated by the small
hooks. I have personally caught bass over 8 pounds using TouchDown
Lures and other lures that utilize the small hooks. Just be certain
that they are sharp.
The Skipping Technique has put many fish in my livewell and
it will do the same for you. If you exert the time necessary
to practice the procedure , you will certainly notice the difference.
My partner and I were fishing a Buddy Tournament and we were
fishing the humps and breaks. We were catching smaller fish but
we could not catch any of "keeper" size. The sun was
out and the temperature was very warm. I suggested to my partner
that we try Skipping some of the piers in search of larger bass.
My partner had not done any Skipping, so he put me in the front
of the boat so he could watch.
I positioned the boat and I Skipped my lure way back up and
under the first pier. As I closed the bail and began the slow
retrieve, WHAM...I set the hook on a 3 pound plus largemouth.
I positioned the boat to Skip the pontoon right next to the pier
and made another presentation ..WHAM another bass that was right
close to being a twin to the other fish I had just caught.
After some quick coaching, my partner began his career as
a "Skipping Fanatic." We ended up catching a Team Limit
of 10 bass and we were extremely proud as we carried our fish
to the weigh-in scales and then earned a nice paycheck.
The next time you are out fishing whether it be "fun
fishing" or tournament fishing and maybe you are not catching
bass, try moving in to the piers and try the "Skipping Technique."
I promise you a great time and some fish you never knew existed
because you could not get your lure back to them. Now you can.
Good Luck and Good Fishing
Bud Fields BassFishingUSA Pro-Staff |
