How to Skip A Baitcaster Like A Pro

If you want to step up your game as a bass fisherman, one technique you must be proficient at is skipping baits with a baitcaster. Let’s face it, most people can skip soft plastics with a spinning rod around boat docks and bushes. In order to really stand out, you need to learn how to skip baits with baitcast gear in order to have the power and leverage to get big fish out. This technique is something Kevin VanDam has been doing for many years. However, he worked with the engineers at Lew’s to develop a baitcast system that includes the perfect rod and reel for anglers to excel in this technique. The resulting product was the Lew’s Pro SP Baitcast Reel. “This reel is an absolute game changer. I was pretty good at skipping before, but this makes me a magician,” says VanDam. The reel is designed just for skipping and pitching. It only holds about 40 yards of line and includes a specially designed spool with a knot slot. This slot allows you to not feel the knot as the line starts to come off the reel during a cast. It has a special braking system and comes in a fast gear ratio. “Most of the time you’re skipping to one target and then burning that bait back to hit the next target. The high-speed gear ratio makes me extremely efficient at this technique” VanDam explains.

Kevin matches this reel with his KVD GC5 Dock Skipping/Frog Rod, which he describes as the perfect rod for this technique. This 7’2’’ rod has a fast tip and comes in a medium heavy action for lots of backbone. Typically, Kevin will use 20# fluorocarbon or braid and insists that it’s very hard to backlash with this set-up. “If I want to fire up to a willow trip and the bait suddenly stops, I don’t get a big backlash. You can set the braking system to the perfect skipping zone and it’s almost impossible to backlash. In fact, I don’t even thumb the spool every cast,” explains Kevin.

Kevin will rig these specific rods and reels with several different baits that excel in these scenarios. One bait VanDam loves to skip is a KVD Sexy Frog. He will spool the reel with 50#-60# braid when throwing this frog. He notes that the larger line diameter you use, the smoother the cast will be. Additionally, your chance of a backlash decreases with a larger line diameter. “I can side arm cast this all day around thick cover, through bushes and willow trees, and be really successful with the frog,” says Kevin.

Another bait Kevin skips a lot is a Strike King Tour Grade Andy Montgomery Skipping Jig. This jig paired with a Strike King Rage Bug makes a great skipping jig. The jig has a screw lock keeper on it to keep the trailer from sliding off, which is crucial when skipping. Typically, 20# fluorocarbon is the line of choice when fishing clearer water. However, if the water is dirty, or the cover is extremely thick, Kevin will switch to braid.

One bait that most people would not think to skip is a Strike King Skip’N Buzz Bait. One of the problems with skipping normal buzz baits is that the metal arm will open up and flex, which catches water. This will kill any chance of skipping by stopping the baits momentum. The Strike King Skip’N Buzz Bait avoids this flaw by having an additional wire to keep the bait from opening and catching water. If you want to skip baits in a really tight area, having a compact buzz bait will allow you to reach areas where other buzz baits fall short.

You can skip a variety of baits, but Kevin primarily relies on just three. Skipping baits into areas where other anglers cannot is a huge advantage. It’s a presentation that fish way back in cover don’t see and can put more fish in your boat. If you have the correct setup, skipping is easy to do and doesn’t take a lot of effort. Anyone can learn with a little bit of practice. These rods reels make it easy and efficient.