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By Don Applegarth

May/June 2000

One of the most often overlooked places to catch some really big bass, as well as numbers of fish, is found on basically all major reservoirs across the country.

Boat houses, docks, slips…they're known by many names. The one fact they all share is that they are home to some large fish populations. For many, the problem has always been trying to reach them, or getting them to come out and take our offerings. I have discovered a few techniques that I employ to reach these secluded bass, which are uninterested in leaving the comforts of home. I think that if we can get a lure close enough to them, they will take it, as long as they do not have to chase it down. In my opinion, "skipping" is one of the easiest ways to approach these bass. It does take some practice, but is much simpler than many people believe. The key is to be willing to try it.

How to Skip

Most anglers use spinning equipment to reach these protected dock areas, most of the time that works best. However, with a little patience and practice, it can also be achieved using baitcasting equipment.

Approach the dock as you usually do, but stay out away from the dock, about ten feet or so, and make a sidearm cast, keeping the rod tip very low to the water. Try to hit the water at the very edge of the dock and allow it to skip all the way to the back.

One of the biggest mistakes I made when trying to figure out this technique was trying to "force" my lures back under the docks. After years of trial and error, I have found that the best approach is a finesse type cast. I want to make the cast hard enough to get the bait to the back, but soft enough to give a relatively quiet entry. This will make for more accurate casting and fewer hang-ups (which are inevitably going to happen) on the underside of the dock's railings and structure.

I start out skipping along one side, and then work my way slowly around the front and down the other side of the dock. For spinning equipment, line size and types are a matter of choice, but my personal preference is 10-pound test Trilene XT. I prefer the monofilament, but if you like the new Super lines, then go for it. I know they have increased feel and the strength might be an added plus for this technique, especially when horsing a big bass from the deep, thick cover that many docks conceal.

Equipment Choices

I use a 6' 6" medium heavy action rod that is I-M6 or greater graphite, the most sensitive I can find. I use a medium freshwater spinning reel with instant anti-reverse and at least 3 ball bearings. For gearing, again it is a matter of choice, I use a 5.3:1 reel. The particular reel that I use is an Abu-Garcia model UC 2000 F. I match this with a Bass Pro Shop's Tourney Special Rod, and I'm all set.

With the spinning setup, I use a sidearm front cast and keep my finger on the side of the spool to "feather" the casts, slowing them somewhat as the lure slows. Once the lure has stopped pulling line, I manually close the bail and pull out about six inches of additional line out, forcing the drag to slip. This ensures that the drag is properly set, and also prevents any line twist that causes so many tangle problems with spinning equipment. If you can get into the habit of pulling the line, after each cast, you will never have the knots, and tangles so common with these reels.

When using a baitcasting outfit for this technique, I again choose a 6' 6" medium heavy action graphite rod, and an Abu-Garcia model 4600c reel, generally with 14- to 17-pound test monofilament. I like this reel because of the 5.3:1 gears, and the instant anti-reverse. Another great feature of this reel is that it has a small, narrow spool, which virtually eliminates most backlashes, and makes life easier. Abu-Garcia now makes a newer version which is supposed to eliminate backlashes completely, but I have yet to try it.

I make most of my casts with this combination by using a backhand cast, much like a backhand in a tennis match. This enables me to better control the bait, and make it seem to glide across the surface of the water. You can also use a regular front cast, like with the spinning equipment, but for me the backhand style seems to work best. I use a 6'6" rod because longer ones seem to get too close to the dock, and I have broken many rod tips this way.

Bait and Rigging

I use a couple of bait options, depending on where I think the bass are. I use soft jerkbaits, such as the Yamamoto Senko, or even a large Ika, if I believe the bass are suspended underneath the dock, or under the floatation pads on floating docks.

Rigging is simple. First, I have found for this application a smaller than normal leader works best. Take about 8 to 10 inches of mono and attach it to a small barrel swivel. On the other end is a 3/0 to 5/0 Wide Gap hook. Attach the swivel to your line, and then rig the hook and jerkbait Tex-posed, it's similar to a standard Texas-rig.

The one difference between a Texas rig, and a Tex-posed rig is that you push the hook point all the way through the plastic, so that its point is exposed, and lying parallel to the body of the bait. Then pull the hook back slightly and insert the hook point just under the skin of the bait. This makes the bait somewhat weedless without giving up that great hook-setting power.

Make a cast to the far reaches of the dock's underside, and then just let it sit a few seconds. If nothing happens, take up the slack and give it a few quick twitches and pause again. Then, I will usually start a twitch-and-pause cadence of some type, back to the boat.

Another bait that works well for me is the Yamamoto Series # 12 Twin Tail Grub with a #11 skirt. I use a 1/4 oz jighead with a 3/0 or 4/0 hook for this technique. The 66-series Yamamoto head also work well but I like the lighter, wire type weedguards, so I use some made by a local angling buddy.

Another jighead that is the ultimate for this rig is the Bass Browser Jig, made by Ralph Storey. Story says, "This jig is completely weedless, and will come through anything you throw it into, and yet, the weedguard doesn't interfere with its hook-setting ability at all. I have a brushpile that I used to test prototypes, until I found the right combination of head style and weedguard. I can throw this bait into that brushpile 100 times and it will come through every time!"

Its unique wire weedguard system is incredible. I have purposely thrown this into every hedge and rose bush in my yard at home, and it comes right through it. For more information on this jig contact Ralph at (517) 694-0309, or e-mail bassbrowser@cs.com.

Once rigged on this head, I use the same techniques to skip it to the backs of the docks. Allow it to fall on a semi-tight line, so that you may watch for any twitch or slight movement that would indicate a strike.

Brushpiles

Most docks here have brushpiles under them, planted by the owners, as well as several more placed away from the dock by local anglers. These are intended to draw some fish out of the docks, but if the fish have some cover deep within the docks, they have no reason to leave.

Homeowners believe that by placing brushpiles inside their dock, especially ones with a closed garage-type door on it, they have a private honey hole. Largely, they are correct. But if you are very careful, and master the skipping technique, you will be able to share it with them. I would like to ask that you please remember, while you have every right to fish the waters of any reservoir, you do not have the right to enter, or step upon another persons property, such as the dock. Many times, I have had dock owners ask me to leave the dock and not fish it.

After spending many hours arguing with these folks I have found that, while I usually have every right to fish that area, I can't win and arguing is futile. So I just go to the next dock, and continue fishing. I found that by being polite, and courteous, I have actually had dock owners tell me about some of the many brushpiles they have added to the areas around their docks.

General Tips

Skipping is a great way to take bass from a row of docks that have already been fished by a few other boats. Here are a few other things to keep in mind that could increase your hookups tremendously.

During the spawning season, as well as in the late fall, and early winter, most of the bigger bass (especially largemouth) seem to hold in the shallow areas where the walkway and backside of the dock platform intersect. Many times these spots have brush or stumps and they make a perfect spawning area due to the fact that they are protected by the cover of the walkway, guidewires, and the dock itself. I have seen so many people who knew the fish were there, and could see them, but did not know how to get to them.

Skipping allows you to get the bait under the cables that anchor the docks to the shoreline, and also up underneath the walkway. During the late pre-spawn many bass will suspend just underneath the Styrofoam floats (about a foot below the surface), and attack any lures that come by. That is when I usually try the jerkbait technique. Here on Lanier, it isn't uncommon to take as many as 30 to 50 bass per day at that time.

As most anglers know, big females like to rub against any kind of timber or wood cover near the spawning areas. They do this to loosen their eggs just prior to spawning. In many cases, skipping will allow you to get your bait next to the inside of the tree, or bush. It is essentially another form of "Flipping" whenever used in this manner.

I know a lot of anglers will flip jigs and worms into these areas, but a soft jerkbait is really difficult to flip due to the lighter weight, and once it's there, how do you work it out? Skipping seems to be a great alternative for this application.

While this technique requires some practice and patience, to me it is well worth the extra effort. It won't be any more difficult than learning to flip or pitch, and will soon become a favorite technique. If you are willing to give it a try, I feel certain that you will soon see many areas in a new way, and suddenly be able to fish a lot of the areas that were previously inaccessible.

Add the skipping technique to your angling bag of tricks, and I believe you will be amazed by the results. It has really helped to increase the weights in my livewell, and I know it can help you as well.

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