Which Rod and Reel: Skipping & Pitching Combos for Bass Fishing
Skipping and pitching for bass are two very distinctly different ways to target bass, but both involve fishing heavy cover commando style! I use both methods almost every time I fish for bass. As they are different, they need different gear in the way of rod and reel, and even line comes into play. KastKing has a lot to offer in the way of these two techniques. From high end reels to quality rods, with lines that cover the entire range you will need. Let’s take a look at what I feel are good starting points for your skipping and pitching bass fishing.
Skipping – Slide it in! Pitching – Drop it Precisely
Before you can skip a bait, you need to know why you want to skip a bait. Skipping may seem cool as the bait skips across the water like a stone thrown, but it also has merits that will prove to be efficient in pulling bass out of hidden lairs. Bass will hide in the deepest cover and structure. They will tuck their tails close to a bank in less than 3 inches of water with their head pointing outward, waiting on an easy meal. These hiding places may be totally covered by overhanging branches from fallen trees, or the deepest and longest docks. To skip a bait so it lands right his nose is an almost guaranteed hook-up. Skip it to the left or right, and then work the bait, and it also almost guarantees a hook-up.
As for pitching, this is a technique where casting is at a minimal, in fact, basically not at all. Pitching involves using a pendulum action with your rod and swinging the bait in and out of holes, which are all within close proximity of one another. You really almost never turn the crank of the reel’s handle. I like a longer rod as it gives me flexibility to hit holes in a wider field. As you approach a lily pad field for example, there could be a bass lying at the base of every stem, or then again every 10th stem! Pitching allows you to cover ground, hitting every hole or stem you see quickly.
KastKing Skipping Combo
KastKing do have what I feel is a top notch skipping reel – KastKing Speed Demon Elite Skipping Baitcaster. This reel is specifically built to help anglers achieve the goal of skipping and cut the learning curve down time wise. I have used this reel since its inception and love it.
For the rod, one I feel matches up well to the reel, I chose the 7'2" Royale Legend Pro Casting Rod (Jig/Worm) rated for 10 to 20 pounds with a moderate action tip. This rod allows anglers to utilize the slow roll of the wrists needed to accurately skip a bait. This makes, in my opinion, one of the best skipping rod and reel combos available.
Before we get into the nuts and bolts that make up this combo, let’s explore the line needed to achieve a good skip. I have read and watched hundreds of articles and videos on skipping baits. There is no secret line that allows you to skip better than another, but most anglers feel 17 to 20-pound test fluorocarbon is the way to go. For me, I want fluorocarbon as it has less stretch and is virtually invisible. It is also a lot stiffer, which makes it slightly harder to backlash… slightly.
Skipping Combo Features:
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IM7 graphite and Nano resins that ensures they are thin, light, sensitive and incredibly powerful
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Premium Fuji Stainless Steel K Frame Guides with FazLite Inserts
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Experience unparalleled grip and control with the SlipLock Technology handles featured on the Royale Legend Pro fishing rod.
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8.6:1 Gear Ratio for fast retrieves when needed
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10 double-shielded, stainless-steel bearings including two free-spin super speed spool bearings
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Centrifugal braking system and a fine-tuning Demon Eye for precise management of overruns and backlashes – something you need when learning to skip!
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Triple Disk Carbon Fiber Drag for Ultimate Stopping Power
KastKing Pitching Combo
This is another combo I like, that again. For pitching I like the longer series of rods from KastKing, specifically the Assegai 7-10 Punchin' Rod. On the reel end, I prefer the Speed Demon Elite Deadbolt Reel spooled with 30 to 50-pound Hammer Alpha 9 Braid. This rod allows me to work a larger area and hit as many holes etc. without moving. The rod also has the backbone needed to quickly lift fish out of the "structure." This is commando fishing at its finest with heavy cover and a lot of areas a fish can dive to, to break you off. For this, the zero drag Speed Demon Elite Deadbolt with zero drag is the way to go!
Pitching Combo Features:
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Sensitivity with a Super High,40 Million Modulus,750K Strain Rate IM9 Graphite Blank.
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High End Fuji Guides and Reel Seats
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Zero Drag Reel – Perfect for Power Fishing
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Solid aluminum frame along with carbon side covers for zero flex
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Strength with limited Weight
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Built for violent hook sets and large fish
Skipping and pitching are two great methods to pull big bass from cover. They both will provide anglers with exceptional results, and possibly put the biggest bass at the end of your line. Check out these two set-ups and hit the “structure” for some great bass action.