How To Skip Lures Into Hard-to-Reach Spots Where Big Largemouth Bass Lurk

Bass often gravitate to shallow banks where they hold beneath overhanging tree limbs. These fish are virtually unreachable with overhand casting, but you can drop a lure on their noses every time by skipping it into the strike zone. Plump soft-plastic lures such as straight-tail trick worms, tube baits, and soft stickbaits are best for skipping. Fish these without a sinker on a medium-action 61⁄2-foot spinning rod with 10- to 12-pound monofilament line. Tying a small swivel 12 inches above the hook helps reduce line twist.

1 - Take a Bow
Position your boat parallel to the shoreline. Stand at the front of the boat, perpendicular to the shoreline, and point your rod forward and low to the water, so the lure hangs just above the surface. Pick a target before you cast.

2 - Make it Snappy
Make a low sidearm cast by swinging your arm back, then powering it forward with a snap of the wrist. The motion is much the same as you’d use to skip a stone across a creek. The lure should shoot out just above the water.

3 - Skip to It
Aim for the lure to hit the water just a few feet in front of your target. With practice, the lure will skitter across the surface and end up in seemingly impossible-to-reach spots where lunkers are lurking.