Happy New Year to all . what is the best skipping rod out there. Thanks JD

Depends on a lot of factors. Your height is a big one for rod length. I am 6' and I use a Dobyns Champion 704 and settled on it after much trial and error. I used to use a Fitzgerald Brian Thrift 6'9" skipping special and it works well but I prefer a cork grip. I skip a 1/2 ounce Black Angel Lures jig most of the time so the MH fast rod is fine. If I go down on jig weight to a 3/8 I switch to a medium action like the Dobyns 703. You will have to experiment and see what works for you. I sucked at skipping jigs until I moved to North Carolina and fished Lake Norman where it is a must to skip a jig deep under docks. Andy Montgomery is one of the best and he helped me out a lot with rod selection and technique. I still use the Diawa Tatula reel he recommended. G-Man is another one to check out on YouTube. Definitely check out Any Montgomery's videos and they will help a lot with what type of rod to pick.

Need something with some tip to it. usually I usually skip jigs with a 7'2 or 7'3" MH.

When I first started trying to learn to skip, I bought the Fitzgerald Bryan Thrift rod that Patta-whack mentions. It's a good rod, and I think helped me learn the technique. It's got a soft tip but good backbone, and I think the shorter rod is good to start out on. After gaining some confidence and muscle memory with it, moving on to other rods (slightly longer or even a little more solid backbone) has been easier, and now I can skip with most pretty easily.

I just bought the ALX ZOLO skipping rod 6ft9in haven�t mastered it yet I only have got to try a few cast Sunday . But I like it so far.

I can skip with any rod Im fishing but when I bought one of these and tried it wow, it really makes it easy.

The closer your tip is to the water the more exact and smaller window you have to release the bait at the right time.

https://www.fxcustomrods.com/collec...-fast-casting-rod?variant=12477817487426

The one that pops up when you click the link is a 6ft 3 inch rod. Is that the one you skip with?
What is different about these rods that makes them better for skipping?

Andy Montgomery, and G Man are both good videos for skipping. Also type in skipping docks in winter on youtube. A video will pop up with a guy fishing while it is snowing on Lake of the Ozarks. It is a good video on skipping docks and his choice of equipment. At one point during the video, the deck of his boat is covered in snow. I would have been off the water way before that..LOL The jigs that are shown in the video and the one he is using to skip with are V&M flipping jigs. Santone also makes a flipping jig that has a great head style for skipping and it comes in a ton of different colors.

I have been using a Daiwa Tatula SV TW on a Dobyns Siera 684 for a 3/8 oz V&M jig and trailer, and a Daiwa Zillion SV TW on a 704 fast American Eagle rod with a 1/2 oz V&M jig and beaver style bait shortened in half. I am experimenting with rod actions and lengths and so far I like the 7ft length a little better, but I haven't tried the 1/2 oz jig on the 684 yet. I need to do that nest.. I am going to step up to a 7ft heavy fast tip and see how that does also. I can skip a little better with the two hand style like Andy Montgomery does a little better than the roll cast. All of this is still a learning process for me. My next experiment before I try out a stiffer rod is to put the Tatula reel on my American Eagle rod and see if I can skip with it as well as with the Zillion, because the Tatula is about $80- $100 cheaper than the Zillion on Ebay.

Bryan Thrift skipping rod listed if interested

https://texasfishingforum.com/forum...-fitzgerald-rods-abu-garcia-reels#UNREAD

yes. It is made specifically for skipping. Read my original post.

More accuracy and more control.... The only issue is its a dedicated rod.

I can skip with any of my rods, I can skip much much better with this short one. So when Im fishing if I find myself skipping my bait very often Ill pull out the skipping rod and have it on the deck.. Similar to how if I see fish busting the surface I will get out a rod with a tiny popper on it that has never failed to catch the surface busting bass Ive thrown it at.

I asked the question because it is 6 ft 3 inches in length and you said the closer your tip is to the water the more exact and smaller window you have to release the bait at the right time so that makes me think that a longer rod like a 7-2 or a 7-3 would be better. I like technique specific rods so that is not an issue for me. Im a tackle nut. LOL

Is there something specific about the FX custom rod that makes it work so well for you or is it mainly the length? I like the looks of those FX rods. I have several 6-6 M/H rods (Shimano and Dobyns) that I haven't tried yet. The shortest ones I have tried so far are 6-8 in length.

I am in the process of testing out different length and action rods for skipping to see which works best for me.

You have it backwards. smaller window is a lot harder to hit with a rock than a bigger window!!!.. you want a wider area that you can release in and still be accurate.. A short rod does that.

Im sure Bob explained it better!!

If you try your 6 6 you have youll see its much easier.

The fx rods are very good quality.

bought this rod last year; awesome rod with a daiwa tutla

I see now what you are saying.

Pride Rods 6�9� Medium Fast spinning rod is great for skipping wacky rigs around docks.

6'10" falcon head turner