I will say I'm 1 out of 5 doing this but I'm working on it

Get you one of those remote control boats, attach your lure, off she goes.

Strip out about 40 yards of line, Slap some electrical tape on the spool, no more painful backlashes until you get the hang of it.

skipping is one of my top priorities of skills to get down right now. so far...

1) it is impossible for me to skip with fluro on baitcaster without backlash.

2) power pro 65 braid is pretty easy to skip and no backlashes, I have learned get a good scratch on your line from metal or wire and might as well have 2 lb line as it will break easy.

3) I skip weightless whacky rig on spinning reel TOO GOOD! Either it skips up so high it hits the boat house door or worse it makes it under the boat house door and skips up and hangs on the ceiling somewhere inside.

I skip baits under docks regularly with a 6'6" Medium rod and Shimano Sahara reel with 12# P-line CX Premium. Mostly worms and finese jigs. Works great for me. Sure, I've been broken off, but very infrequently.

This goes for me too!

I suck at it too. I don't backlash but the bait will only bounce once to three times then plop in the water. Thinking I'm holding the tip too high?

Doesn't help that all the docks round here are floating so I only get to practice under tree tops.

I have a friend who is an engineer by training and he assures me that he can skip a bait 12-25 feet under a dock and be accurate. He is planning on marketing a how to video and I know him well enough that if he says that he can do it then I am sure he has figured out something unique.

My problem isn't lack of knowledge....It's lack of ability! I know the theory on how to skip a lure but for some reason my brain can't get it to my hands without looking like a Joe Cocker video! Yes, I know I just dated myself....

it just takes practice and make sure you are using something that is "skipable" for example a pegged t-rig is alot easier than an unpegged. weightless baits like senkos are easy.

I learned how to skip when I lived in Louisiana a couple years ago fishing lakes with cypress trees. It is certainly one of the harder casting techniques to learn but well worth it. I have a 7ft Md/Hvy with a Curado cu-201 that I use for skipping and I prefer braid, 40lb powerpro. I've tried it with other rods, Hvy or Med/Hvy extra fast tip and the soft tip works the best. After doing it enough I can do it fore or backhanded. When I make my cast my thumb is on a hair trigger just in case the bait doesn't skip right cause braid backlashes are the worst. My favorite baits to skip with this setup are weightless flukes and 1/4oz jigs. I'll go up to a 1/2oz but I have more control with a lighter weight.

This is an excellent tip!

Where were you about 3 years ago

Im not the greatest by no means and still backlash. But I found if you start your skip closer to the boat it goes much farther and smother. Im usually using a 6'6" MH action rod with 15+ pound flouro line.

Ok, get ready to laugh.
Get you a stout rod with fast tip, use Zebco 33 with 10 lb. line
NO MORE BACK LASHES, YES, IT WORKS.
May have to give up your Man card though! Enjoy

I do it on a 7'0" MH spinning rod. 30Lb braid with 20lb flouro leader. I like skipping 1/8 oz shakey heads under docks. I do a high speed, short string pitch, right at the front edge of the dock and can usually skip it to the back. The key for me is speed on the bait and a light weight head. I can skip a 3/16 but not nearly as well.

Jigs on baitcasting is a little easier to skip, but can have the terrible backlash happen at anytime the bait doesn't hit just right. For me again, the lighter the head the better. 1/4 oz with a full stranded skirt works best.