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Summer 2018
page 64
SPINNING VS. BAITCAST GEAR
A spinning rod is easier to skip with and it is what he recommends for beginners. As an angler progresses, Zona says baitcast gear is the way to go.
“I would say the ultimate starter setup is a 6’6” to a 7’, medium-action spinning rod and a reel spooled with 10-pound- test fluorocarbon,” he said. “With this setup you can easily skip docks and gain confidence in the technique.
“It is also more forgiving with a light tube jig, where if you bang into a dock or pontoon you are not going to make a loud noise and spook fish. Plus, if you do that, you are going to make all of the homeowners mad and they will come down and yell at you.”
As anglers get more comfortable with the technique, Zona advises to use baitcast gear for better control of fish and to expand the bait choices.
“The rod I use is a 7’1”, heavy Daiwa Tatula Andy Montgomery skipping rod,” adds Zona. “He designed it and is the best on planet earth at skipping jigs. The rod has a light tip for accuracy, but still has plenty of backbone to bring fish in.
“I use a Daiwa Tatula SV TWS in the 8.1:1 gear ratio and that reel comes dialed in for skipping a jig right out the box. I like the fast reel because you can quickly get the bait back to make another skip.”