Okay people, I'm hoping someone will help me to understand skip baits. I have read and heard about them, but aside from knowing that it involves dead fish, I have no idea how to do it.

How do you rig them ... where do they run ... short or long?

Thanks to all the people who have contributed their considerable knowledge and experience when answering my other questions. Your suggestions have been mulled over and where necessary I  am setting the boat up and buying gear accordingly.

Roll on summer.

I have a book that you can borrow Bent-One.....shows many different varitaions and rigs in a step my step fashion including piccies.

give me a shout next time you are cruising past Penrose during the day!!

Not used very often these days, skip baits are still used for pitch baits with the circle hook bridled to the nose or belly flaps are used but they are not used much for trolling. The old reverse hook(Mayor Island)rig that was standard in the mid 80's is not  used much at all. Most skippers these days probably have never even rigged one. The reverse hook rig had the hook facing backwards and was hooked in the bait on one side(using an offset tunabend hook, circles cant be used) between the back dorsal and tail. The eye off the hook was then tied with dacron to the tail. The trace was then tied to the nose of the bait with rotten cotton. When the marlin ate the bait the bait would get swallowed head first, the angler would strike the fish causing the nose tie to brake and the hook would set. This nomally results in a gut hooked fish.

A skipper I use to fish with used it alot and caught a NZ record Black on it for his wife back in 95, the fish went 315kg on 24kg so it is still an effective rig.

Most skippers use lures to locate fish as you cover more ground and then may switch over and use livebaits rather that skip baits which seem more effective.

Heath, nice one mate!

I was going to ask you mate.. what would you consider to be an ideal bait for NZ sized striped marlin?  (size and species)?

cheers - dustin

Barrie , Dustin

Since it is a skipbait topic and when we think of a skipbait being slow trolled elevated by an outrigger then....WE THINK BIG DONT WE!! If I was trolling a skipbait I wouldnt be targeting a striped Marlin. Lures, livebaits and pitchbaits , Teasers etc are a million times better for them. Times have changed.

So if I was using a skipbait in NZ(fishing the "think big" attitude as always) I'd go for a small Kingfish first....its tough skin and flesh and good body shape.....then a  fresh Skipjack....softer but looks bloody tasty and a good size. And a kahawai I spose cause they are readily available.

If I was to use a NZ Macheral or Koheru It would definately be my swimming bait.....If fact Koheru are dynamite!!They swim fantastic and a good one doesnt need to be weighted(even when using mono) .These sorts of fish are a great pitchbait as well.

As for Hooks , well its much debate. Although I hate stainless and if you are using big circles....for godsakes!!! dont strike it!!!

Lets ban lures for a season and see what happens.

Heath

Ahhh the undersized Kingis. We left Russell one morning in March some 14-15 years ago to prove a point to some sceptics. We had no lures and no bait and said we would be back by lunch time with Marlin caught on fresh bait.

We jigged up two kingies from a work up in the middle of the bay on our way out, neither would have been any more than 2 kilos in weight. We were back at the bar by 2.30pm with two stripies in the boot.

You can't use them anymore, perhaps thats justice.

Them wer't days eeh by gum.