# Any skip jack?



## Flyincedar (Oct 7, 2010)

A buddy of mine from work is wanting to head down to the river in a couple of weeks so we can stock up on some skip jack for cats. I have never used it before, but he tells me its pretty good stuff, so I'll give it a shot.

Any ideas where to go about this time of year? Anyone been catching any? We have some sabiki rigs, which is what he has always caught them on.

Any ideas on a decent place to go is greatly appreciated. I think we want to stay within an hour either side of Portsmouth if possible. Thanks!


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## bnt55 (Nov 15, 2009)

gonna be awhile, the river is on a rampage right now and it looks like more rain is in the forecast....once everything settles down you should find them at the dams. Good luck and let us know when they are on.


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## JimmyMac (Feb 18, 2011)

Your buddy is right about that. 

Hardly anyone would disagree about skipjack being the absolute best bait for blues. If You manage to keep them alive, heck of a flathead bait to. 

Once the river calms down a bit, just check out some youtube vids on catching skipjack, You can fish em and its actually pretty fun, or just net them. Below dams would be your best bet.


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## Catproinnovations (Dec 8, 2009)

This time of year one of the best places to go to get huge skips and huge numbers is to drive to the cumberland city hot water discharge in tennessee you wont regret it. Went last year and caught 500 or more in about 6 hrs. stocked up on em for the year. Def. worth the trip.


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

Catproinnovations said:


> This time of year one of the best places to go to get huge skips and huge numbers is to drive to the cumberland city hot water discharge in tennessee you wont regret it. Went last year and caught 500 or more in about 6 hrs. stocked up on em for the year. Def. worth the trip.


This is too late in the year for skipjack in CC. You have to go earlier in the year. Once the water warms up they move out. Plus with the flooding that just ended it down there. Just dont want someone to make 6 hour drive for nothing.

Once the river clears up you should be able to find them at the dams like everyone said. I just got a load in last weekend, but had to make a 9 hour drive to get them though.

Sabiki's will work just fine or just crappie jigs.


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

What is the best size and or color Tsunami Fluorocarbon Sabiki Rigs for skipjack in the Ohio River. Never caught them before but sounds like fun.

Thanks a bunch,
Terry


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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

I too would like an answer to your question! What do the skipjack fisherman use for bait on their hooks?
I know NOTHING about skipjack,,,But these sure work GREAT for Erie Perch!
Just add HALF of a fathead minnow.
We'll have to try these the next time we go down to NC.

http://cgi.ebay.com/3-Pack-Sabiki-R...624?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item230f7c15b8

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fluorocarbon-SA...156?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f0827595c

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160405410277&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370403674498&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT


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## fishercreekrick (Jan 19, 2010)

i like the new skip jack jigs from monster rod holders tried them last year and realy liked them.if you go to there web site you cant miss them all they sell is rod holders and skip jack jigs


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## Salmonid (Apr 14, 2004)

all you need is a handful of twister tails in various sizes, bring white, pink, orange and youll pretty much be covered, I throw until I wear out my welcome with one color, then switch colors and go for a while then switch again, also when the bites get few and far between, gotta usually go deeper to find them. Sabiki rigs should work just fine just remember that in Ohio, youll have to cut them in half as Oh only allows 3 hooks per rod. Im sure the Monster jigs work but I have never seen or heard of them outfishing other jigs/sabiki's, if there there and biting, about anything will work

Salmonid


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## TeamClose (May 23, 2005)

Better wait at least 6 weeks and any dam on the Ohio. They are hit or miss anywhere


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## Daveo76 (Apr 14, 2004)

Why 6 weeks? Skipjacks are usually one of the first fish to bite. The BIG Skipjacks will be at the dams first as soon as the water gets down. 6 weeks will be the middle of May and then there won't be anymore until the end of August.


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## TeamClose (May 23, 2005)

Because the guy is driving a distance to fish for them and 6 weeks makes it the 2nd week of may which typically has the good numbers. Sure as soon as the water gets around 50 and clears up a few will show but just trying to help the guy have a good chance to catch some, not drive and cast for 6 hrs to have just 1 bite and it get off at the bank.


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## Daveo76 (Apr 14, 2004)

No problem. The water is on the way down and at 48deg.I was catching White Bass there today and the Skipjacks won't be far behind them. I'll post when they do start. Plenty to go around


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

Never fished for skipjacks before and bought a couple pks of Sabiki rigs at Cabelas.
These should work on ALL pan fish as well...I would think.
THANKS FOR THE TIP ON CUTTING THEM DOWN TO THREE....I HAD NO IDEA.


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

I use marabou crappie jigs- much easier to use than a sabiki as you dont have to worry about them tangling. Skipjack destroy the plastic grubs too fast you spend too much time changing out grubs.


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## edray (Oct 21, 2004)

i'm new at catfishing and want to know how you use skpjacks as bait
do you use them live ?
can you freeze them then use as cutbait later on ?


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## Daveo76 (Apr 14, 2004)

fishdealer04 said:


> I use marabou crappie jigs- much easier to use than a sabiki as you dont have to worry about them tangling. Skipjack destroy the plastic grubs too fast you spend too much time changing out grubs.


Thats what I use most of the time anyway. We have a problem(if you want to call it that) with smaller hybrids and Whites tearing them up!! the sabiki rigs that is


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## bnt55 (Nov 15, 2009)

edray said:


> i'm new at catfishing and want to know how you use skpjacks as bait
> do you use them live ?
> can you freeze them then use as cutbait later on ?


You are going to be hard pressed to keep a skipjack alive for any length of time, they need a large quantity of fast moving water to live and livewells do not provide this type of environment, even with my BlueWater bait tank made for delicate shad they still die within 30 minutes. Your best bet is to catch and put on ice immediately, I have had some luck using a slushy mixture of salt and ice to brine them as soon as I catch them. When I get home I break them up into groups of 3-4 size specific and vacuum freeze them for a later date. You can't beat fresh cut skipjack but a frozen-->thawed skipjack is a close second that rivals a live shad sometimes. Just cut them up into chunks and put them on a large circle hook with whatever rig you are using and you are good to go! Good luck and throw the big cats back after snapping the picture


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## edray (Oct 21, 2004)

appreciate your tips for saving skipjack for catfishing


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## Rangersharp (Mar 27, 2011)

edray said:


> i'm new at catfishing and want to know how you use skpjacks as bait
> do you use them live ?
> can you freeze them then use as cutbait later on ?


I used to use a lot of skipjack for stripers and thought the only way to use them was a smaller live ones, that was until a guy got on me about throwing back the huge ones, then he showed me that the guts in them had a really hard spot and stayed on the hook like no other. After that I was never not catching fish, even caught a 33lb blue off of it. All you do is cut open it's belly pull out all of it's guts, find the hard spot, slap it on the hook then cut you a fillet off and slap it on the hook and your good to go! The bloodier the better


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## bnt55 (Nov 15, 2009)

mmmmm....sounds tasty! those suckers are strong smelling to begin with can't imagine anything but acetone will take the smell off your hands after a good disemboweling. Good tip though.


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## bigcatfisher (Jun 17, 2010)

I would also like to get some skip jack...water is probably still way to high.


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## thecatman (Apr 6, 2011)

Hi guys, nice to be here on the forum. I fish the Racine pool and was wondering if anyone knows if and when this spring the big skipjacks will move into the warm water discharges of the power plants around here? Really want to stock up on some jacks for flatheads this season. Anybody catch 'em at the discharges instead of the dam in the spring?... any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


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## JimmyMac (Feb 18, 2011)

Someone who offers them for sale would have a thriving buisness around here.


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## bigman23 (Apr 26, 2011)

i live in east liverpool ohio soo i go to thee warf alot wheres there a good place at down there too catch skipjacks dose anyone no just let me no thanx


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## buster snider (May 6, 2011)

JimmyMac said:


> Someone who offers them for sale would have a thriving buisness around here.


is it legal to sell them in ohio me and my boys was wanting to know but we heard it wasnt and there hasnt been any at racine but the fishing has been pretty good


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## JimmyMac (Feb 18, 2011)

buster snider said:


> is it legal to sell them in ohio me and my boys was wanting to know but we heard it wasnt and there hasnt been any at racine but the fishing has been pretty good


Not sure about that to be honest, but you can get a bait dealers license. 

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/9/pdf/form 166.pdf


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

buster snider said:


> is it legal to sell them in ohio me and my boys was wanting to know but we heard it wasnt and there hasnt been any at racine but the fishing has been pretty good


Yes you need a bait dealers license. If you start moving live fish then you need a transport license too I am pretty sure.


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

a local bait shop(fishermans quarters in dayton) is now carrying a Saltwater Herring that apparently is a lot better than shad or skips from the reports i have been hearing. stopped in there yesterday and decided to buy a pack to try this weekend. they are sold in frozen packages and are supposed to be extremely oily. below is a link to the pics of the fish in the flats (the blue label herring) from the company where they get them from.

http://fishonbait.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=37&Itemid=123

the fish and blue label packages are a lot bigger than what they look in the pic. the fish i got were like BIG chubs and are from 8-10 inches long, the flats are about 18-20 inches wide and are $8.99 per flat. 

i have a small deep freezer i keep loaded with Shad but am giving these a shot to see how good they work.


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## JimmyMac (Feb 18, 2011)

dinkbuster1 said:


> a local bait shop(fishermans quarters in dayton) is now carrying a Saltwater Herring that apparently is a lot better than shad or skips from the reports i have been hearing. stopped in there yesterday and decided to buy a pack to try this weekend. they are sold in frozen packages and are supposed to be extremely oily. below is a link to the pics of the fish in the flats (the blue label herring) from the company where they get them from.
> 
> http://fishonbait.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=37&Itemid=123
> 
> ...


You know, I think Jungle Jims carries saltwater herring also. I'll have to pick one up and try it, if its the same fish.


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## buster snider (May 6, 2011)

buster snider said:


> is it legal to sell them in ohio me and my boys was wanting to know but we heard it wasnt and there hasnt been any at racine but the fishing has been pretty good






wow lots of ppl like these skipjack i guess i am going to try to stock up on them and give them to ppl for donations lol if i could keep them alive i would be investing in a bait permit for sure but from reading alot seems to be hard to keep alive headin to racine in the morning let ya know if there there happy fishing


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

buster snider said:


> wow lots of ppl like these skipjack i guess i am going to try to stock up on them and give them to ppl for donations lol if i could keep them alive i would be investing in a bait permit for sure but from reading alot seems to be hard to keep alive headin to racine in the morning let ya know if there there happy fishing


They are very hard to keep alive...but you still need to have a bait permit to sell them dead or alive...not worth selling them and not having one. We got checked twice last year by the DNR, but we have all of our licenses so it was fine. Not worth the hefty fine and loosing all your fishing gear for not going about it the right way.


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## buster snider (May 6, 2011)

fishdealer04 said:


> They are very hard to keep alive...but you still need to have a bait permit to sell them dead or alive...not worth selling them and not having one. We got checked twice last year by the DNR, but we have all of our licenses so it was fine. Not worth the hefty fine and loosing all your fishing gear for not going about it the right way.


i am realy interested in getting this pemit but i am no good with computers lol 3 hours and so lost dang should had just went fishing anyone with help would be great thanks


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## buster snider (May 6, 2011)

if you could contact me directly fish dealer email me @ [email protected] and exchange numbers i have been saying for years i would check into it thanks


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## buster snider (May 6, 2011)

the skipjack are in there now i caught eighty yesterday at racine


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## katfish ken (Feb 5, 2010)

Was catching skippies yesterday on1/4oz. pink Bucktail jigs.


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## Kurtis (Jul 21, 2010)

Skip jack are a great bait if you are fishing where they come from. But if your not your better off to use something that is native to the waters your fishing. Like shad or suskers or even blue gill. On the monogahela in W.V. there are no skip jack and some locals say small trout will out fish skip jack every time. So use what is avalible normaly to the fish in your area and you'll do better.


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