Strike King Tour Grade
Skipping Jig in Texas Craw .
Strike King Thunder Cricket in Bluegill .
Strike King Rage Bug in Texas Craw .
Bass anglers may find the Lew ’ s Pro SP Skipping and Pitching Reel , one of several skip-enhancing innovations Montgomery has helped bring to market , the cure to their backlash nightmares .
“ The reel is incredible ,” the Blacksburg , South Carolina pro says . “ It has an adjustable ACB system to reduce backlash and maximize casting efficiency and a shallow spool that holds only 40 yards of 20-pound fluorocarbon to reduce those deep spool backlashes . It can help you learn to skip or make you a better skipper .”
His line of choice is 20-pound-test Strike King CONTRA fluorocarbon .
Bait selection
“ Typically , in summer , I can catch more fish on a winding bait like the Strike King Skipping Buzzbait or the Thunder Cricket ,” Montgomery says . “ You can cover more water with them , and that ups your percentage of bites and fish caught . The jig is a slower presentation . I don ’ t like to call them my No . 1 , 2 and 3 skipping choices . They ’ re more like my 1A , 1B and 1C .”
Jig / trailer : Montgomery designed the Tour Grade Skipping Jig for Strike King with a flat-sided head so it would “ skip like a skipping rock .” Available in
“ The flat blade and sleek head of a bladed jig is ideal for skipping .”
3 / 8- and 1 / 2-ounce sizes , it scuds the water to reach deep into dock stalls and beneath overhangs . His trailer of choice is the Strike King Rage Bug , a flat beaver-style bait with thin craw claw appendages . The compact tandem skips smoothly with minimum surface friction .
Buzzbait : Montgomery also designed the Strike King Skipping Buzzbait ( also known as the “ Skip ’ N Buzz ”) to access hard-to-reach places where buzzbaits rarely travel . It comes pre-rigged with a Strike King Rage Toad and a backup Rage Swimmer for a different look .
Bladed Jig : The flat blade and sleek head of a bladed jig are ideal for skipping . The Strike King Thunder Cricket is his bait of choice .
Tips
Montgomery trims the skirts of his jigs by evenly spreading strands and trimming the tails behind the hook shank . This beauty parlor treatment actually aids skipping performance .
“ The less drag I create on the water , the better the bait will skip ,” he explains .
Last word
“ Anything that creates shade becomes a magnet for bream , and bream draw bass ,” Montgomery concludes . “ I think those bluegill love shade even more than bass do . If you see shade , it ’ s probably a place for a skipping presentation .”
Strike King Skip ’ N Buzz in White .
JUNE-JULY 2022 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM 49