Better idea: They make a vacuum cover for your skimmer that covers the whole basket in the skimmer, rather than pull out the basket and put the hose in the hole. That way, the skimmer basket catches all that junk, not the pump basket.

Here's one reference to them--the Hayward brand
http://www.poolsupplies.com/Product_...mers_Wall.html

They are called "Skim-Vac Attachments"