pitching and flipping

[Dan668]

Worthwhile technique to learn? What species of fish do you normally target.

Thanks

[OhioFisherman]

Don`t leave home with out them! I normally target bass, but a useful tool for other species that tend to inhabit the same types of cover. I have caught walleye flipping boat docks, steel head flipping knocked down trees in rivers and nothing like the feeling of flipping a jig next to a bridge piling and setting the hook on a 40+ inch muskie.

 

It can be done with spinning or casting tackle, light or heavy tackle, just works out a whole lot better when you use the right tackle for the targeted species. I tend to go with heavier tackle so sometimes I am ok with mistakes.

 

My choice for most is a 7'6" flipping stick with at least 17 pound test line. Tough deal to find but they did make some flipping sticks for spinning reels.

[Fang]

Absolutely. the big key here to learn is to be able to pick a target and then hit it with a subtle soft water entry. Anyone can learn how to underhand cast but if your'e hitting the water hard you'll spook a lot of shallow water fish.

 

I take my pitchin outfits out in the back yard about May and walk around pitching to the base of trees, under bushes in the garden. heck I even pretend the lawn chairs are docks. It gets me ready for opener way faster than trying to work the bugs out in the boat first few trips.

 

Start trying to get accurate from 15-20 feet away. Distance will come later. get your technique down now.

 

For me a 7ft rod has become my preference. I just feel more comfortable with that length.

 

Another must to learn if you want to take your bass skills up a level is how to skip a bait like a tub or senko.

[Maverick]

Flipping and pitching is very useful tool when targeting cover like docks, fallen trees and logs and holes in dense weeds. Last season while I was pitching a bunch of fallen trees along a shoreline I hooked up with a 3-4lb smallie then 2 casts later about 6 feet down the bank I hooked up with a 38" pike.

 

I like to use a 7'10" Flippin' stick with a reel that has a smooth bearing system and practice a lot in the preseason. I find the long rod lets me get it a little further out when pitching and flipping to holes in weed beds and with practice I am just as accurate as I was with my 7 footer. I like to run braid on my reels when flipping and pitching because I normally am fishing very heavy cover and if that fish heads back into the sticks I want to make sure I have some tough line to haul her out. The limpness of most braids also helps with the casting as it has virtually no memory. If you have a pretty big arsenal of rods and reels, just experiment with rod length and different reels until you become confident in one combination. If not I would look at a 7-7'10" rod and a good quality casting reel.

[Dan668]

50 lb braid.

What brand of rod.

High speed bait casters worl ok?

I'm going to attempt to learn this technique:)

[Maverick]

I use a Shimano Clarus 7'10" fast action rod. I think it is rated as a Medium but because of the length is rated for 10-17lb line and a 1/4-1oz lure weight. Bought this rod due to budget constraints, I think it was 90 or 100 bucks. I am sure you can find a pretty slick St Croix for about 4 times the price though. My reel I use is a Team Daiwa X reel that I bought while back. It is 6.3:1 and a good quality reel.

 

You can get reels that have a flipping switch that automatically engages the thumb bar whenever you let go of it. I haven't used any so I don't know if is good or bad. Most times when I am flipping I will flip or pitch to a certain spot and let it sink a bit so I don't think the self-engaging thumb bar would be something that would help me.

 

50lb braid will work, I think mine is spooled with 40lb. It takes some practice but it's fun to isolate cover and flip or pitch to it. I usually practice standing on the picnic table and flipping to golf balls or into the flower pots around the yard in the spring. Probably look like a complete fool but I could care less haha.

[capt bruce]

Flipping :With flipping instead of the fish coming to you, you go to the fish. Flipping requires a longer, stouter rod say a 7 1/2 footer with heavy action,( lots of good rods out there Im sure most quality brands will have a line of flipping sticks) and a baitcasting reel spooled with 20 to 30 pound test line( again lots of good reels made by lots brands pick your fav). Using about a rod's length of line, with an additional 4 to 6 feet of line in your left hand, and with a pendulum motion, place your bait in a restricted area. As the bait starts forward, let the line in your left hand flow smoothly. This allows you to work cover and precise targets from 8 to 12 feet away. Once the lure is in the cover, raise and lower the rod tip and let the bait crawl up and over wood, rock, tree limbs, grass, pads or other obstructions. Repeated flips often incite a lethargic bass to bite. Constant contact with the lure is important in sensing the most delicate strike. Light, but steady, pressure gives you the feel of the lure in its swim and descent. Any interruption in the bait's travel should be interpreted as a strike. Immediately, reel most of the slack from the line, set the hook with a sweeping motion and prepare to move the bass away from the protection of heavy cover.

 

Pitching:Pitching a lure from a distance is a great way to reach fish thought to be inaccessible. You can also reach largemouth that are easily spooked, or holding under overhanging cover, using a variety of baits. When correctly done, a pitched bait lands delicately, barely making a ripple, this take some pratice but you must land the lure with as little splash as possible. Silent entry and the action of the lure as it falls often results in an immediate strike. Pitching is ideal for fishing boat docks, undercut banks, overhanging tree lines, holes in lily pads, grass and any vegetation. Moreover, it's a deadly technique that works all season long early summer till fall. With patience, you can become proficient at pitching after some practice. It's unmatched as a way to trick bass. You can use a spinning or baitcasting rod both will work , preferably one with a faster, lighter tip , again we can argue about brands all day , I say pick out the one you like. It should be stout in the butt section to help with a solid hookset. Spinning gear is better used in shallow water and light cover situations. For big bass and heavy cover, baitcasting reels are a must. The additional length of a flipping rod is a disadvantage in pitching. For pitching Spinning rods can measure 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 feet long, casting rods 6 to 6 3/4 feet. I hope this helps, like was said these techniques take alittle pratice but get out there in the backyard for an hour or two and Im sure you will be hitting your targets with the greatest of ease ... tight lines B

Edited March 6, 2009 by capt bruce

[Dan668]

What ate some good baits to use

[capt bruce]

The baits of choice for flipping/ pitching are typically jigs and plastic worms. To limit your lure choices to these, however, is a serious error. Many of the biggest bass have fallen prey to a jig and frog combination. Worms, spinnerbaits, curly-tailed grubs, buzzbaits and rattling baits all will produce.

Jigs - They are weedless, penetrate cover easily and imitate a favorite bass food: crawfish. Jigs can be versatile. Their action and descent changes dramatically. A heavy jig with a little trailer will fall rapidly; conversely, a smaller jig with a large trailer will make many presentations possible. Generally, a heavier jig (over 1/2 ounce) is used for flipping. Pitching jigs start at 1/4 to 5/8 ounce. You can use a variety of pork and plastic trailers, depending on the situation.

Worms - Rigged weedless (Texas style) or on a leadhead, work well for both techniques. The slender shape of the plastic worm lends itself well in close quarters. Slim-shaped baits, incidentally, are popular with bass; long, thin objects appear easy to swallow. On entering the water, worms land gently and create less disturbance. Preferred colors are purple, black, red shad and motor oil. Sizes 5, 6, 7 and sometimes larger worms are preferable.

Spinnerbaits - Short-arm spinnerbaits are great drop-type baits for flipping and pitching. A single Colorado blade with a white or chartreuse/white skirt is a good choice. Again, drop can be controlled by the addition of the trailer. Short-arm spinners work well when flipped and pitched.

Oddball Baits - Tube jigs, lizards, Rat-L-Trap type baits, Slug-Go type soft baits, grubs and buzzbaits are a few of the many lures that can be pitched. The key is the bait's quiet entry and instant action. Bass act instinctively to a bait that appears and then begins a frightened retreat. Each lure has its place. Bass are opportunistic feeders. When food is present, they must make a choice either to strike or allow the intruder to escape. Bass - especially large bass - try to find flaws in lures. If there's no indication that the lure isn't real, the fish will readily strike. Silent lures, jigs, worms and grubs offer few clues to being artificial. For this reason, more fish are consistently caught on these types of lures. They become doubly deadly when presented using flipping and pitching methods.

Every angler encounters bass in neutral or negative feeding modes, fish in highly pressured water or simply lure-shy lunkers. In these situations, pitching and flipping catch more bass. Leave the casting and cranking to the beginners.

Edited March 6, 2009 by capt bruce

[OhioFisherman]

A pretty good run down by Capt Bruce, heavily pressured waters here and I also mixed in smaller baits, like say a crappie sized 1 1/2- 2 inch tube with a 1/16th ounce tube jig, a tough bite lure, a 4 inch ring worm on a 1/16th jighead also.

 

Don`t be afraid to mix it up what you think might be the best choice isn`t always.

[Maverick]

I mostly flip jig and pig, bigger tubes and texas rigged worms. HERE is the site where Capt Bruce is referencing from, might help with any further questions.

[Dan668]

bought an abu revo stx. nice reel imo. looked at the zillion but couldnt justify spending 100 more for it. tried the new curado, to small for my liking, felt weird in my hand, also felt sort of cheap cause some parts had a little of play. Other than that i still believe its great for the price at bps.

 

now im wondering if i should just get a $100 rod or go for something bigger. Sensitivity a plus when flipping and pitching?

[OhioFisherman]

danbob, my own opinion is you don`t need to break the bank on rods, the most expensive one I own cost about 100 bucks, a falcon flipping stick made for a spinning reel. My goal when choosing one is comfort and action, brand and price is secondary. A tool I was going to handle all day, I wanted one that felt right, and was comfortable for me.

 

Sensitivity? always nice, but you develop a feel I think with experience, not all hits are the same, some times a good solid bump, sometimes just a side motion in the line when there shouldn`t be one, sometimes the fish is swimming at you on the pickup. Just be alert, get an idea of what the lure feels like in the water, moving over junk and be aware of odd feelings they may be a fish.

 

Odd stuff happens out there on the water, I have had smallies in the spring come out of the water for a lure before it hit the water, pike grab a lure and swim right at me and the only clues I had were a slack line and I couldn`t see the lure, just the pike. Some times the lure just stops fallling in the water before it should hit bottom. Be alert and aware of what is going on.

 

Not really much difference other than a method of getting a lure accurately to where the fish hang out, with practice you should be able to set a 4x4 in the yard and lay the lure on either side of it, skip a lure under a dock, bush on shore overhanging the water. You can get to water some can`t, and fish like junk.