i'm new to bass fishing and was wondering if anybody can give tips on how to flip and pitch.
are there any differences between the two??
thanks,
sam
tips on flipping and pitching...
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RogerB
First, on flippin' (LONG)
Hi Sam,
Welcome to bassin'!
Best guidance on flippin' will come from Dee Thomas's video on the subject, available for rental from the Western Bass Library.
Best guidance on pitchin' will come from Skeet Reeses' video on the subject, also available for rent from the library.
Until you get the videos, let’s see if we can get you started, first with flippin’.
Flippin’ is a short line technique, usually from 12-15’. It’s excellent for probing dense cover (trees, bushes, weed-lines) and docks. Goal is a splash-less entry of the lure into the water, and an accurate presentation into a small target. It is best done when there is some color in the water so there is reduced visibility and less likelihood of spooking the fish from being so close to them.
Eventually, your practice target can be a coffee cup. I recommend you start with an old brick (or short length of 2x4). With the latter, you’ll know you’re getting a splash-less entry when you can keep the lure on the top of the brick (without bouncing off).
Flippin’ is best done with 7’ to 7 1/2’ rods (yes, you can do it with shorter rods, but it’s easier with the longer ones. Rods made for flippin’ are typically 7 ½’).
For a practice lure, use an old ½ to 3/4 ounce jig with the hook cut off or bent down so it can’t catch on anything (yes, you can use lighter lures, but it’s easier to learn with the heavier). Don’t practice with an exposed hook, because every cat in your neighborhood will be trying to catch the lure!
Flippin’ is a SWINGING technique, not a cast. During the process of flippin’, line will NOT pay off from the spool of your reel. The only line that comes into play is what you have pulled off the reel with your left hand (assuming you’re right-handed and holding the rod in your right hand).
At the beginning, hold your rod almost vertically in your right hand at about shoulder height in front of you, with your right arm comfortably bent. With your left hand, strip enough line off the reel to let the jig hang a rod’s length from the tip.
For starters, ‘til you get the feel of it, just lower the tip about three feet toward the front and notice how the jig swings out in front of you and gradually starts to rise at the end of the swing. Bring the rod back to almost vertical, with the jig dangling down to the left of the reel. This time lower the rod about six feet from vertical, and notice how the jig swings out toward the target, and again starts to rise at the end of the swing. The jig is swinging like a pendulum from the tip of the rod.
Next time, as you lower the rod, also extend your right hand straight forward. This will allow the jig to swing forward but not rise so much at the end of the swing. You want to time the movement forward of the rod so as to make the jig swing out initially in a curved, but then, from the bottom of the swing out, in a flat trajectory toward the target. Keep practicing this movement until you can swing the jig out in a flat trajectory and stop right on the target 14 to 15’ in front of you (rod’s length plus that much line from tip to jig). At the end of the swing, your rod will be parallel with the ground or pointed slightly down.
When you’ve got that movement down pat, then you can bring the left hand into play to achieve even more control over the swing of the jig. At the end of a swing, with your jig resting on or by the target, disengage the reel spool and with your left hand pull off an arm’s length of line from the reel by extending your left arm out to the left. Drop that line and reach up to the first guide (above the handle) and grab the line there. Pull on the line by extending your left arm out to the left as you raise the rod tip back to almost vertical to make the jig swing back toward you. Now, your starting position will be with the rod again almost vertical, jig dangling just to the left of the reel, and your left hand is holding the line while extended out to the left.
Again, practice swinging the jig out toward the target by lowering the rod tip, extending your right arm forward AND, toward the end of the swing, moving the left hand forward to make it even easier to keep the jig moving in a flat trajectory, parallel to the ground (or water), and controlling the distance of the cast even more accurately by controlling the forward motion of the jig with the left hand. As the jig approaches the target, gradually slow its forward motion with the left hand and stop it when it’s right over the target. Effective, accurate flippin’ is a coordinated action of both the right and left hands, using a fixed length of line (usually about the twice the length of the rod).
However, a very important part of the flippin’ presentation, beyond the accurate, splash-less entry, is having enough extra line to enable the jig to sink straight down in the water and into the cover after it lands. Having extra line pulled off the reel, and controlled by letting it slip through the fingers of the left hand, enables you to achieve the straight-down fall of the jig. Also, the left hand holding the line is how you can retrieve the lure, by pulling line in with the left hand, and how you can help detect strikes, by feeling the strike with the fingers of the left hand, in addition to watching the movement of the line.
Like anything else in the way of physical skills, to get proficient with flippin’ you need to practice, practice, practice. Fortunately, that can be done at home, in your driveway, backyard, or, with an understanding lady and a high-enough ceiling, even in the house. Pro bass angler Denny Brauer, who has won over 2 million dollars mostly from flippin’, relates how he spent most of a winter practicing his flippin’ in the house until he could drop his lure into a coffee cup on every flip.
Enjoy your practice, and keep it on the brick.
…RogerB
p.s. Next installment we'll get you started with pitchin'.
Welcome to bassin'!
Best guidance on flippin' will come from Dee Thomas's video on the subject, available for rental from the Western Bass Library.
Best guidance on pitchin' will come from Skeet Reeses' video on the subject, also available for rent from the library.
Until you get the videos, let’s see if we can get you started, first with flippin’.
Flippin’ is a short line technique, usually from 12-15’. It’s excellent for probing dense cover (trees, bushes, weed-lines) and docks. Goal is a splash-less entry of the lure into the water, and an accurate presentation into a small target. It is best done when there is some color in the water so there is reduced visibility and less likelihood of spooking the fish from being so close to them.
Eventually, your practice target can be a coffee cup. I recommend you start with an old brick (or short length of 2x4). With the latter, you’ll know you’re getting a splash-less entry when you can keep the lure on the top of the brick (without bouncing off).
Flippin’ is best done with 7’ to 7 1/2’ rods (yes, you can do it with shorter rods, but it’s easier with the longer ones. Rods made for flippin’ are typically 7 ½’).
For a practice lure, use an old ½ to 3/4 ounce jig with the hook cut off or bent down so it can’t catch on anything (yes, you can use lighter lures, but it’s easier to learn with the heavier). Don’t practice with an exposed hook, because every cat in your neighborhood will be trying to catch the lure!
Flippin’ is a SWINGING technique, not a cast. During the process of flippin’, line will NOT pay off from the spool of your reel. The only line that comes into play is what you have pulled off the reel with your left hand (assuming you’re right-handed and holding the rod in your right hand).
At the beginning, hold your rod almost vertically in your right hand at about shoulder height in front of you, with your right arm comfortably bent. With your left hand, strip enough line off the reel to let the jig hang a rod’s length from the tip.
For starters, ‘til you get the feel of it, just lower the tip about three feet toward the front and notice how the jig swings out in front of you and gradually starts to rise at the end of the swing. Bring the rod back to almost vertical, with the jig dangling down to the left of the reel. This time lower the rod about six feet from vertical, and notice how the jig swings out toward the target, and again starts to rise at the end of the swing. The jig is swinging like a pendulum from the tip of the rod.
Next time, as you lower the rod, also extend your right hand straight forward. This will allow the jig to swing forward but not rise so much at the end of the swing. You want to time the movement forward of the rod so as to make the jig swing out initially in a curved, but then, from the bottom of the swing out, in a flat trajectory toward the target. Keep practicing this movement until you can swing the jig out in a flat trajectory and stop right on the target 14 to 15’ in front of you (rod’s length plus that much line from tip to jig). At the end of the swing, your rod will be parallel with the ground or pointed slightly down.
When you’ve got that movement down pat, then you can bring the left hand into play to achieve even more control over the swing of the jig. At the end of a swing, with your jig resting on or by the target, disengage the reel spool and with your left hand pull off an arm’s length of line from the reel by extending your left arm out to the left. Drop that line and reach up to the first guide (above the handle) and grab the line there. Pull on the line by extending your left arm out to the left as you raise the rod tip back to almost vertical to make the jig swing back toward you. Now, your starting position will be with the rod again almost vertical, jig dangling just to the left of the reel, and your left hand is holding the line while extended out to the left.
Again, practice swinging the jig out toward the target by lowering the rod tip, extending your right arm forward AND, toward the end of the swing, moving the left hand forward to make it even easier to keep the jig moving in a flat trajectory, parallel to the ground (or water), and controlling the distance of the cast even more accurately by controlling the forward motion of the jig with the left hand. As the jig approaches the target, gradually slow its forward motion with the left hand and stop it when it’s right over the target. Effective, accurate flippin’ is a coordinated action of both the right and left hands, using a fixed length of line (usually about the twice the length of the rod).
However, a very important part of the flippin’ presentation, beyond the accurate, splash-less entry, is having enough extra line to enable the jig to sink straight down in the water and into the cover after it lands. Having extra line pulled off the reel, and controlled by letting it slip through the fingers of the left hand, enables you to achieve the straight-down fall of the jig. Also, the left hand holding the line is how you can retrieve the lure, by pulling line in with the left hand, and how you can help detect strikes, by feeling the strike with the fingers of the left hand, in addition to watching the movement of the line.
Like anything else in the way of physical skills, to get proficient with flippin’ you need to practice, practice, practice. Fortunately, that can be done at home, in your driveway, backyard, or, with an understanding lady and a high-enough ceiling, even in the house. Pro bass angler Denny Brauer, who has won over 2 million dollars mostly from flippin’, relates how he spent most of a winter practicing his flippin’ in the house until he could drop his lure into a coffee cup on every flip.
Enjoy your practice, and keep it on the brick.
…RogerB
p.s. Next installment we'll get you started with pitchin'.
-
RogerB
Next, on pitchin' (LONG)
Pitchin’ was developed to achieve most of the advantages of flippin’ (accuracy, splashless entry, etc.) but from a greater distance, up to 30+’ or so. This allows presentations to similar shoreline cover from a greater distance and therefore when the water is clearer. Fish will be less inclined to be spooked because you can remain out of their cone of vision.
Pitchin’ is actually a casting technique, so you’ll be letting line run off the spool under the control of your thumb during a pitch. You can use the same practice lure and target as you did for flippin’ practice. Learning pitchin’ will be easier with a heavier jig, rather than a light one. Place the target initially only about 18-20’ in front of you. You’re going to start with short pitches and gradually increase the length as you become proficient with the timing required.
To get started, again hold the rod almost vertical and let the line out to the top of the rod handle (eventually, you’ll adjust the length of line you start with to whatever works best for you, given your height, arm length, etc.). Keep the reel disengaged, with your right thumb on the reel spool to control the line. Grasp the jig in your left hand (mostly with the thumb and forefinger) and lower your left hand to a position in front of your lower abdomen. Hold the rod with your right arm extended to the front at about shoulder height, pointing down toward the target. There should be no slack between the tip of the rod and the jig in your left hand.
Now aim your pitch. Do that by moving the rod tip to the left or right, up or down, until the line between the jig and the rod tip points directly at or slightly above the target. That establishes an imaginary line along which your jig will desirably travel on its way to the target.
Next, imagine a vertical pane of glass your height standing on the ground between you and the target, and extended up through the line between the jig and the rod tip and the imaginary line out to the target. That establishes a vertical plane within which you will be moving the rod tip to keep your cast on target.
Now visualize the pitch cast (before you try it!): You’ll raise the rod tip vertically, keeping it within the imaginary pane of glass. This will pull the jig out of your loose grasp and start it on its way toward the target, along your imaginary target line. As you continue to raise the rod tip within the imaginary glass pane, the lure will be traveling with increasing speed toward the target. You’ll loosen the pressure of your right thumb on the reel spool so the line can be pulled off the spool by the forward motion of the jig. You’ll want to feather the spool with your right thumb lightly so you can stop the rotation of the spool if it starts to overrun, or when the jig gets to the target.
There are basically four things that can happen:
1 – You don’t raise the rod tip enough, so when the lure is pulled from your grasp it heads for the ground in front of you, with no chance of reaching the target. Put your right thumb back on the spool, to stop an overrun (backlash). That’s an aborted pitch, so start over, and adjust your raising of the rod tip.
2 - You raise the rod too quickly or too far, which pulls the jig from your grasp and launches it on a high trajectory toward the target, well above your imaginary target line. While it may make it to the target, it will land with a loud splash, defeating a main purpose of pitchin’. Also, if the jig is launched too quickly, it will start pulling the line off the reel too quickly and the spool will probably overrun. Again, start over.
3 - You raise the rod just right, the jig is pulled from your grasp and proceeds along or slightly above your imaginary target line. The smooth acceleration of the jig starts the line coming off the reel smoothly, and the line pays out as the jig heads for the target. As the jig approaches the target, you can use a combination of moving the rod tip and feathering the line coming off the reel spool to cause the jig to land precisely on target, with little bounce (or splash). That’s a good pitch – congratulations!
4 – You raise the rod to the left or the right of the vertical plane. That launches the jig to the left or right of the target line. Depending on how far off the vertical plane you initially move the rod, you may or may not be able to manipulate the flight of the jig, by moving the rod to the right or left, to bring the jig back onto the target line. If not, you may miss the target to the left or right.
As you can tell from the above scenarios, pitchin’ is all about timing. If the timing is right, the pitch is smooth and on target. If the timing is off, you’ll likely get overruns (backlashes) and have the lure going anyplace but where you want it to go. Again, finding that right timing is a matter of practice, practice, and more practice. Start with short pitches to get the feel of a smooth, properly timed pitch and gradually increase the length of the pitch as you become comfortable with the timing of the rod motion and control of the line paying out from your reel. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get the hang of it right away. Keep trying it. All of a sudden you’ll do it right, you’ll feel what a properly executed pitch is, and from then on it will be a “piece of cake.â€
Pitchin’ is actually a casting technique, so you’ll be letting line run off the spool under the control of your thumb during a pitch. You can use the same practice lure and target as you did for flippin’ practice. Learning pitchin’ will be easier with a heavier jig, rather than a light one. Place the target initially only about 18-20’ in front of you. You’re going to start with short pitches and gradually increase the length as you become proficient with the timing required.
To get started, again hold the rod almost vertical and let the line out to the top of the rod handle (eventually, you’ll adjust the length of line you start with to whatever works best for you, given your height, arm length, etc.). Keep the reel disengaged, with your right thumb on the reel spool to control the line. Grasp the jig in your left hand (mostly with the thumb and forefinger) and lower your left hand to a position in front of your lower abdomen. Hold the rod with your right arm extended to the front at about shoulder height, pointing down toward the target. There should be no slack between the tip of the rod and the jig in your left hand.
Now aim your pitch. Do that by moving the rod tip to the left or right, up or down, until the line between the jig and the rod tip points directly at or slightly above the target. That establishes an imaginary line along which your jig will desirably travel on its way to the target.
Next, imagine a vertical pane of glass your height standing on the ground between you and the target, and extended up through the line between the jig and the rod tip and the imaginary line out to the target. That establishes a vertical plane within which you will be moving the rod tip to keep your cast on target.
Now visualize the pitch cast (before you try it!): You’ll raise the rod tip vertically, keeping it within the imaginary pane of glass. This will pull the jig out of your loose grasp and start it on its way toward the target, along your imaginary target line. As you continue to raise the rod tip within the imaginary glass pane, the lure will be traveling with increasing speed toward the target. You’ll loosen the pressure of your right thumb on the reel spool so the line can be pulled off the spool by the forward motion of the jig. You’ll want to feather the spool with your right thumb lightly so you can stop the rotation of the spool if it starts to overrun, or when the jig gets to the target.
There are basically four things that can happen:
1 – You don’t raise the rod tip enough, so when the lure is pulled from your grasp it heads for the ground in front of you, with no chance of reaching the target. Put your right thumb back on the spool, to stop an overrun (backlash). That’s an aborted pitch, so start over, and adjust your raising of the rod tip.
2 - You raise the rod too quickly or too far, which pulls the jig from your grasp and launches it on a high trajectory toward the target, well above your imaginary target line. While it may make it to the target, it will land with a loud splash, defeating a main purpose of pitchin’. Also, if the jig is launched too quickly, it will start pulling the line off the reel too quickly and the spool will probably overrun. Again, start over.
3 - You raise the rod just right, the jig is pulled from your grasp and proceeds along or slightly above your imaginary target line. The smooth acceleration of the jig starts the line coming off the reel smoothly, and the line pays out as the jig heads for the target. As the jig approaches the target, you can use a combination of moving the rod tip and feathering the line coming off the reel spool to cause the jig to land precisely on target, with little bounce (or splash). That’s a good pitch – congratulations!
4 – You raise the rod to the left or the right of the vertical plane. That launches the jig to the left or right of the target line. Depending on how far off the vertical plane you initially move the rod, you may or may not be able to manipulate the flight of the jig, by moving the rod to the right or left, to bring the jig back onto the target line. If not, you may miss the target to the left or right.
As you can tell from the above scenarios, pitchin’ is all about timing. If the timing is right, the pitch is smooth and on target. If the timing is off, you’ll likely get overruns (backlashes) and have the lure going anyplace but where you want it to go. Again, finding that right timing is a matter of practice, practice, and more practice. Start with short pitches to get the feel of a smooth, properly timed pitch and gradually increase the length of the pitch as you become comfortable with the timing of the rod motion and control of the line paying out from your reel. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get the hang of it right away. Keep trying it. All of a sudden you’ll do it right, you’ll feel what a properly executed pitch is, and from then on it will be a “piece of cake.â€
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mac (Doyle McEwen)
Re: Next, on pitchin' (LONG)
Roger, clear, concise and useable instructions..I don't think I have ever read any better, including my own..Thanks for putting the effort into these explanations..
mac
mac
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Cooch
Excellent detail Roger!
Let me add one key tip that always gets overlooked by the begginer, novice and accomplished flippers and pitchers as well. When your excersizing that pendulum motion of lowering the rod tip to swing yer bait out, concentrate on using your wrist and not your whole arm and or shoulder.
Doing this will accomplish two things for you, first and formost, constant low trejectory. When you use your whole arm and shoulder, your rod tip typically will be pointing higher in the air and your bait will follow.
And secondly, is the fatigue factor. You will save a lot of wear and tear on yer elbow and shoulder when using you wrist for this. You will tire easily if your flippen all day using your arm and shoulder.
Mechanically, you need to learn to pitch and flip, keeping this motion in your wrist.
Cooch
Doing this will accomplish two things for you, first and formost, constant low trejectory. When you use your whole arm and shoulder, your rod tip typically will be pointing higher in the air and your bait will follow.
And secondly, is the fatigue factor. You will save a lot of wear and tear on yer elbow and shoulder when using you wrist for this. You will tire easily if your flippen all day using your arm and shoulder.
Mechanically, you need to learn to pitch and flip, keeping this motion in your wrist.
Cooch
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Wolfeman
Same for Vertical Challenged
Bassmeout is right about folks that are 6+ using an 8 footer. But they work very well for 5'7" folks too. 
I recently was able to borrow a Kistler 8ft telescopic LTA model for a day on the Delta (thanks Long), and I was blown away with the versatility of that rod.
I was able to not only flip with great ease, but pitching and even side-arm casting with great accuracy were equally doable.
This is a great rod. I only wish I could afford one.
- Wolfeman
I recently was able to borrow a Kistler 8ft telescopic LTA model for a day on the Delta (thanks Long), and I was blown away with the versatility of that rod.
I was able to not only flip with great ease, but pitching and even side-arm casting with great accuracy were equally doable.
This is a great rod. I only wish I could afford one.
- Wolfeman
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Long
Expanding on your tip Cooch...
I learned a tip from Randy Pringle a long time during one of his seminars at Mel Cotton's that helps anglers use their wrist to pitch and flip. Simply place any object under your armpit. You'll know you're not using your wrist when the object falls.
When you get the hang of it, then you can extend your arm out with a pitch/flip while using your wrist. It'll add some more distance.
Have fun.
Long
When you get the hang of it, then you can extend your arm out with a pitch/flip while using your wrist. It'll add some more distance.
Have fun.
Long
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Cooch
Yup, when on the water....
with angler's, I'll grab their arm and tuck it to thier side and hold it there, even gone as far with one guy ta strap it to him with his belt! HAR! That's a good one Long from Randy, I'm gonna try that next time and I'm gonna use my clients bag of Senkos to put under his arm pit. Lose that bag of Senkos and yer done! HAR!HAR! HAR!
Cooch
Cooch
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