Flipping and Pitching

    Learning to pitch and flip can be easy, it just takes practice.  Try getting a 5 gal. bucket or another sturdy structure that will support your weight and put it out in the yard.  Stand on top of that with your rod and reel and practice with a 1/2 oz jig.  Set up pie tins in a half circle around you at different distances.  Pull off some line between the first eye and reel, and practice letting it go for a vertical fall.  When you are flipping on the water, you want to lower the rod tip as fast as possible after the lure hits the water because flipping is a reaction bite and it will happen on the fall.

    Basically, if you have your rod tip up high, there will be little room for a hook set.  If you have it low or pointing to the target, when that line jumps, you can cross their eyes.  Start out with the pie tins and after you get the hang of it, use coffee cups.  Also practice pitching from the same set up.

    Is it raining out?  You can still pitch into cups in the living room when you get a little fishing crazy.  Pitching will give you about the same presentation as flipping, but pitching can be done farther away from targets.  The key is a silent drop into the water.  The main difference with a pitch is that it will be on a tighter line so the lure will not drop right next to the target as with flipping.  But if you lower the rod and strip line a couple of times, you can get it to fall next to the target.

    An 8 ft rod is commonly used for flipping, though some use a 7' 6".  Use what feels comfortable to you and fits your height.  For all around use try using a 7' rod in a good medium heavy action, this rig can be very versatile and can be used to flip, pitch and skip.  Another thing to consider is the bait you are using when these techniques are used.

    If you have a bait that requires a lot of tail action, falling on a tight line will help.  Most people use jigs a lot, but sometimes there are other baits that will get more bites.  Senkos and large worms/grubs also work well.  Try using a pegged weight or a Florida rig type weight when not using a jig.  This keeps the weight against the bait, and makes the tail work for you with no effort.  Strikes come on the fall when the bait swims back to the bottom. 

     Remember, flip anything that you see to practice.  When you can, get on the water and do not take anything but your flipping rod and a jig.  If you take only that one rod out with you, it will force you to use that technique and you will learn how to do that much faster.  The best way to learn how to use any of the techniques that your not familiar with, is one at a time until they become second hand.