A Few Problems...

[lunker-lander]

Well, guys, I got my new reel yesterday and today I messed around Flippin' and Pitchin'. I pretty much got the Pitchin' down, but I'm having trouble Flippin'. The things I'm having troublw with are:

1) Backlash when lure touches down...
2) Getting a far, (7' +), flip...

I'm just practicing with some cheap, South Bend, 15 lb. test, and 1/2 oz. lead egg sinker.

Any tips for me?

-Lunk-

[JB]

the flip is when you take line out, and pendulum swing the lure to the water. Its more of a scenereo of taking a limited amount of line and putting it in the water, with perhaps a few feet at the most of free spooling. Keep your thumb on the spool and feather it till it stops when the lure hits. The pitch is probably where you are gettting the backlash...keep your thumb on the spool at all times when the line is letting out. With 1/2 ounce for practice, thats plenty heavy to get used to. its just a matter of putting tension on the line drop and keeping tension with your thumb on the spool, and getting the motion down of lowering the rod tip and then swinging up for the pitch...keep practising, its all in the thumb.

[carolina-rig-01]

yeah it's mainly all thumb. your problems are probably in your reel setting or not thumbing the line at the right time. also when you let go of the bait to make a pitch has a lot to do with distance. it's hard to describe, just keep tinkering with it and you will be hitting your targets before you know it.

[lunker-lander]

Thanks Guys!

I know the difference between the two, it's just flipping that's giving me the trouble. I can't seem to flip it right. I think I might be putting too much power into it; it always seems to snap back at me!

I'll keep trying.

-Lunk-

[jooleyen]

It snaps back at you? To me it sounds like you are grabbing the line with your left hand (assuming you use a reel with the handles on the right side) between the first rod guide and the reel, making the pendulum motion, and then letting the line go... If this is the case, don't let go of the line completely. Just swing the sinker gently and kind of *set it down* by bringing your left hand forward.(you should have slack in the line when you've completed a flip) I don't really think this is your problem though. You seem to know what to do.

[lunker-lander]

It truly doesn't "snap back" at me, it, (the weight), just pulls out all the line and "springs", back.

I tried it today and I think I'm getting a better idea of it. How should I have my brake settings and tension knob set?

-Lunk-

[senko]

Originally Posted by lunker-lander

It truly doesn't "snap back" at me, it, (the weight), just pulls out all the line and "springs", back.

I tried it today and I think I'm getting a better idea of it. How should I have my brake settings and tension knob set?

-Lunk-

Do you have the reel disengaged when you're flippin? The same thing happens to me when I try to flip in freespool. Thats why I just pull out as much line as I need and engage the reel. It works better with a longer rod.

[JB]

for the flip, practice taking out line and pull back to about your side pocket, then lower the rod tip while still holding the line, pull the rod tip up and let the lure swing, you can feather the entry of the lure by holding on to the line.

[lunker-lander]

This is how I understand the two techniques, and how I perform them...

Flip:

1) Pull out 15' (about) of line; take reel out of free spool position...
2) Stretch line in left hand out to side and drop rod tip for initial fall...
3) "Pop" rod tip up and feed line with left hand until target is reached (and rarely ever hit...lol)...

Pitch:

1) Let 8' of line out; put reel in free spool position; grab lure (3/4 oz. bullet sinker)...
2) Drop rod tip...
3) "Pop" rod tip up and release lure at the same tip...

OK - Now the problem I've been having with pitchin' is when I go to bring the rod tip up and "pitch" it, I don't get enough momentum behind the "lure" for it to go much further than 10'. Is this normal? Is my rod to long for me to get enough momentum?

-Lunk-

[BassMoJo]

Throw or toss or push the lure depending on how far you want it to go ...no matter how hard you throw it you should be able to use your thumb so you cant even tell it hit the water ...you well get use to it takes hours of practice on the water ..but when you do its a deadly tech. because you can put your bait on a neddle with lil or no distribance! practice makes prefect !

[weaverml34]

I'm not very good at Flippin' but I would say if your getting 10 feet on your flips your doing pretty good. Flippin' is close quarters hand to hand combat. The idea is to get your lure to enter the water as quietly as possible. Your not going to want to flip much more than ten feet. Anything beyond that I would go ahead and pitch.

[basskicker]

distance all has to do with your wrist.

[carolina-rig-01]

it sounds to me like you are taking your thumb off the spool too soon when you are pitching. basically the bait would be falling before it starts on its way up on the swing.....does this make sense? most all the advice you are getting on here is good but don't let it all confuse you. i would look for videos either buying them or watching them on the internet and watch someone else do it, that way you can see how to do it and not have understand by reading it. plus maybe you can see someone catch fish which is always fun.

[lunker-lander]

THANK YOU C-RIG!

The thing I think I have been forgetting to do was to drop my lure when I go to "pop" the rod tip back up. Normally, I would just release the lure and "pop" the tip at the exact same time. I think I need to release the lure, wait a second until the line/lure is at a 90* angle with the ground, and then "pop" the rod tip so it, (the lure), has some momentum. Thanks!

-Lunk-

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by lunker-lander

Thanks Guys!

I know the difference between the two, it's just flipping that's giving me the trouble. I can't seem to flip it right. I think I might be putting too much power into it; it always seems to snap back at me!

I'll keep trying.

-Lunk-

There is no "power" involved in flipping, at all. It is simply the pendelum action of your bait swinging through the cast. Your thumb should be close enough to the spool to actualy feel the line lightly as it comes off the spool. that way to stop the bait it will just be a light touch with your thumb. Fipping from ground level is too hard, get a tub or even the front deck of a boat to practice from. Above all, do not force the flip, it should be nice and easy. Flipping is a precision method, not a distance method. Once you master "pitching", however, you can increase your distance and your accuracy, but Flipping is up close and personal.

[lunker-lander]

Thanks!

I've been practicing and I think I'm finally getting it! I can now get my pitch out to about 15' simply! The thing I was doing wrong was releasing the lure and rod tip at the same time. Now, I drop the lure, wait until it, (my weight), is almost touching the ground, then "pop" the tip and let 'er fly. It really is a pin-point tactic!

-Lunk-

[carolina-rig-01]

you should find something to stand on when you practice. something that gets you off the ground about as high as a boat will get you off the water. just a thought.

[basskicker]

with some practice you should be able to get way more than 15'

[lunker-lander]

Thanks!

I now can Flip a good 12' like it's second nature! Thanks for the tips! I'll keep practicing!

-Lunk-