All About Bass Fishing - Guide To Shallow Pitching and Flipping

Pitches are short to medium presentations somewhere between a flip and a cast. Use a motion of pitching the lure from a high-held rod tip which swings the lure toward the target. The key is precise placement of the lure into pockets within cover while keeping the boat back away from the cover. Flipping is a shorter, more direct motion to quietly present a lure deep in cover.

3 Most Important Factors About Shallow Pitching and Flipping

Pitching is accurate, underhand pitches of worms or soft-plastic baits to openings in cover.
Pitch or flip slow-falling baits near cover to create the ideal presentation.
Pitch or flip when it is bright and sunny and bass are holding tight to cover or in dirty water.

3 Most Effective Fishing Methods & Lures

Present worms or creature baits as close to cover as possible.
Keep one finger on the line to detect strikes as the lure free falls to the bottom.
Boat control is critical to keep from spooking the bass.

Pitching and flipping can get lures into the hard-to-access spots.

These techniques are ideal for catching bass when they are positioned in shallow cover but hesitant to come out of the cover to feed. As a rule, longer rods with heavier line are important for this method. These bass are usually in heavy cover and need to be horsed out quickly.

Accuracy is a must. The key to pitching is to practice enough that you can consistently place a lure in an opening the size of a cereal bowl. For all practical purposes you are flipping from a distance, allowing the lure to drop deep into the middle of cover. This is ideal for clear water or slightly stained water conditions.

Lure selection can vary from small worms to larger jigs and anything in between. Most often the lure is imitating crawfish. The use of bulky creature baits helps attract attention due to the vibrations as the lure moves lots of water during its fall. All lures should be rigged weedless or have weed guards on jig hooks.

In clear water it is important to keep some distance from the cover, while dirty water allows you to position the boat nearer the cover. The closer you are to the cover, the easier it can be to get big bass out of the cover.

All About Bass Fishing - Guide To Shallow Pitching and Flipping

3 Most Important Factors About Shallow Pitching and Flipping

3 Most Effective Fishing Methods & Lures

Pitching and flipping can get lures into the hard-to-access spots.

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