Art of Flipping versus Casting |
by Matt Desmarais
Casting into heavy structure, i.e. brush, logs, lily pads, standing timber, or any thick vegetation, can lead to an unintended catch of something other than a fish. Part of the problem is the environment and the difficulty of casting into tight areas. But a larger issue is effectively casting into thick environment with the confidence of having the lure land in the right spot where it can be the most effective.
Flipping a lure gives extra accuracy to fish around nearby structure where casting would be considered excessive. On average, an angler’s casting aim is rarely accurate. Even for the best angler, or at least the most intentioned, having a lure land just a couple of feet in any direction from the intended target can mean getting the lure caught when cast into dense cover. This is where the art of flipping comes into play.
When fishing into dense coverage the goal is to have the lure land in the right spot. This generally means the one location where a small opening in the water might have a nearby lunker suspended along the edge of the vegetation. A small opening of clear water is often a preferred spot for bass and pickerel to lie in wait for an unsuspected prey to scurry across in an attempt to reach the other side. Flipping allows the angler to land the lure right at the edge of the vegetation so that it can be retrieved across the open water with the goal of enticing a strike.
The Gear: Although any fishing rod can be used to flip, having a pole at least 7-feet long can give extra distance and accuracy. Any reel, whether a spinning or casting, is effective. The lure, however, has to be specific. When casting into heavy cover using a weedless lure is the most preferred as it will glide and maneuver around whatever is in its way without getting, “snagged.” The most effective weedless lure is a rubber worm rigged either Carolina style or Texas style. Other lures, especially rubber frogs, can also be rigged to be weedless and are very effective when cast into vegetation or around logs and stumps.
The Method: Start out by raising the rod with the tip high in the air and almost perpendicular to the ground. Next drop eight to nine feet of line from the tip to the lure. Take an additional arms length of line from the reel with your opposite hand and extend it out from the reel. Begin swinging the rod tip like a pendulum to create an arcing motion with the lure. Some anglers prefer to use their arm and shoulder to obtain the motion. Other anglers will use their wrists for a tighter flip, especially when trying to reach a closer targeted area. The swing should be smooth. When the lure gets close enough to your body, with a slight flick of the wrist, flip the lure on the outward motion.
At the lure’s greatest distance from the rod, gently allow the line in the opposite hand to slide through. Finally, lower the rod tip gently towards the water to steer the lure to the desired location.
This method is not designed for long distance casting or to cover as much surface water as possible. For most anglers, fishing open water means having the arm make a 180-degree cast in order to gain the greatest distance and thus maximize the lure’s time in the water to entice a fish to strike.
On the contrary, when fishing a lake or pond that has heavy cover the art of the flip can be the difference between landing a lunker and loosing a lot of lures to the nearby trees. It does require anglers to get closer to the intended spot as the flip is meant for accuracy and not distance. As a result fishing from a boat is the most effective as it allows anglers to get up close to where the big fish hover.
Flipping from a boat also means stealth and quiet. The goal is to get as close to the structure as possible, which means the chance of spooking the fish is greatly increased. Using a trolling motor or gently paddling close to the target area is paramount, and once there try to minimize your movement. Even the slightest noise can reverberate throughout the hull and be picked up by a fish’s keen sense. This is especially true for older, bigger fish that will simply turn and swim away. So have everything ready before heading out to the preferred spot and once there, gently pick up the already rigged rod and reel and start flipping.
With patience and practice an angler can master another method to reach fish. Heavy cover is usually avoided by novice anglers, especially those who have tried fishing it in the past and have lost a lot of their investment in the form of lures and line. But once this method is perfected anyone can look at a thick patch of vegetation or clumped timber forest and see an opportunity. Where once an angler would avoid this heavy structure, there is now the chance to truly experience fishing up close and personal.
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