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What kinda rod you all use for flippin? Length?

Skeeter, I never have gotten onto the flippin' stick bandwagon. The first one I tried was seven feet long which was uncomfortable for me. The first fish I hooked, the extended handle got caught in my shirt and cost me the fish.
It was a telescoping rod, the blank slid down into the handle for staorage. One day I decided I should give it another try, but with a modification. I cut about four inches off the handle. The problem was, I didn't extend it first so I cut the rod blank too which made the hole too big and the blank fell out of the handle the first cast. Yeah, I know-(what a Bozo)!! Live and learn.
I do all my flippin' and pitchin with a six foot, six inch spinning rod. No problems. Good luck, Johnnie :rolleyes:

Skeeter,

I learned how to flip when I was ten years old from my uncle. There's nothing that I love more than breaking out the old hawg stick and going to work. (except maybe a good topwater bite) I learned on a 7' heavy action rod and have since went to a 7'6" heavy action. I really like the heavy action to horse the fish out when you stick em since all my flipping is in thick heavy brush. The longer rod helps me to get more distance out of the flip. Getting the right motion is like anything it takes lots of practice. I only flip when conditions are right. Like shallow heavily stained or muddy water. In clear water I prefer a pitch cast due to the visibility factor. If the fish are shallow and holding tight to cover flipping is the way to go. Happy Flipping

Robert

Skeeter,

I spend as much time as I can flipping and pitching. I use a few rods for these techniques:

For Pitching, Skipping, Flipping and open water Casting I use a one piece 7' Heavy action, Fast Taper, St. Croix Avid Series (AC70HF). It is by far the most versatile rod I have ever used for jig, flipping tube and other compact presentations. It works great for swimming a jig, and has the enough back bone to move really big bass. Although this rod is really tuff, it is very light weight and extremely sensitive. For the money, I have not found anything that performs quite like the AC70HF. (I own 2 of these rods and I am thinking of ordering a 3rd).

However, when Flipping' extremely heavy cover such as matted weeds, water chestnuts, bull rush, ect., with a lure that weighs 3/4 oz and over, I like the telescopic 7' 10" heavy action Avid Series (AC710HF). This rod is not a great casting rod, but it really shines when you have less than 20' of line out.

I hope you find this helpful... Good luck with whatever you choose. Functionality and comfort are the two most important elements when choosing a rod. If you can find someone who owns one of these rods, see if they would let you try it out, before you buy it.

BC

Thanks guys. I have been practicing in the yard with a 6' rod. Guess that explains why I can not get much distance. I will get a 7 footer soon then.

Im having bad withdrawals here. Havent gotten to fish ALL week. Just been too dang hot, and sinse I work outside, I am ready for the a/c when I get home.

I bought a Moonlight though I need to try out tonight.

SkeeterZx202c, I do it alot in the spring down here in Missouri when the fish are on the beds and I'm flipping a tube on the beds.. My weapon of choice is a 7'0 (XLS70HRP) Custom Jim Grandt Rod, this rod had 78 million modules of graphite and a power reserve back bone.. Which is a very light weight golf shaft installed in the lower section of the rod. Very light weight and with even more sensitivity and much stronger than others.. Brendan need to try this one someday, you will give up your St Croix like I did..

But find one that feels good to you, to heavy and you will never use it, to small and you have no distance, keep looking around you will find the best for you..

Good Fishing

Good stuff on the rods, I fish in the idael environment for flippin' and pitchin' here on the big river. Shallow dirty water with tons of cover. Guess I better get up to date and get another rod. Have usded an Avid series, it did feel GOOD! I guess one reason I've never switched is the size of the bass we catch, it is extremely rare to catch a five pounder, anything less, we just swing over the side of the boat. Good posts, keep them coming. Johnnie

I use a 7'10 Fenwick with the collapsing handle Jonnie loves to hate. I’ve had it for years, it’s outdated, beat up, heavy, has the action of a pool cue.

And I love it, for flipping! and only for flipping as in the original method when the reel is simply a place to store line. It has an Ambassadeur 5000CD on it, which I bought with the rod. Lined with 50LB tuffline, for now. It survived many trips to Lake Fork. Canyon Lake and Amistad, snatched some heavy fish out of really nasty cover. And lost as many that I couldn’t turn. When the fish hole up tight in thick shallow cover I break that sucker out.

A partner I had a few years ago made the comment that if I couldn’t yank em in with it, at least I could wade in and beat em to death with it.

Pitching? Falcon 6'8" MH, very fast tip, lots of guts in the lower 2/3'ds line varies according to cover and water conditions. Reels vary according to line size and whatever’s in my tackle bag.

Richard.

Never thought of it for bashing bass! I once owned an old Lew's Speed Stick that surely was a pool cue with eyes! Man that thing was thick and solid. Probbably would still be using it if I hadn't dropped it over the side of the boat.

Been gone for awhile, and find the posts interesting. Never learned to flip because of the water I fish. Pitching usualy covers all the bases, but I've never used a heavy act. rod. Can't believe that would make any difference in pitching, But I'd like to hear about. carl