I am curious on what you all like on your Pitchin/Flippin Set ups.   I was using a 7’6” heavy extra fast and losing some fish.   Not a rod I am sure has a great use being heavy and extra fast.  I think it was due to the lack of forgiveness in that rod blank and braid combo.  I was using 50 lb. braid And 1/2 oz. Texas rig as well since it was in heavier vegetation.  My question is:  Do you prefer a MH fast rod (Seth Feider mentioned he switched to that with braid to leader) or a heavy moderate or moderate fast rod while Flippin/pitchin?   Also, do you use straight braid, braid to leader (like Feider, Tactical), or other?   Just wondering about losing fish.    I am going to use a couple other rods tomorrow and see if my landing ratio improves.   Thanks. 

I use a 7'6 heavy with 50 or 65 lb. Braid most of the time.  I'm fine with it.  Some times a leader, most of the time not.  

 

The thing you have to remember is the qualities of braid.  It has worked for some people.to drop to a mh.  I think alot of it is TIMING.  Braid has near zero stretch... alot of it for me is a timing issue.. easy to pull q hook out with a heavy or x heavy and braid.  Spend time with your gear and get used to it.  

 

 

Double check how your are rigging your Texas rigs.  I find If I thread the worm or plastic too deep it balls up.  So generally I go in a 1/8th inch or so and come out...I also use a small knot and straight shank hook on flipping and punch set ups.  I dont think it is the rod....could be a dozen more variables

***Snell knot

I use a heavy/xfast with 80# braid for all punching. 
A heavy/fast with 20# flouro for heavy to moderate cover. 
Both combos have served me well for years, no complaints or concerns. 

 

I wouldn’t even consider using a leader!

 

 

 

Mike

Thanks guys.  I seem to hook the fish, but they are coming lose on the way in.  Sometimes right at boat side.  This is not a punching situation really.  More pitching to milfoil.   No mats on top or anything.  I am glad to hear you feel the rod is ok.  Maybe I just had a bad couple days of keeping fish pinned.  I am going to bring that rod and a couple others out tomorrow and see what I can figure out.  
I am also trying to figure out what to buy for a new pitching flipping rod.  

I fish a lot of grass and I never use braid. I prefer 20 lb fluoro and just check my line often. I don't really do any punching but am in the grass a lot with my baits. I can see how id have to adjust if I went to straight braid because I crack it hard with my current setup. With the lack of stretch in braid I could see ripping holes in their mouths and losing some.  Maybe try a less aggressive hook set or the med heavy rod and see what happens 

I use a lot of strait braid, not exclusively but close. For pitching in grass I’m straight braid, 40lb, and 3/4oz jig or punch rig or less I’m using a mh st. Croix, which might be stiff to some, but not at all for me. What hook are you using? I might have missed that. If you are having trouble with a straight shank try an ewg superline. The weed guard on a jig should help keep the hook in. I loose more on the heavy weights than I do the light weights, I feel the weight can work against you and I think the fish has a tendency to hit the heavy weight rigs fast, and also spit them fast. Anything 1oz or heavier I go to a heavy st. Croix. Dial back the hook set. Not sure your reel ratio, I use an 8:1 to take up slack quick.

I have 2 pitching rods, and they're at almost opposite sides of the spectrum as far as actions go. 

 

My heavy jig/ heavy cover rod is a broom stick. I want to make sure I get those huge hooks buried good, then horse em in quick. 

 

My other rod is almost right in between a fast and moderate. It gets used for lighter baits and not having much cover to fight through. I don't have to worry about them making a run and spitting the hook because the rod wouldn't give. 

 

I use straight fluoro, because I have almost zero vegetation in my lakes, but tons of brush and rock. 

24 minutes ago, r83srock said:

I use a lot of strait braid, not exclusively but close. For pitching in grass I’m straight braid, 40lb, and 3/4oz jig or punch rig or less I’m using a mh st. Croix, which might be stiff to some, but not at all for me. What hook are you using? I might have missed that. If you are having trouble with a straight shank try an ewg superline. The weed guard on a jig should help keep the hook in. I loose more on the heavy weights than I do the light weights, I feel the weight can work against you and I think the fish has a tendency to hit the heavy weight rigs fast, and also spit them fast. Anything 1oz or heavier I go to a heavy st. Croix. Dial back the hook set. Not sure your reel ratio, I use an 8:1 to take up slack quick.

Sorry.  I forgot to mention the hook.  I was using a super line EWG and also tried a regular EWG.  I agree on the jig helping but hate the weeds it grabs, even with the weed guard.  I was wondering about the heavier weights as well.  

 

17 minutes ago, Smalls said:

I have 2 pitching rods, and they're at almost opposite sides of the spectrum as far as actions go. 

 

My heavy jig/ heavy cover rod is a broom stick. I want to make sure I get those huge hooks buried good, then horse em in quick. 

 

My other rod is almost right in between a fast and moderate. It gets used for lighter baits and not having much cover to fight through. I don't have to worry about them making a run and spitting the hook because the rod wouldn't give. 

 

I use straight fluoro, because I have almost zero vegetation in my lakes, but tons of brush and rock. 

I am going to try a couple rods that are quite different tomorrow.  The milfoil can be a struggle to get them out of at times.  
 

I have some experimenting to do.  Unfortunately it will be during a 9 hour tourney tomorrow.  Hopefully I can keep them pinned and get them in the boat.  Maybe I just had a bad couple days with the bite being weird or something.  
 

Thanks!!

1 hour ago, Fishin Dad said:

Thanks guys.  I seem to hook the fish, but they are coming lose on the way in.  Sometimes right at boat side.  This is not a punching situation really.  More pitching to milfoil.   No mats on top or anything.  I am glad to hear you feel the rod is ok.  Maybe I just had a bad couple days of keeping fish pinned.  I am going to bring that rod and a couple others out tomorrow and see what I can figure out.  
I am also trying to figure out what to buy for a new pitching flipping rod.  

Keep the tension on them.  Try not to give them an inch.  Out and into your grip or net is the way I do it, and I will absolutely high stick my 7'6" Heavy Fast with 50# braid to 17 and 20 pound leaders to keep the fish on the hook.

 

When I first started fishing my heavy I was hitting the fish so hard it would almost always cause them to run towards me, so as soon as I swing my reel handle starts spinning.  I was losing fish before I started reeling with the fish.

 

Pressure them and crank.  You have the gear to man handle most bass.

23 minutes ago, Fishin Dad said:

Sorry.  I forgot to mention the hook.  I was using a super line EWG and also tried a regular EWG.  I agree on the jig helping but hate the weeds it grabs, even with the weed guard.  I was wondering about the heavier weights as well.  

 

I am going to try a couple rods that are quite different tomorrow.  The milfoil can be a struggle to get them out of at times.  
 

I have some experimenting to do.  Unfortunately it will be during a 9 hour tourney tomorrow.  Hopefully I can keep them pinned and get them in the boat.  Maybe I just had a bad couple days with the bite being weird or something.  
 

Thanks!!

Good luck!

7'6" H Moderate braid to FC leader for pitching jigs and a 7'11" XH Fast straight braid for pitching/punching soft plastics. Both work well for me.

7’6 Heavy fast tatula Flipping rod with 50 lb braid. Love it if I get a bite I usually catch the fish.

HXF, straight 50 lb braid. 7'9" for flippin and a 7'4" HF for pitching, and light punching usually on 20 lb mono, or 50 lb braid if the cover is thick.

This year I have bought a 7'6" H/F flipping rod and I use it with either straight 65lb braid or 17lb fluorocarbon, depending on what I'm throwing it into. Now, I haven't got to fish it too much as I haven't fished heavy cover spots all too often this year and I think all of the jig fish I caught have been on other rods although I could be wrong on that, but I see no reason why I would have any issues with it. It's clearly not an extra fast rod and there is a little bend in the tip, roughly normal I'd say for a fast tip.

 

If there aren't a lot of weeds, I will usually drag or pop a jig and I have no problem fishing a 3/8oz (occasionally 1/2oz) jig on my MH/XF rod with 17lb fluorocarbon. I have lost a few but for the most part my hookup to bite ratio is pretty good. I used to have the 7'1" Tatula H/F rod that I would use in the same situations and it cast beautifully as well, but a few weeks ago my kid lost that rod and the replacement arrived damaged so the past month or so has been on my MH/XF.

 

As far as line, the new Tatulas have thin guides so braid to leader doesn't work out too well, but my take is that in thick weeds, the leader is only going to be a liability anyway so I prefer to use straight braid and if I'm not in weeds, I have a reel with 17lb flurorocarbon that I can use.

I use a 6'9" mh-xf casting rod with 30lb braid to 14lb leader. My hook up ratio is pretty good, the ones I miss are either the plastic got bunched up on the hook or the bass didn't have it the bait all the way in his mouth. I seem to prefer xf action even with braid to leader, same with my spinning set up. Just adjust your hook sets and drag a bit lighter and you should be good to go. 

Well interesting.  Glad to hear the rod should work well.  It is ready for tournament Sunday!  I had looked at Mudhole at pitching/flipping rods and the series is all moderate fast action.  That led me to believe the XF might be a problem.  
 

Thanks for the encouragement and well wishes!!  Looking for a good bag tomorrow!!

11 minutes ago, Fishin Dad said:

Well interesting.  Glad to hear the rod should work well.  It is ready for tournament Sunday!  I had looked at Mudhole at pitching/flipping rods and the series is all moderate fast action.  That led me to believe the XF might be a problem.  
 

Thanks for the encouragement and well wishes!!  Looking for a good bag tomorrow!!

Some people do prefer moderate rods for jigs - I'm not one of them. I would typically go with plain old H/F as a little bit of bend doesn't hurt, but I don't think an extra fast tip is going to be a deal breaker either. (Yes the MH rod I use for jigs has a extra fast tip, but it's really not all that extra fast and it's a med. heavy too so even if it was, the lighter power negates that imo).

 

The one thing to keep in mind with an extra fast tip is that if you set the hook as soon as you see your line go tight you could risk pulling it out of their mouthes. I can attest that I've done this quite a few times, although it's generally not a problem fishing a jig for finicky fish anyway - many fish are lost when people set the hook after feeling the fish spit the lure so the opposite is more true if anything. Usually if I see my line go tight, a solid hookset gets me a fish, and if I see my line moving erratically in the water then I've got myself a fish.

Update:   Fished today and didn’t lose a fish!   Thanks for your advise everyone.   I set the hook and just started cranking.  Giving them no time to do anything silly.  Boated flipoed most of them in.  Worked great.  Hope it wasn’t just a lucky day.  Feeling way better about it though.  
 

I appreciate it. 

14 hours ago, Glenn said:

Thanks Glenn!  Your site is really unbelievable.  I can honestly say I owe a lot of what I know to Bassresource.  Your knowledge, the members willingness to help, and the fact that moderators keep content appropriate and on track is awesome!   
 

This is just my long over due !!!!!

Nice!  I'm glad to hear it and glad my advice of no mercy, no quarter handled your problem.

On 8/8/2020 at 10:28 AM, Michigander said:

7'6" H Moderate braid to FC leader for pitching jigs and a 7'11" XH Fast straight braid for pitching/punching soft plastics. Both work well for me.

I’ve got my eye on the expride 7’11 xh, for punching and flipping. Torn between that and the 7’7” H. 

I think most guys go too heavy with their rods they also fish weights that are too heavy. I also don’t peg nearly as often as most and I believe that’s part of the reason why I get more bites and rarely lose a fish pitching and flipping. I’ve lost fish that I shouldn’t have with a heavy weight pegged to the bait. The only time I peg is when I’m punching grass or flipping nasty wood. As far as line goes I fish 15lb berkley big game mono whenever I can, but by mid June-early July most of the lakes I fish are choked out with grass which forces me to fish 50lb braid. 

On 8/12/2020 at 5:42 PM, Chris Carey said:

I’ve got my eye on the expride 7’11 xh, for punching and flipping. Torn between that and the 7’7” H. 

I like having the "big gun" of the 7'11" XH but I use my 7'5" H waaayyyy more as it's a much more versatile rod. Spend your money on the rod you will use the most.

17 hours ago, Michigander said:

I like having the "big gun" of the 7'11" XH but I use my 7'5" H waaayyyy more as it's a much more versatile rod. Spend your money on the rod you will use the most.

Ya, I have a 7’3” xh for frogging and I can punch and flip with it but I’d rather just have a frog on it all the time. I’m sure the 7’7” H would have got the job done but I pulled the trigger on the xh. It will be here Monday. ?