Well I've been bass fishing for about three years now and I've finally been having some success, much of which was due to the help of the members of this forum early on.  So now, I feel that I'm in a new learning stage beyond the basics and need some help with technique.  I've gotten pretty good at casting and flipping accurately, but I still cannot consistently get the bait into the water without a splash, especially when casting at a distance.  Can somebody break down the technique in making a quiet entry?

Cast sidearm. Keep the lure at a low trajectory. As it gets close to the water slow it down with you thumb and then stop it before it touches down. Then quickly move you rod tip toward the lure. Think of it as placing the lure in the water instead of casting it.

Cast sidearm. Keep the lure at a low trajectory. As it gets close to the water slow it down with you thumb and then stop it before it touches down. Then quickly move you rod tip toward the lure. Think of it as placing the lure in the water instead of casting it.

This pretty much covers it.  I call it "feathering" the lure into the water.  Comes with mucho practice.  I watched Dan Morehead during a BASS tx casting spinnerbaits into holes in bushes that weren't hardly bigger than the lure itself, and there was never so much as a drop of water made a splash.     Now THAT'S CASTING!

First off the information in this thread is correct with the exception I do it overhand; secondly I don't worry too much about a little splash. The majority of the time it doesn't bother the bass but rather help it locate your bait.

Y'all ever make a cast only to have a bass smack it instance it touches down?

Didn't bother that bass at all  

Practice, practice and more concentrated practice.

However, as Catt alluded to, generally a BIG splash attracts bass.

Learn the "roll cast"...feather it at entry. Best technique for me anywho.  Accuracy comes with practice.

You can also cheat by casting beyond the area you want to fish, then reel it in.

You can also feather a spinning reel.  You are essentially slowing the bait down before it reaches the water surface.

I personally aim for a big splash.