What is the best flipping and pitching rod?
There is no doubt about it, flipping for bass is exciting. Generally you are targeting bigger fish and oftentimes you can actually see the fish take the bait. Nothing gets the heart racing faster than seeing a toad take your bait.
However, that is only half the battle. Now you have to fight the fish and get it in the boat. If it doesn’t get into the boat, it is just a story and we know how fishing stories are taken. It is always better to have proof of your catch.
With that being said, in this post we are going to discuss what to look for in a rod and which one is the best flipping rod for the given situation.
Let’s begin…
Before we start talking about the poles themselves. Let answer 3 common questions:
- What is the best power rating for a flipping / pitching rod?
- What is the best action for a flipping / pitching rod?
- What length rod should I use?
Power: We know that the biggest bass are hanging out in the thickest of cover. After all isn’t that the reason we are fishing these areas? We want to catch big bass.
Under such circumstances as targeting big bass and fishing around heavy cover, it would be good to go with a powerful rod. For that reason, when selecting a flipping rod I would recommend a power rating of Medium Heavy to Heavy. Depending on what kind of cover you are fishing, you could also go with an Extra Heavy rod. That will give you enough backbone to get that fish out of cover before she has a chance to throw the lure.
Action: Oftentimes when flipping, you will be fishing with a single hook presentation, such as a large football jig. These lures call for a Fast to Moderate Fast Action. The fast action will give you some tip so that you can put some life into your lure, but at the same time it will allow the rod to quickly load up. Remember, we want to the rod to load up as quickly as possible to set the hook and get the fish out of cover before it goes deep.
Another thing to keep in mind when flipping, is that often times we can actually see the fish we are targeting. We simply want to flip our lure to them in a way that won’t spook them. To do this, we need a rod what will allow the lure to enter the water as quietly as possible. Fishing with a stiffer rod can make this difficult. On the other hand, a rod with a faster tip will help you to make a proper flip without spooking the fish.
Length: The length of a good flipping rod isn’t really as important as the action or the power. However, it does have its advantages. For example, a longer fishing rod is going to give you the opportunity to make a quiet approach since you will be flipping from further away. On the other hand, a shorter rod is going to make getting into those difficult areas a little easier. The bottom line, I would recommend a flipping rod to start at 7 feet. The most common length is somewhere around 7’6″.
Handle: While not an essential to a good flipping rod a longer handle does give you more control and ultimately more leverage. When fishing for big bass any leverage is a good thing.
What is the best flipping rod?
Lew’s Fishing Tournament Performance TP1 Speed Stick
Power: Heavy
Action: Fast
Lure: 3/16 – 1 1/2 oz.
Line 15-65lbs
Length 7’6″
The first on our list of the best flipping rod is the Lew’s Fishing Tournament Performance TP1 Speed Stick. This is 7 foot 6 inch featuring IM8 Graphite blanks. What does IM8 mean? IM8 is use inform the consumer just how much graphite is being used in the process. IM6 being the lowest and IM9 being the highest. Bottom line is that the more graphite material the more sensitive the rod.
What does this tell us about the Lew’s Fishing Tournament? That this is a good pitching rod made from premium graphite material.
Learn more in the following video:
Dobyns Rods Champion Series Flippin’ Rod
Power: Heavy
Action: Fast
Lure: 3/8 – 2 1/2 oz.
Line 14-30lbs
Length 7’6″
Are you looking for a fishing rod that will punch through a jungle of cover? The Dobyns Rods 766 FLIP is the answer.
This rod has a good all around length of 7 feet 6 inches allowing you to sneak up on the unsuspecting bass. The fast action gives you just enough sensitivity so that you can feel what is going on with you lure. Most importantly, it is a very powerful fishing pole, giving you the confidence that you will have enough backbone to get that beast out from under the cover.
G.Loomis E6X Flipping Stick
Power: Heavy
Action: Fast
Lure: 1/4 – 1 1/4 oz.
Line 12-25lbs
Length 7’6″
When flipping you need a fishing rod that is sensitive, lightweight and yet powerful. One such rod is the G.Loomis E6X Classic Flipping Stick. This is a heavy rod with a fast action. It is very sensitive to allow you to feel everything that is going on under the water.
Best of all the fast action allows you to load up when you feel a bite. You won’t be disappointed with the G. Loomis E6X Flipping Stick.
Learn more about the G. Loomis E6X Series:
Daiwa Zillion Flipping Rod
Power: Heavy
Action: Fast
Lure: 3/8 – 1 1/2 oz.
Line 12-25lbs
Length 7’6″
Another great pole that is in that good overall range of 7’6″ is the Daiwa Zillion Flipping Rod.
What makes this rod stick out from the competition is that it is constructed with SVP graphite. SVP stands for Super Volume Fiber. These means more fibers and less resin. The results are a lightweight, but a durable fishing pole. It also has what is called x45 graphite construction.
This means the fibers are wrapped around the places that are most prone to take a beating such as the behind the guides. This gives you the added strength to an already powerful flipping stick.
Learn more in the following video:
Okuma Scott Martin Concept TCS Series
Power: Heavy
Action: Fast
Lure: 1/4 – 2 ounces
Line: 15 – 65 lb
Length 7’11”
If a flipping rod is going to break, it will break in the lower section near the reel. With that in mind, Scott Martin designed the Okuma Scott Martin Concept Series TCS-C-7111H. This rod is 7’11 flipping stick specifically designed for heavy flipping and heavy punching.
A few features that we want to highlight. First, it has an extra long handle. As we mentioned earlier this isn’t essential, but it does give you more leverage and ultimately more power. Next, they added a flipping guide. This guide is located closer to the reel making it easier to take line without getting all tangled up.
It is made with a 30 – ton carbon blanks with the lower half being extra wrapped making it more powerful and more durable. The results are a large, powerful, sensitive, lightweight rod for flipping and pitching.
Check out the features of the Okuma Scott Martin Concept Series as well as the series in this video:
Enigma Fishing Aaron’s Edge Flipping Casting Rod
Power: Heavy
Action: Fast
Lure: 1/4 – 1 1/4 ounces
Line: 10-20 lb
Length 7’8″
Another great rod for flipping and pitching is the Enigma Fishing Aaron’s Edge Flipping Casting Rod. Made from a Japanese carbon blank to ensure that it is both lightweight and sensitive.
Besides the lightweight design, there is one great feature that really sets it apart from other rods. This feature is the Microwave line guides. This is a guide within a guide system. This helps to reduce backlash, allows for longer and more accurate cast.
Learn more in the following video:
Carrot Stix Gen X Elite Flipping
Power: Heavy
Action: Fast
Lure: 5/8 – 2 3/4 ounces
Line: 14 – 30 lb
Length 7’6″
The last rod we are going to look at is the Carrot Stix Gen X Elite Flipping Rod. Not only does the bright orange color set it apart from its competition, but also its design.
Made with the perfect combination of graphite and nano-cellulose resin fibers. However, it is not about the material that makes this rod a beast. It is all about the weave. By changing up the weave to a 90-degree weave makes this fishing pole 40 % stronger. This is exactly what we are looking for in the best flipping and pitching rod.
Take an up-close look in the following video:
Final Thoughts…
While there are many different selections on the market it really comes down to an individual choice. What works for one angler might not work for the next.
Thus it is important to select a fishing pole that you are going to be comfortable with. Lastly, don’t spend a lot of dwelling on what is the best flipping and pitching rod. The best thing is just to get out there and start fishing.
What do you think is the best flipping rod? Share with us your thoughts in the comments below.
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