Flipping and Pitching Tips from Pro Angler Skeet Reese

Skeet Reese has had his fair share of success on the professional bass circuit.

A California native who grew up just south of Clear Lake, Skeet is one of the most versatile bass anglers in the world. But, if there’s an area where Skeet is particularly strong, it’s flippin’ and pitchin’.

“Most of the highlights of my career have included the pitchin’ and flippin’ techniques,” Skeet says. “I won the 2009 Bassmaster Classic with a flippin’ stick and a Berkley Chigger Craw soft plastic bait paired with a Trokar Flippin’ hook.

“In most parts of the country, there are always fish in shallow water. Bass are structure-oriented, so they will relate to grass, trees, docks and other shallow cover year-round. Being able to hit targets the size of a dinner plate or smaller from 20 to 40 feet will give you more opportunities to catch fish.”
Fine tune your flippin’ and pitchin’ skills with the following tips from one of the world’s best.

The Fundamentals

First things first,  what exactly are the flippin’ and pitchin’ techniques?

“They are both underhand casting techniques where you let the weight of the lure and the pendulum motion of the bait swinging from the tip of the rod do all the work,” Skeet says.

To flip a bait, start by taking the rod in your dominant hand and let out about 15 feet of line. With your opposite hand, grasp the line between the reel and the first line guide. Swing the rod toward the target while releasing the excess line with your other hand. Your lure should land softly, barely making a splash.

“It’s a very quiet technique used in close quarters,” Skeet says.

The pitchin’ technique allows anglers to get more distance — up to about 30 feet, according to Skeet.

Start by letting out line until the lure is even with your reel. Instead of holding the line with your hand, control it by placing your thumb on the spool of the baitcasting reel. With the rod at waist level, swing the rod tip forward and upward, launching the lure at a low trajectory. Many anglers like to release the lure by hand for added control. As the lure nears your intended target, use your thumb to feather the spool and lower the rod slightly to ensure the lure lands gently.

“For pitchin’ you put a little extra momentum on the bait, and let the line flow off the spool of the reel,” Skeet says. “This gets the bait to targets further from the boat. When pitchin’ it is especially important to have a smooth reel, so the lure can pull the line off freely.”

What Gear Does Skeet Use?

• Rod: Skeet relies on an 8-foot rod for flippin’ and pitchin’. “The longer rod allows for more power and leverage when setting the hook on the fish,” Skeet says. “After setting the hook, having that extra leverage also helps get big fish out of heavy grass or trees. You don’t want a fast taper rod; you want a parabolic rod that bends evenly from the tip to the butt. Think of it like a rubber band, offering power, but not too much power that can break the line on a hard hook-set.”

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• Reel: High-speed baitcasting reels are Skeet’s go-to for these techniques. “I use a fast reel to decrease the amount of time I waste between each flip. Speed and efficiency are very important: The more casts I make, the more fish I will catch. When I do hook a fish, it’s the rod that gets the fish out of the cover and into the boat—not the reel.”

• Line: “I use Berkley Trilene 100% fluorocarbon on 20- to 25-pound test line,” Skeet says.

• Bait: “I typically flip and pitch a 3/8 oz. to 1/2 oz. jig or weight with a Berkley Havoc soft plastic, and that helps my accuracy,” Skeet says.

When & Where To Use These Techniques

“Flippin’ and pitchin’ are year-round techniques as long as there is shallow cover,” Skeet says. “Springtime is always the best, because there is a greater population of fish shallow than other times of the year. In the summer, even when the water is hot (90 to 100 degrees in the south), there will be fish up super shallow. In the fall and winter, fish go shallow looking to feed on shad, crappie, bluegill and other baitfish.”

When To Avoid Using These Techniques

“When the water gets really clear and you can see the bottom in 4 to 20 feet, flippin’ and pitchin’ heavy tackle is not the best technique,” Skeet says. “There might be some shallow cover and fish will relate to it, but I generally switch to lighter, more finesse tactics to put more fish in the boat.”

How To Improve

“The simplest way to get better at flippin’ and pitchin’ is to practice at home,” Skeet says. “Set up targets, like cups, buckets or plants. Practice before you get on the water, it will make a big difference.