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Articles: Bass Casting
Bass Fishing Technique
Two techniques used when fishing for stationary bass are pitching and flipping. Because the bass must be enticed to strike from a stationary position, the right approach and presentation is vital to the small strike zone. Generally you will be pitching your cast in from a distance. But when fishing thick cover you'll plan to flip your line to the bass from nearly above them.
For pitching and flipping, 20 lb. test is typical. In lighter cover, you may be able to use only 15, and for the heaviest cover you may need 25 lb. test for the bigger bass. You can use lures or bait for both fishing and pitching.
Pitching
Pitching should be used for fish that are ten to thirty feet away since it lets the lure enter quietly. You face the target then release line out until the lure is even with the reel. Grasping the lure with your free hand at waist level, you lower the tip of the rod to the water and add tension to the line. Then swing the tip of the rod forward and upward towards the target in a smooth motion and let go of the lure. Only the wrist should be moving, not the arm. As the lure moves away, continue releasing more line while controlling the spool with your thumb to avoid backlash on the reel. Just as the lure reaches the desired point of entry, it should hover just above the water and land softly. Stopping the bait just before it goes in the water will most probably ensure a smooth entry. Get ready, because the bass like to strike on the first cast.
Flipping
Flipping basically means you will get right on top of the fish and drop the bait on their head. Generally you should try pitching and avoid flipping regardless of water color. But when the cover is heavy, you just cannot pitch to it. In that case, you work the boat as far as possible into the cover. You will be directing the lure to a point close by probably no more than 10 feet away.
Hold the line between the reel and the first rod guide with your free hand and straighten your arm to the side. With at least eight feet of line already out, lift the rod to allow the lure to swing back close to you. Next lower the rod's tip to make the lure swing forward. Only moving your wrist, roll the end of the rod to the inside of your arm. Continue lifting the rod while feeding a small amount of line with your free hand. When the lure is near its intended area, lower the rod tip again and make the bait go down softly and on its mark by stopping its entrance in the water. Releasing the line from your free hand, you grasp the reel.
Retrieving the cast
Whether you retrieve the cast depends upon the type of lure you're using. If you're using a crankbait or spinner bait, then you often cast the lure a far distance and then expect to get bits as you retrieve your cast. Not necessarily so with jigs, which you can present to the bass and leave at the same location until you're ready to retrieve it to make another pitch.
A jig is simply a heavy, lead-headed bait on a single hook, with an attracting skirt or trailer added to it. A jig with a good weedguard can be fished effectively in dense cover where big bass live. For cover, it is great used as a "dropbait." That means you think of it as fishing vertically instead of horizontally over the water. You just "drop" jigs into cover while presenting the jig to the bass without retrieving it right away.
When the jig hits bottom, move it slightly on location by dropping the rod tip, reeling up the slack and pull it back slightly. That will move the jig and cause it to start dropping again. The bass may simply inhale the jig, so a strike may seem like a line twitch. Immediatley set the hook and don't wait for a big strike.
Now Catch Some Bass!
And get ready for the fish to start striking.
Copyright 2007. From PrizeBass.com. Feel free to use this article on your website or anywhere else, but all links must remain intact.