Spawn Flipping Patterns & Techniques

During the Spawn, when bass head shallow and hang tight to cover, Flipping quickly becomes one of the most effective ways to fill your livewell. Consisting of a conical shaped weight (typically pegged) and a medium-to-heavy gauge hook, a Flipping setup allows anglers to deftly maneuver in and out of cover that poses an obstacle for most other baits. Whether you prefer craws, tubes, worms, or creature baits, Flipping provides a versatile approach to picking apart likely cover.

Flipping can also be achieved with the use of a Flipping Jig, but for the purposes of this article we will focus on traditional hook-and-weight applications. As a quick aside, we recognize that many anglers draw a distinction between Flipping and Pitching from a mechanical perspective. For this article we will use the term “Flipping” to encompass both techniques.

Rod choice is a critical element to any flipping setup, and while preferences can vary from angler to angler, most flipping sticks fall somewhere between 7’ 6” to 8' in length, and somewhere between Heavy to Extra Heavy in power with a Fast or Extra Fast tip. The two main requirements of a flipping rod are providing enough backbone to pull fish out of tangled cover, while maintaining enough tip to make repetitive, pinpoint casts. A couple other characteristics to examine are guide type (micro vs traditional) and handle type (split vs. full grip), both of which boil down to angler preference, but can be a determining factor when looking for the perfect flipping stick.

Because Flipping requires speedy, back-to-back casts, a high speed gear ratio is a must for maintaining efficiency and catching up to fast-moving fish, especially during the Spawn. Almost any high-speed reel in the 70- to 150-size range will meet your requirements. Some companies even make flipping specific models with shallower spools that help optimize short, repetitive casts. When choosing a reel, be mindful of the reel’s weight. A long day of flipping can be very physically demanding, even more so if it is fruitful, making a lightweight reel critical for fighting fatigue. When fishing in close quarters, opt for a reel with a larger handle or consider up-sizing with an aftermarket reel handle for increased control and leverage.

Like most applications, the determining factor for line choice is going to be based on water color and cover type. Typically speaking, anglers default to heavier fluorocarbon ranging from 15-25lbs in most cases, and braided line from 50-65lbs when fish are hunkering down around unforgiving cover. While a snell knot is the most common choice for braided line applications, some anglers prefer using a palomar knot with fluorocarbon line to prevent wearing.

A couple things to consider when Flipping are rate-of-fall and bait color. To really fine tune your Flipping presentation, play around with weight and bait size to find the optimal rate-of-fall. Whether it’s a fast sink or a slow flutter, finding that sweet spot in the rate-of-fall can turn a productive bite into a lights-out day of fishing. To take your presentation a step further, touch up your bait with a little bit of dippin’ dye or a colored marker to give bass an unmistakable target.

When using braided line, try touching up the first couple feet of line nearest to your weight with a dark colored marker. This helps camouflage your line in dark conditions and muddy water, which can translate to additional bites. If you’re using a straight shank hook and missing fish, try bending the shank of the hook upward slightly for a better hook up ratio.

It’s hard to beat the mainstays, like Green Pumpkin, and Black & Blue when it comes to Flipping. However, matching the hatch is always the exception, so pay close attention to shallow forage, and don’t be afraid to mix it up with some Craw and Bluegill colors.

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