Bass Fishing - Flipping (3/4)

Hi again! Back from a week's vacation, fishing of course. Good to see you back!

Back to our lessons on flippin. In the last installment we learned the basic movements of hand, rod, and jig. Hopefully you have done some practice and are comfortable with the art of flippin a jig into a small spot, and having the lure make no noise upon entering the water. This is done by not releasing the line entirely when the jig is flipped, but using the left hand to control the lines forward momentum by swinging the left hand in as the line goes out towards the target, then using the left hand to stop the lure just as it reaches the target.

By stopping the jig one inch from the surface, it enters the water without a sound, and without a splash. In the beginning just try to hit the target you are aiming for, then as you gain accuracy and confidence, start stopping the lure for a quiet as well as a accurate presentation. At first all this may seem awkward, but with practice it becomes second nature and is done without thinking.

Now that we know how, lets get to the where of flippin. I live in Southern California and the predominant cover is rocks on steep banks, we don't have many lakes with bullrushes because the water goes up and down so much. We have a few lakes with reeds ( bullrushes), because the water level is more stable. Bullrushes are tall skinny, dark green plants, about the size of a pencil that grow thickly at the waters edge down to a depth of about five feet. Bass can be found almost anywhere these plants are, along the face where the plants end and open water begins, especially in pockets in the rushes, where they start, where they end, and little openings back in the rushes. Rushes being in shallow water are best when the water is stained to slightly muddy.

If there is a breeze I drift downwind using the trolling motor as little as possible. As I drift by I flip the lure into pockets, along the face and next to points sticking out of the weeds. Also where dead weeds pile up in pockets a heavy jig (1 oz) can be cast on top of the weed pile and it will sink down through the pile to the bottom, when it hits the bottom, bounce it up and down a few times, let it sit for ten seconds, then lift it up and flip it to another spot. Always keep track of where and how bass hit the lure. Is it while the lure is sinking, while you are bouncing it or while it is sitting motionless on the bottom? Is it in pockets, open or covered with dead reeds, on the reed face or reed points? How deep? Shaded side or sunny side? Finding similarities to the strikes you get can clue you in to a pattern. Let's say most of the strikes you are getting are on reed points, on the shady side in four feet of water. This shows us a pattern the bass are using, ( one of several ) but once you are clued in to a pattern, all you have to do is keep looking for places that match the places you are catching your fish in and pass right by the 90% of the unproductive water that holds few fish anyway and concentrate on the 10% of the water that is holding 90% of the fish today.

Tomorrow the pattern usually changes, so make hay while the sun shines. FINDING AND FISHING PATTERNS IS WHAT SEPARATES THE 10% OF FISHERMEN WHO CATCH 90% OF THE FISH FROM THE 90% OF FISHERMEN WHO SETTLE FOR THE 10%
THATS LEFT!


I really appreciate you reading my fishing blog, I am using this format to give back to the average fisherman the knowledge I have learned in my 45 years of being a fishing guide and charterboat Captain. I am making this info free, all I ask is you visit my sponsors sites, click on a few of them, they have great deals and great fishing information- Captain Roy