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If a bass could build its ideal habitat, the specs would be
something like this: shallow water, in or near heavy cover with quick access to
deep water nearby. While the nearby deep-water access is good news for anglers ,
pulling bass out of water in or near heavy cover can pose some access problems.
Bass are safe and secure in its ideal surroundings, the bass has an ideal
ambush point should it decide to feed on baitfish or crawfish. This bass isn’t
going to have a very big strike zone, so don’t expect it to come charging out
from the cover to devour any fast-moving bait that just happens to be in the
area. You are going to have to put this bait right where the bass lives. You may
have to get the bait in through an opening no bigger than a coffee can or under
low-hanging trees -- all the while making sure not to spook the fish by causing
a big splash with every cast. You are going to have to pitch.
Pitching for bass is a similar technique
that anglers have employed for centuries when they tied lengths of line to the
end of cane poles. It allowed them to guide the bait to a desired location. They
did this without the high-tech rods and reels we now have at our disposal. It
worked fair then but it works even better today. Whether it’s getting your bait
in a small opening near heavy cover, under low-hanging limbs or around boat
docks, being a proficient pitcher can make your days on the water much more
successful.
Ideal for using in off-color or muddy water as most lakes tend to be this time
of year as they are stirred up by the wind and hard rain, pitching is best for
targets between 10 and 30 feet away and provides a very quiet lure entry.
Standard equipment for me is 25-pound test Berkley Trilene 100% Fluorocarbon
line and a 7-foot-6-inch Flippin’ Stick (at least 7 feet in length is a must for
a casting rod). It’s a heavy rod with plenty of backbone to wrestle big fish out
of cover with a moderate action for easier strike detection.
A must for anglers who use jigs, nearly any single-hook bait can be
pitched, but an all-time favorite bait is a Berkley PowerBait Chigger Craw,
either as a Texas rig or tipping a large jig. With this Texas-rigged bait on the
line, You should face the target, depress the line release trigger and let out
enough line so that the bait is even with the first guide. With the bait in your
off-hand and about waist level, I lower the rod tip toward the water and put
some tension on the line. In one smooth, quick motion, you should swing the rod
tip toward the target and upward, letting go of the bait in my free hand. This
is all controlled with the wrist arm movement is not a factor. As the bait
moves beneath the rod tip, release the line and continue raising the rod tip and
control the spool with your thumb.
The bait should fly just above the water’s surface and should land in its
desired location through a combination of line tension and rod movement.
Stopping the bait just before it enters the water almost always ensures a
smooth, splash-free entry.
Pitching for bass has been a go-to technique for anglers for years. But
it takes practice. Set up some drills in the backyard or anywhere else you have
room. Even if you can’t be on the water, you can still be sharpening your skills
to make the next trip a success. Learn to make accurate, quiet casts and
pitching will likely become one of your favorite ways to target big fish.
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