Bass Fishing Tip of the Week 07/13/09: Summer Flipping

The summer heat actually raises the metabolism of the largemouth bass, but when the air temperature is in the 90's the bass either goes deep or seeks shade in the shallows. Those fish in the shallows can be prize trophies and one of the most effective ways of coaxing them out of that shallow cover is flippin'.

Flippin' for bass involves heavy line 20 pound test or higher, a stout 7.5 to 8 foot rod and a powerful reel. Weights as light as 1/4 to as heavy as 1.5 ounces can be used but a heavy gage 3/0 to 6/0 hook is a must. Flippin's major advantage over pitching is the heavier gear that is usually used and it's shear power factor. Pitching gear just isn't strong enough to winch that fish out of cover.

Flippin' involves pulling out an arm lengths of line, selecting a target such as matted vegetation and swinging the weighted lure to the target. As the lure travels, the line is released under control while minimizing the splash. The line is then fully released to allow the lure to free fall.

When the heat of summer is in the high 80's or low 90's, bass will be in scattered cover such as grass and reeds during the low light morning hours. As the sun rises and the surface temperature rises, the bass will migrate to heavier cover like mats, thick pads, thicker grass laydowns and hydrilla that forms and underwater umbrella. Key on these areas during the brighter portions of the day with 1/2 to 1 1/2 ounce weights with a worm or crawfish imitation. Work each heavy vegetation area with 2 to 3 jigging motions, but be especially watchful during the initial fall as most bites occur during that phase of the flip.

When a fish strikes, do no wait to feel anything, just reel down to remove the slack line and set the hook and start reeling immediately. Raise the rod high to keep the fish from burrowing into the heavy cover which can lead to a lost fish. You should not have to worry about breakage if your outfit met the requirements stated in the beginning of this article.

So when it's hot outside, look for that heavy cover and breakout that flippin' outfit and hang on!

Tight Lines,

The Largemouth Herald