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Hey guys, I'm looking for a solid and versatile reel for my punching set up, any suggestions? Specifically, I'm ONLY interested in a baitcasting reel that has a "flipping switch". These seem to be impossible to find, but an example of a reel with a flipping switch is the Lew's Super Duty G. Also, I heard that Abu Garcia's black max and silver max have them in specific models. Please help me and list some suggestions, I've scoured the internet and can't find many options. Finding a reel with a flipping switch is my main concern. What do you guys know (P.S. This is unimportant but im throwing it on a 7'3 Okuma Scott Martin Signature TCS Casting Rod Heavy, Fast action because I like the way Scott martin fishes and I'm using it in a kayak so i can't really work a legit 7'11 Ex Heavy flippin stick.) What are the best baitcasters with a flipping switch option? Idc if it's $20 or $400 Thanks!!!!!!

I went to Sam Rayburn for the first time since February, the water since has come back down to pool level, and from the looks of it most of the deep hydrilla has been killed off. So, I thought it would be a no-brainer that the fish would be set up offshore and that would the deal. After fishing about 4 hours on various bush piles and boulders, ranging anywhere from 16-34 feet I could only come up with a single spotted bass. I was a Using a Spro DD-90, a Berkely foot long power worm on a carolina rig, and a Cumberland Pro 1 oz hair jig. After I gave up the offshore bite, I went to the the backs of coves and flipped some brush in the late afternoon and was able to pick off a few fish including a 5-pounder to salvage my day. But, it still left me puzzled, why I couldn’t catch anything offshore? Did anyone have this issue at Rayburn?

So last Christmas I was bought myself a brand new Flippin’ n Pitchin’ setup. It was my first rod that I bought for a specific technique and above all it was my very first Baitcasting Rod/Reel setup ever! Well I haven’t had the opportunity to use this rod how I imagined I’d be using it until yesterday. I started out yesterday morning casting spinners and lipless cranks around some local ponds, caught a few dinks, nothing even remotely big but still nice. But once it hit around Noon - 1 o’clock ish all the fish had left the shallows and I couldn’t find anything. That’s when I pulled out my flipping and pitching setup I had been hauling around with me all day. And yah know, I have to admit, there’s something a little intimidating about purposefully chucking a lure into the branches of a big tree thatsfallen in the water. But I quickly remembered all the YouTube videos I’d seen and posts I’d read about guys pulling absolute pigs out of laydowns and I was able to convince myself that losing a soft plastic isn’t the same as losing a $5 lure and went ahead and started flippin and pitchin all the lay downs I could find. And boy and I glad I did! My first few lay downs weren’t super productive but I’m still rusty at getting my bait in the water quiet enough not to spook any fish and I basically had to stand on the tree that I was pitching to because I couldn’t get a good casting angle off the bank. So I’ll attribute my lack of fish from those spots to that. But after a few not so good pitches and flips I found myself at the laydown that has taken at least 5 or 6 of my lures over the years from casting at it from the other side of the pond. I could see two big bass hovering around the branches of the tree and my heart immediately started racing. I tried my headrest to very quietly get into a good casting position and once I did I pitched out my T-Rigged soft plastic as quiet as I could. It landed on the trunk of the tree and immediately all of the nearby bass were super interested. I could see a few 2 pounders just hovering over my bait. I ever so slowly twitched my lure up the body of the tree, watching one of the bigger bass get closer and closer as it inspected my bait. My heart was pounding at this point. I had gotten my lure as far up the tree as I could before I had to twitch it off the side of the trunk. As my bait fell down into the deeper water, immediately the big bass rocketed down to the bottom! I held on for dear life for what I thought was about the be the most jarring bite I’ve ever gotten in my entire life!... but nothing. I was so fired up that I immediately pulled my bait right back out of the water to do the exact same sequence of events over again, but as soon as I pulled it up I had wished I left it down there for an extra second with a few good twitches. When I pulled it up I saw the bass follow it up and then swim back into the deep part of the tree once my bait broke the surface. I didn’t let that discourage me though. I pitched my bait right back out there. This was the pitch that will stick with me for a very long while, and to be honest I’m not sure when I felt the bite but all of the sudden I knew I had a head shaking largemouth bass on the end of my line and II wasn’t about to let it get away. I set the hook hard and with a grunt ripped that fish right out of the water as soon as I possibly could. The fight was short but the reward will be with me forever. I pulled up what was easily one of the biggest bass I’ve ever seen pulled out of this pond. I let out a celabratory ““Yeah!” While holding my fish and the guy across the pond from me did the same! Even he knew it was a big fish or this pond too!! Luckily I managed to snap a few pictures while trying to awkwardly hold the fish and position myself in view of my phone camera. I know this fish is only about 2 pounds (maybe) but it was still a catch I’ll always remember!