Pitching???

[Todd2]

I've been bass fishing for many years. I've even been fishing jigs for several years, but I mainly have been casting and dragging. What is the ideal pitching day for standing timber? Do you let it fall all the way even in 20+ feet? What's your favorite jig weight for pitching? Thanks...

[J Francho]

I'll pitch any bait on any rod.  It's just a casting style.  If the trees are 20-30 feet from the boat, then pitch it.  If farther, then cast it.  There is no "ideal day" for pitching.  It's just a way to get the bait to the fish, quietly.  If you are casting to timber in 20 feet of water, you'll have to strip line off the reel to feed the bait on a slack line fall.  Otherwise, the bait will pendulum back to the boat.  This is actually where a spinning rod can be an advantage.  You can simply make your cast, and leave the bail open, and the bait will fall straight down with little resistance.

[Todd2]

Thanks, do you have better luck with lighter or heavier lures?

[BuckMaxx]

I find my best success with a short 6-6'6 MH rod. For me it is strickly a target game. Sometimes I cast sometime I pitch whichever the target is at the time. your not out to impress anyone here... just get the freakin thing in there. I bounce it off stuff, whack the trolling motor whatever it takes.

It also depends on what I am trying to imitate as to what area of the water column I fish. If I am throwing a shad or bream swim jig then I fish it off the bottom. If I am throwing a craw type jig I let it fall tot he bottom. In deep water like that, I throw a 1/2 -3/4 to get it down there quick. If I start picking up fish on the fall I drop back to a 1/4 or 3/8 same color to slow the descent and keep it in their face longer. You may also have to play with your trailer, a sweet beaver type trailer will fall slower then say a salt craw. The key to any type of vertical structure fishing is pay really close attention to where those bites come from. Good Luck!

[jiggerpole]

What I love about the jig is you can flip it, pitch it, cast it, skip it, swim it, hop it, pop it, crawl it, jiggle it,  Fish it shallow, deep or in between, fast or slow. I personally like a black/blue or green pumpkin and even sometimes white in a 3/8 oz. In deeper water I would go to a 1/2 oz. or if I was (forgot punching it through thick matts) Oh yeah, I don't even have any other colors. On bright sunny blue bird days when the bass have their nose touching some type of cover and the strike zone is the size of a dime.  Then the jig is my choice of lures. "I like Jigs!"

[Sam]

I'll pitch any bait on any rod.  It's just a casting style.  If the trees are 20-30 feet from the boat, then pitch it.  If farther, then cast it.  There is no "ideal day" for pitching.  It's just a way to get the bait to the fish, quietly.  If you are casting to timber in 20 feet of water, you'll have to strip line off the reel to feed the bait on a slack line fall.  Otherwise, the bait will pendulum back to the boat.  This is actually where a spinning rod can be an advantage.  You can simply make your cast, and leave the bail open, and the bait will fall straight down with little resistance.

 

X2.

[Todd2]

Thanks for the responses.

[J Francho]

Thanks, do you have better luck with lighter or heavier lures?

 

Start out with 1/2 oz. or bigger.  Once you get the pitch cast down, move to lighter baits.  It's easier to feel the "fulcrum" and generate momentum with a heavier bait, but soon you can pitch 1/4 oz. baits.  Also, practice with a spinning rod.  It is sometimes much easier to pitch finesse rigs, like the drop shot or mojo rig than to cast.