Has the term "flipping" replaced the term "pitching"?

[Smokinal]

Please learn me if I am wrong here but I always thought flipping was done with the rod in one hand and a pre-determined length of line out and that line was held in the other. The reel was never touched and the spool is engaged. Meant for quick, short, precise bait placement and the length of line never changes or is reeled in until bait is bit.

Pitching was done with rod in one hand and the bait is held in the other. Spool is disengaged while the bait is sort of sling-shotted out; meant for further "casts".

 

Why I ask is I see and hear people all the time say they are "flippin" but they are doing what I described above as pitching.

 

Am I wrong? Have the terms changed or do people just like saying "flippin" better?

[iabass8]

They are indeed two different things and you are correct.

Lots of people confuse (or just don't know) the two or just use "flipping" to describe both. 

There's probably 20 posts a year on this forum about what the difference is and 10xs that on youtube demonstrating the difference between the two and yet there's still people that don't know.

[IndianaFinesse]

You are correct, people have started to use the terms flipping and pitching interchangeably, but they are in fact two different techniques.

[corn-on-the-rob]

It is used incorrectly very often, mainly because the average fisherman is likely doing 80% or more pitching, but calling it flipping, let alone, the crap ton of fisherman who NEVER flip, but call it that. 

[RoLo]

 

I agree, and have often wondered about the same thing.

I think corn-on-the-cob provided the reason  

 

Roger

[Logan S]

Flipping seems to be the term used by most anglers for short range cover fishing....Doesn't mean it's technically or historically accurate, but that's just what people say.  I use it that way.  It's really just semantics either way, if someone uses either term I'll know what they're referring to and I don't care enough to correct them.  

 

If you really want to get technical, a 'flip' and a 'pitch' could be seen as different types of casts and the actual technique is short range cover fishing....Which could be generically called 'flipping'.  

[Quarry Man]

does it really matter?

[RoLo]

6 minutes ago, Quarry Man said:

does it really matter?

 

When we allow words to lose their definition,

we also lose our ability to communicate.

 

Roger

[Chowderhead]

24 minutes ago, RoLo said:

 

When we allow words to lose their definition,

we also lose our ability to communicate.

 

Roger

 

Well said!

[Catt]

It's kinda like the term "finesse" has come to mean small lures, lines, & rod-n-reels.

 

Finesse: skillful handling of a situation or resourcefulness in handling situations.

[Smokinal]

16 minutes ago, Catt said:

It's kinda like the term "finesse" has come to mean small lures, lines, & rod-n-reels.

 

Finesse: skillful handling of a situation or resourcefulness in handling situations.

Good point Catt. A 1/2 oz jig is not considered a finesse technique but you sure can "finesse" a 1/2 oz jig though a brushpile. I "finesses" a jerkbait in cold water for example.

[Team9nine]

These same anglers are also the ones who will use "cover" and "structure" interchangeably. Short answer; you are right, they are wrong 

 

-T9

[slonezp]

Can't say that what I do even remotely resembles pitchin' or flippin'. I call it throwin' 

[A-Jay]

2 hours ago, Team9nine said:

These same anglers are also the ones who will use "cover" and "structure" interchangeably. Short answer; you are right, they are wrong 

 

-T9

 

 Most times I read that, my left eye starts to twitch uncontrollably like Inspector Dreyfuss

A-Jay

 

[slonezp]

19 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

 

 Most times I read that, my left eye starts to twitch uncontrollably like Inspector Dreyfuss

A-Jay

 

[Ohio Archer]

2 hours ago, slonezp said:

Can't say that what I do even remotely resembles pitchin' or flippin'. I call it throwin' 

You sure it's not chuckin' and windin'?

[WRB]

It's important to learn about history and not change it or it will be lost.

Catt posted a good link to Flipping history and Dee Thomas, you all should read it so you know what it is.

Tom

[Catt]

51 minutes ago, WRB said:

It's important to learn about history and not change it or it will be lost.

Catt posted a good link to Flipping history and Dee Thomas, you all should read it so you know what it is.

Tom

 

Bass Fishing Archives is the best historical web on bass fishing.

[everythingthatswims]

I know what flippin' is, but I have never done it to any degree of success. I personally don't see it being necessary, I tend to stay further away from the fish than most (they can feel your boat in the water!), and I can "pitch" as accurately as I'll ever need to.

 

I call it flippin' but technically what I am doing is 100% pitchin'

[OCdockskipper]

46 minutes ago, everythingthatswims said:

I know what flippin' is, but I have never done it to any degree of success. I personally don't see it being necessary...

 

One can flip cover when pitching would be more effective and vice versa, so neither is ever "necessary".  Flippin' is the more effective technique if you can get closer to the fish & you need a no splash lure entry.  Done properly, you can get more flips than pitches in the same amount of time, useful for tournament anglers.

 

That doesn't mean you should flip if you prefer to pitch, just showing that it has merits over other techniques in certain situations.

[RAMBLER]

I don't worry about "flippin or pitchin or cover or structure".  I "toss" a worm in a "spot" where I think there might be a fish.  The only one I'm communicating either of these "discriptive" terms with is me.  Sometimes I even understand me.

[RB 77]

Flippin' N' Pitchin' and Cover & Structure are probably the tow most misused, confused or switched terms in all of bass fishing. I have fished with people for years who have been fishing for decades who either don't know or don't care to use the terms properly.

[Montanaro]

Im not gonna go around correcting people who use it incorrectly.  It doesnt even matter as long as youve got the context.

 

Plenty of pros misuse power/action cover/structure and I dont see them dropping out of the elites or flw.

 

[WRB]

Cover and structure can be easily confused because of regional interpretion. Flipping and pitching are as different as making a loop cast or skipping, all are specific casting techniques.

You don't hear a baseball player referring to a curve bass, sinker or fast bass as the same pitch, they are different. Baseball makes a good comparison because the grand old game understands the importance it's history, it's players and the jargon used.

Tom

 

[Montanaro]

Outside of deep analytics, nobody counts a hit any different whether its a fastball or curveball.

 

If i ask jim bob how he has been catching them and he says flipping bushes...does it really matter to me if he is flipping or pitching?  Is it worth it to correct him and come off as a bass fishing know it all elitist?  I dont think that is what we as fisherman are about.