Pitching - Please Help

[jhoffman]

Guys,

I must say I have never gotten this down quite right. Do you completely take the brake off your baitcaster when pitching. I understand the execution of how its done but I cannot get the line to come off the reel like I want to. If i take it to light i seem to get backlashes, maybe im just not quick enough. Any tips?

[roadwarrior]

Practice, practice, practice...If there was ever a need for "thumb control" this is where it comes into play. Your brakes don't need to be completely off, but the line must flow smoothly without much (any) resistance. Coordinating the sweep of your rod and release of the lure is another challenge. I'll be interested to see if anyone has the magic answer, I could use some advice myself!

8-)

[Bassnajr]

Hey,

I just started myself.

I have Daiwa reels that have Magforce "brakes" if you will which makes pitching and flippin easier. Most advice articles tell you to move the "dial" or set or magnets (inside) at free spool. I can't do this. I would spend all day fixing back lashes. I do lower the spool tension knob quite a bit and turn my brake dial way down (at 1-3). It is a matter of finding the right settings of both of these for your style. It takes a while, and it requires practice, but id I can do it anyone can!!

Good luck!!

PS KVD's video "Pitchin to heavy hitters" helped me out to. Available as part of his 3 DVD set at Bass Pro Shop ($9.99) or on E-bay.

ajr

[Bassnajr]

I agree RW, no magic answer, justs LOTS of practice.

ajr

[jhoffman]

Ill have to check that out.

[RogerWaters]

Pitching is easier to learn than it is to teach, especially trying to teach it over the web.

Here are a few tips that work for me:

Start out with a heavy jig, 3/4 to 1 oz.

Set the spool tension very light, set the brake mid-way.

Let out enough line to put the jig even with the reel.

Point the rod tip at the water/ground, while holding the jig in your hand.

Keep the reel facing you, and keep your elbow up. The rod will be almost straight up and down, the reel will be at eye level.

As you sweep the rod upward (most the movement should be in your wrist and elbow), move your 'jig hand' forward, as if you were going to toss the jig at the target.

Let go of the jig before you release any line from the spool (about 'mid-sweep').

As you complete the rod sweep, release line from the spool, tethering as necessary (that's the hard part, you need an 'educated thumb' ).

The rod should travel a longer range and use more energy than it would seem needed to make such a short cast, that is the key!

I hope this helps, I'm no expert, but I pitch jigs about 80% of my fishing time (I flip the other 20% 8-))

[islandbass]

Guys,

I must say I have never gotten this down quite right. Do you completely take the brake off your baitcaster when pitching.

I don't. Matter of fact it isn't set much different than it is for normal casting for my brakes but my cast control might be a somewhat looser

I understand the execution of how its done but I cannot get the line to come off the reel like I want to.

Loosen your cast control knob just a wee bit. If you're getting about 25', that isn't a bad start.

If i take it to light i seem to get backlashes, maybe im just not quick enough. Any tips?

When you say light, are you referring to a lighter brake setting or lighter bait? If the former, then use more brakes. If the latter, a lighter lure, say 1/4 oz, this might be the ree's lower weight limitation. Unfortunately, not all casting reels are equal in this regard.  For example, my Curados cast 1/4 nad 1/8 oz lures with ease. My Trion needs super fine tuning and even then it's not worth it to do, and my abu g round reel, doesn't have a prayer of a chance at 1/8 oz.

I too would recommend using at least 1/2 oz when practicing. Also try to feel the lure's weight swing away from you as just before you flick your wrist forward. Better to be smooth with this movement than quick when you start out. Good luck.

[jhoffman]

Thanks!

[Dan:]

flippin4it spent some time giving me some tips recently. The helpful things he told me were 1) turn the tension knob almost completely loose 2) get your wrist involved, you will have no distance on your pitch unless you can get your wrist to maneuver your rod to swing the bait out and 3) keep the bait close to the water, if it gets too high, it will splash too much when it enters the water, and it's easier to maintain the correct motion if you keep the bait close to the water.

I got much better from when he gave me those tips and now from simply standing in the back yard and pitching to different targets (bases of trees, into flower pots, etc..)

[senile1]

Pitching is like  . . . well, pitching a baseball, at least regarding learning the motion.  You will read instructions on how to pitch that tell you exactly where to position your elbow, the reel, etc., etc.  To me that just makes it harder to learn.  Every baseball pitcher has a similar motion but they all have customized that motion to suit themselves.  Some kick the leg high while others barely lift it off the ground.  Some throw overhand while others drop the arm down halfway between sidearm and overhand.  

The best way to learn to pitch is to watch someone do it, whether live or on a DVD, and then go out and try to imitate it, but make the motion your own.  Then practice a lot.  I find that I have to work the rust out when I go for long periods without pitching, like during the Winter.

As for setting your brakes and your control knob, I would start with them in the same positions that you use for regular casting.  Once you can make a short pitch with those settings, loosen them up from there until you find what is comfortable for you.

[Joel W]

All I can add to these excellent responses is that I also have experimented with no brakes, some brakes, etc. I use Daiwa TDA 150 A's

for pitching both jigs and wt'd plastics.  What works for me is a brake setting of 4 or 5, and a casting setting where the lure almost free falls, but not quite. I spent a whole winter practicing in my back yard till I was comfortable pitching.  Now it's 2nd nature to me. On the other hand, I don't use these setting for casting jigs or wt'd plastics, as I will eventually end up with a dreaded birds nest.  I up the brake to 7 and tighten up the fall rate a tad.

[Brian_Reeves]

My best advice is find out what works for you.  My "pitching" is not very typical.  I don't hold the lure, I don't swing it around on a bunch of loose string...I cast the darned thing real gentle like.  I get more accuracy and a quieter entry that way.  That's just me though.  Everyone will find different ways to accomplish the same thing.

But when I'm pitching, I loosen the spool up, leave the brakes the same as I would for casting, and crank my drag down a little bit.  

[Trevor in Burke]

I've found the most common mistake people make when learning to pitch is not comprehending the your free hand has no action besides holding the bait until you pull it from the free hand with your wrist action onyour rod hand, I've seen so many people kind of flippin' their wrists and tossing the bait from their free hand simultaneously, yea... avoid doing that, it won't work.

In fact a lot of the times i end up pitching without using my free hand at all.  Learn your reel, most importantly.  Learning is alwasy easier on QUALITY equipment.

[skillet]

So far, everyone has concentrated on the reel. Does the type of rod you use make a large difference :-/???

                                  As Ever,

                                   skillet

[senile1]

So far, everyone has concentrated on the reel. Does the type of rod you use make a large difference :-/???

                                  As Ever,

                                   skillet

A short person pitching with a long rod may hit the tip on the ground, the boat, etc.  Length of the rod as it relates to your size is important.

[S I G M A]

I agree RW, no magic answer, justs LOTS of practice.

ajr

X2... I finally found a good setting on my revo to get decent pitches

[David P]

Not necessary to take the brakes fully off, but you really want the line to come off smoothly.

Practice is the only way to get it down. I'm trying to practice doing it with my left arm now. >

[Catt]

Nothing can compensate for an educated an thumb

Reel: simply adjust the cast control knob located under the star drag; leaving it tight enough to still reduce professional overruns. Let the weight of the lure and rod action do the pitching.

Rod: your rod should be proportionate to you body stature & stiff enough for the weight lures you'll be pitching.

I pitch with 2 different rods; 1 for light lures with spare cover & 1 for heavy lures with thick cover.

[fishfordollars]

The post about the rod length is right on. If you are shorter it is a tuff job unless you shorten the rod. I pitch with standard equipment and do not adjust the side brakes. The brakes on all my reels have the least amount of resistance set up as I use my thumb to feather the lure to the water. the thumb pressure is something everyone using a baitcaster should learn as soon as possible. A well educated thumb is a joy to use. that being said I can blow up a reel with the best of them.

[KYbass1276]

If you really want to get good at it here is what you have to do, it's the number one thing.   Practice until your sick of it and then practice some more.   Take a coffee can with water in it out in the yard set it out at 30 to 40 ft practice getting your bait in that can.  I say start off at longer distances because once you master that the shorter distances will be really easy after that.  Once you get used to just hitting the can practice dropping the bait in the can with out makeing a big splash this is where your going to have practice the most with thumb control and height of your lure from the ground.  Me I try to keep mine as close to the ground as much as possable  but still high enough to get into my target.  

I also practice in the house as well this is where you can really practice flipping on a nasty day.   I practiced everyday during the summer and winter for a year untill I got so used to doing it, it became second nature and sometimes I still go out and practice just to have something to do.   I would also walk around the yard and pick different targets in the yard and just pitch to each one.   Stand on a stool in the yard and simulate pitching from a boat.  Anytime I was out fishing and the fish just wouldn't cooperate I would practice flipping to different targets and concentrate on not making a big splash.

It also helps when pitching to bow like your bowing to someone but not bow all the way down just a little bow to the pitch as it's in air. I read that from Ike's website and it works.  I Prefer for my brakes to be almost all the way off it is just easier to me that way my thumb is the brake.  I'm almost to the point now that unless I have to really get the bait way out I'll just pitch my baits all the time or flip them sometimes. Tons of practice is the only way to become proficent at it.  It takes some dedication and comitment to do it good but keep at it and it will come. Just keep doing it, keep doing it, and keep doing it