Flipping/Pitching Reels

[Andrew Zuber]

What are you using for a flipping/pitching reel?

Do you like it?

Anyone have/use a Diawa TDX (Team Diawa X-series) reel?



Last year at the B.A.s.S. University, Denny Brauer made most of the audience sick by pitching across the stage WITHOUT A THUMB ON HIS REEL! Now, with a super-heavy weight and my anti-backlash as tight as it can go, I can do the same thing!!! LOL Denny did not have a huge weight and was very accurate (hence, he's a PRO!)

He did say that you need a decent reel for best results...

I use a 'regular' curado now, and still have frustration with anything 1/2 ounce or lighter.

Denny was selling the Diawa TDX (Team Diawa X-series) reel...

Do I need to spend the $200 for one of these?

I was also considering a curado 'superfree'...



az

 

[Jim B]

I use a curado superfree and a castic superfree for most all of my pitching/flipping. The free spool really helps get more distance and they pitch better then anything i have ever used. I have never tried the diawa so i cant comment on it.

 

[Larry Harp]

I saw him do that too. Pretty impressive I must say. I was so impressed I went out and bought a TD-S which has the same anti-backlash as the TD-X. Long story short...I can sure backlash mine unless I thumb it. I don't know what Denny's trick is but I would like to learn it.



Harpo

 

[Tony Payne]

Besides haveing the experience behind it that Denny does, the primary "trick" is making sure your reel is set up right...



I have a tendency to turn to many brakes off...



The Basics:

1. The "spool tension" should be sufficiently tight so that when the lure hits the water/floor, the spool stops.

2. Have enough brakes on so that you don't overrun in the middle of the cast.

3. 90% of the flip/pitch is in the arm/wrist motion and not the reel.



I think most of us try to compensate by setting the reel up too loose for reality.



If the backlash occurs at the end of the cast (after the lure hits the water) tighten the tension.



If the backlash occurs during the cast (in the middle, while lure is in the air) add a brake.



The best thing I have done for my Curados is to properly "tune" them by cleaning out the factory oils/grease from the bearings and re-oiling with YRF.

 

[Tony Payne]

FOrgot to mention:



I can cast 4" senkos with a Curado 101. (this is as much a function of the rod as the reel)



I usually pitch with a 101, my "flippin" reel just happens to be a 201 superfree (heavier line capacity)...



Remember, Flipping is a "fixed" line technique, so you should'nt be backlashing at all.



Pitching is a short pendulam cast technique, so it's not about power, it's about technique.



(the amazing part is I can spout all of this out in a post, but put me in the water and you would think I don't know any of it!)

 

[Steve Rizza]

I switched to a left handed reel last season for pitching/flipping.Will never go back to a righty.



Nothing fancy,a $50 BPS tourney special and a 7 ft. medium-heavy FLW rod from Walmart with 20 or 24? lb fireline.

Works just fine for me.

 

[Jon Puhalski]

I have pitched with ABU 4600C3's, Quantum 600's, Curado 201 SF, and a few other reels.



If your learning to pitch, yea you might fiddle with the brakes some, but its all in the technique. It's practice, and lots of it. My pitching reels are in complete free spool. This will allow my bait to acheive greater distances. Yea there is a slight backlash occasionaly and every few dozen pitches will call for a line clearing cast to "tighten" the line back up, but overall practice is key.

 

[Larry Harp]

About the only time I get a real mother backlash is when I'm pitching to someting 20 feet away and hit something like a stump 10 feet away. WOOOAAH BABY! That's when it's time to get out the crochet needle.



Harpo

 

[Marke Cicero]

LOL at Harpo!! It's so true. I've been there....LOL

 

[Bruce Freeman]

I practice with my cats and a dehooked scum frog.. We all seem to have a good time. Practice is the key word it has helped me lots with both distance and accuracey.

BF

 

[Ron Perry]

I'm old fashioned I guess, I like the Abu Garcia 4601c3 or c4 models. NO fancy bells and whistles just good reels. I like left handed model reels so I don't have to change hands all the time too.

 

[Mark Gross]

I don't know if its the thing to do but I never spool more than twice the line I can flip/pitch . That way if I do get backlash it not that bad, and as I become more proficent at it I can add more line. Works for me.