When it comes to flipping and pitching, a specialized technique that can help an angler gain control in a tight area with several obstacles, having the correct rod can make all the difference.
Some rods excel in this area, and to give you a little guidance on where to start, we’ve put together a list of our top picks.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Flipping and Pitching Rods
- OUR TOP PICK: KastKing Royale Legend
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Entsport E Series
- KastKing Perigee II
Comparison of the Best Flipping and Pitching Rods
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
Our Top Pick  |
| View Latest Price → |
Best Budget Option  |
| View Latest Price → |
 |
| View Latest Price → |
 |
| View Latest Price → |
 |
| View Latest Price → |
What Length of Rod Should I Use?
The best way to guarantee solid performance with pitching and flipping is to find a rod with a suitable structure for the job. This specialized flipping technique requires the angler to be in very close proximity to their potential catch.
Fish have the tendency to spook easily, so to avoid the scare, a good rod should be lengthier than a traditional fishing rod. This allows the angler to hide their shadow from the fish, giving the advantage of stealth.
In addition, longer rods tend to provide a little more pulling power, so if you’re chasing after large bass, a lengthy rod can assist in the fight.
How We Chose These Top Picks
Finding the perfect rod that suits your specific needs isn’t always easy. To gather our list of favorites, we kept our eyes out for some qualities we knew would make a great pick.
Power
Power ranges for flipping and pitching rods should fall between the medium to heavy range on the scale. While you could probably get away with a medium rod, medium-heavy to heavy is a better option. This will guarantee a sturdy backbone that can stand up to larger fish.
Action
If you will be targeting bass with your rod (odds are you will be if you’re using a pitching/flipping technique), it’s important that you go for a rod that has suitable action. We recommend a fast action rod that bends high on the blank. This will allow for great movement in between flipping and pitching.
Materials
As with any great rod, it’s important to take a close look at the materials used to create it. For the most part, a rod that is used for this technique will be made with either a heavier duty carbon fiber or a graphite and carbon fiber composite.
Key Terms to Know
To help compare products in this review, we have included a few key specifications for each. Here is a quick summary of what they mean.
- Materials: The materials the rod is made of.
- Handle: The material and/or type of handle on the rod.
- Available Length(s): The length(s) this rod is available in.
- Available Power(s): Power refers to how much force it takes to bend the rod. These fall under the designations of ultra light/med-light/light/medium/med-heavy/heavy/etc.
- Available Action(s): The actions the rod is available in. This refers to where the rod flexes and includes slow/moderate/moderately-fast/fast/extra fast/ etc.
Review of the Best Flipping and Pitching Rods
If you’re in the market for a new rod for flip and pitch fishing, but you’re not sure where to start, check out the list of favorites we’ve compiled!
Best Overall:
KastKing Royale Legend
PROS
CONS
Review
Bass fishing gets a lot easier with the KastKing Royale Legend. You’re probably familiar with the company KastKing, who has received praise in the angling world for their commitment to affordability without compromising quality. They created this line of rods with bass fishing in mind and the designs are compatible with pitching, flipping, and other common bass-targeting techniques.
The sleek, matte black rod blanks are created with a tough but sensitive, 24-ton carbon fiber material. They include KastKing’s patented “KastFlex” rod blank technology, included to ensure the rods are flexible and sensitive. Buyers can choose from a wide range of lengths, powers, and actions that range from a 6’ medium-heavy rod all the way to a 7’6” extra-heavy rod. Anglers also have the choice between a casting or spinning rod, depending on their preference.
The rods include Fuji O-ring line guides, which KastKing says are compatible with all kinds of fishing line. For comfort and durability, the high-strength nylon reel seats are designed ergonomically.
Bottom Line
Overall, the Royale Legend rods are a great choice for any angler looking to target bass through flipping, pitching, or whatever technique suits their style. Buyers admired the rod’s ergonomic design and its responsive nature. Some were not so happy with the two-piece rod, so if it’s an issue for you, try out a one-piece instead.
Product Specs
Materials:
Carbon Fiber
Handle:
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA)
Available Lengths:
6'6" / 7" / 7'3" / 7'6" /
Available Power(s):
Medium / Medium Heavy / Heavy /
Available Action(s):
Fast / Extra Fast
Runner-up:
Entsport E Series
PROS
CONS
Review
Entsport gets its company name from three beliefs it values the most: Enjoy, neverending, technology. The E Series rods fall into the first category of the company’s beliefs. They come at an affordable price point, so they’re a quality product open to everyone who wants to try fishing.
The E Series rods are created with a structurally enhanced carbon fiber material that offers a great amount of power and backbone without overshadowing sensitivity. The sturdy backbone allows an angler to send more energy through the rod with less work.
It comes in one size, a seven-foot, with two tips, one is medium, the other medium-heavy. The rod features stainless steel guides with carbon fiber inserts, design to limit line tangles and snags. The two-piece design is structurally enhanced by an exposed reel seat, which is ergonomically designed for all-day comfort.
Along with a sleek black rod blank, the E Series rods also feature gray and black camo EVA foam handles with gold detailing.
Bottom Line
Quality-made and affordable, the E Series rod from Entsport earns high marks for sensitivity and special features. As with any fishing rod, there are some improvements that could be made. Several buyers complained that one of their rod tips snapped after rough handling and it would be nice to have a large range of lengths to choose from. But overall, the Entsport rods are an easy recommendation.
Product Specs
Materials:
Carbon Fiber and Graphite
Handle:
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA)
Available Lengths:
7'
Available Power(s):
Medium / Medium Heavy
Best for the Money:
KastKing Perigee II
PROS
CONS
Review
Another pick from the popular angling company, KastKing, the Pedigree II rods are a great choice for flipping and pitching techniques. This line of rods makes an appearance on our list because they are a great value and include a seriously sturdy backbone. They’re super sensitive, too.
Anglers can choose from a very long list of rods in the Perigee line with varying actions, powers, and lengths. For flipping and pitching, go for one of the rods that has the qualities mentioned earlier in the article. Each of the rods in this line is created with a heavy-duty carbon fiber blank. As an added bonus, KastKing throws in an extra rod tip, just in case.
The rods feature Fuji O-ring line guides and high-quality EVA foam handle grips. The rods are also designed with comfort in mind. The ergonomically-designed graphite reel seats won’t bother your hands or wrists throughout a full day of fishing.
Bottom Line
The KastKing Perigree line is a solid choice for budget anglers who require a consistent, high-performing rod. Many buyers loved this rod’s casting abilities and the sleek design, along with the special features. As with other KastKing rods, the line guide design definitely has room for improvement.
Product Specs
Materials:
Carbon Fiber and Graphite
Handle:
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA)
Available Lengths:
4'6" / 5' / 5'6" / 6' / 6'6" / 6'7" / 7' /7'1" / 7'4" /
Available Power(s):
Ultra Light / Light / Medium / Medium Heavy / Heavy
Available Action(s):
Medium Fast / Fast
4. Piscifun Torrent IM6 Carbon Casting Rod
PROS
CONS
Review
Piscifun is another well-known company in the angling world. Their Torrent rods are a great option for those looking for a rod that can handle pitching and flipping techniques while targeting bass. The Torrent rods are created with a highly technological process to guarantee a structurally sound, sensitive backbone. They are made with IM6 carbon fiber, which is multi-layered between a resin wrap. This increases strength while keeping the integrity of the flexible interior.
Anglers can choose between several lengths, powers, and actions ranging from a 6’8” medium casting rod to a 7’6” medium-heavy rod. Each comes with special features, including a conveniently placed hook keeper, an anti-twist line tip, and high-density EVA foam split grip.
One major improvement to this line of rods, compared to some other traditional bass fishing rods on the market, is its ergonomic handle and reel seat design. The O-seat reel seat design increases contact between your hand and the reel, which in turn, reduces wrist fatigue through a long day of fishing.
Bottom Line
For the most part, buyers were very impressed with the Torrent rods from Piscifun. Overall, they offer a great range of rod options that are strong and well-balanced with some great special features. With some improvements to the guide design, this could be the perfect flipping and pitching rod.
Product Specs
Materials:
IM6 carbon fiber
Handle:
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA)
Available Lengths:
6'8" / 6'10" / 7' / 7'1" / 7'2" / 7'6"
Available Power(s):
Medium / Medium Heavy / Heavy
Available Action(s):
Moderate Fast / Fast
5. Lews Fishing AH76HC American Hero Speed Stick Rod
PROS
CONS
Review
Lew’s American Hero Speed Stick gets its name from a special collaboration between the angling company and select veterans programs. If you purchase this bass rod, you can rest easy knowing a portion of the profit went towards benefiting a veteran in need.
The American Hero rods are created with a heavy-duty IM6 graphite. This material is super-strong but also keeps the sensitivity that traditional graphite offers. The construction is built in layers and multi-directional, which allows for maximum strength.
The line of rods also includes some special features that are meant to make the angling process as comfortable as possible. It features a lightweight EVA foam split grip, a lightweight skeletal reel seat, and the company’s patented “No Foul” hook keeper.
The rods are equipped with stainless steel guides and inserts, and rod blanks are exposed in order to achieve instant vibration transmission.
Bottom Line
A great rod that supports a worthy cause, the American Hero Speed Stick from Lew’s is a reliable choice for any angler who wants to try out their pitching and flipping abilities. The rod’s graphite construction makes it super sensitive, but note that it’s a little too stiff to be used in a variety of fishing settings.
Product Specs
Materials:
IM7 graphite and Stainless steel
Handle:
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA)
Available Lengths:
6' / 6'6" / 6'9" / 7' / 7'6"
Available Power(s):
Medium / Medium Heavy / Heavy
Available Action(s):
Fast
Pitching vs. Flipping – What’s the Difference?
Though pitching and flipping are both techniques that can be used to target bass in thickly covered areas, they are slightly different.
Pitching is a technique that uses a sharp underhand cast in order to achieve quiet lure presentation. Out of the two, pitching is the easier skill to learn, however, it still takes quite a bit of practice to master. This is most effective when a fish is in close proximity.
Flipping is used to drop bait directly in front of a potential catch. This technique requires the angler to use between eight and fifteen feet of line to physically maneuver the bait into the most attractive position. This creates an effective presentation when the fish is hidden beneath a heavy cover and the fish is between 10-20 feet away.
Pros of Getting a New Flipping and Pitching Rod
We know that purchasing a brand new rod can be daunting. They’re not always cheap and are a huge commitment. But rather than going for the cheapest rod available, think about the pros of purchasing a higher-quality, new rod.
Quality
For the most parts, rods that are a little more spendy tend to be more thoughtfully made. It’s not a great idea to go for a rod that has lots of plastic parts that can break easily. Quality will shine through in the materials used and the look and feel of the rod.
Durability
It is no fun to take a rod out to the water for the first time and have it snap on you. This situation is much more likely with cheaper rods. If you splurge on a rod that is a little higher quality, you’ll spend less time and money in the long run.
Ease of Use
As mentioned above, quality-made rods tend to be more thoughtfully crafted. This usually results in special features that can make the angling process a lot more fun and comfortable.
Conclusion
No matter whether you’re a flipping and pitching veteran or a newbie, a great rod is essential to your angling success. All the rods on our list are a great place to start in your journey to learning this new, fun technique for catching bass. Happy fishing!
People Also Ask
Here are some other common questions that come up when learning the technique of flipping and pitching:
What Gear Ratio is Best For Flipping?
When it comes to reels, the best gear ratio for flipping is something fast, around 7:1 would probably be the ideal. Because you’re working in such close quarters with a fish, speed is of the utmost importance.
What Does Pitching Mean in Fishing?
Pitching is an effective way to get the bait in front of a target in close proximity. It involves making short casts to a specific target.
