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Popular Model
There are tons of ways to catch bass, from the Texas rig to jigging and even trolling. In shallow water with lots of vegetation, flipping will allow you to make short, accurate casts to place your lure right where the bass are.
Finding the best flipping rod will make you even more successful when you go out flipping for bass.
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Flipping Rods Compared
Preview | Product | Rod Length | Line Weight | Handle Type | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dobyns Rods 766FLIP Champion | 7’6” | 14 - 30 Lbs. | Full pistol grip | ||
KastKing Royale Select | 7’6” | 14 - 30 Lbs. | Split pistol grip | ||
Wright and McGill Skeet Reese Flippin’/Pitchin’ Fishing Rod | 8’0” | 15 - 30 Lbs. | Split handle | ||
Lews American Hero Flipping Rod | 7’6” | 20 - 40 Lbs. | Split grip | ||
St. Croix Bass X Series | 7’10” | 14 - 30 Lbs. | Split grip | ||
Enigma Phenom | 7’0” | 10 - 20 Lbs. | Split grip |
Why Use a Flipping Rod?
Manufacturers have taken pains to produce models that are the right length and have the ideal action for flipping. Flipping is typically done in shallow water with lots of weeds and other vegetation present, so the rod has to have enough backbone to rip the lure but be flexible enough to fling during the cast.
The biggest bass hide in the weeds and wait for food to swim by them. Using a flipping rod in shallow water will lure these huge bass out of their hiding places and get them on the end of your line.
Buying Guide: What to Look for in a Flipping Rod
Angling Requirements
Bass are the most commonly caught fish for anglers who use a flipping technique, but there are some other fish that share their environment that might be enticed by your lure as well. Water with lots of vegetation is typically more murky, so your casting will have to be accurate enough to get the lure in the right place and drag it through the weeds to entice the fish.
Rod Material & Composition
The best flipping rod will most likely be made of either graphite or carbon fiber. Both of these materials offer the strength of a heavier rod with much less weight. That’s important because when flipping, you cast much more often. Some flipping rods are 2-piece for additional portability, and many still have the feel of a single-piece rod. The material used for a flipping rod should have some flex but maintain a fast tip for a clean hook set.
Rod Length & Weight
Some people aren’t sure what the best size rod for flipping is when they first begin. You don’t necessarily need the length you would look for in a casting rod. Accuracy is the most important. The best rod length for flipping and pitching is between seven and eight feet. The standard length is 7'6," but you can stray from that depending on the fishing environment. Make sure it’s lightweight to avoid fatiguing.
Rod Action
When you’re flipping, you have to time your hook set perfectly. Frequently, you can see the bass coming, and you have to be able to set the hook suddenly and powerfully. That means a fast action or moderate-fast action will work the best. These rods typically have the flexibility in the tip to flip well. If you need a bit more loading power, try the moderate-fast action and see how it suits you.
Rod Power & Flexibility
The best flipping rod should have a parabolic bend so it can load properly and give the lure enough momentum to get where you need it to go. Rods with heavy power ratings tend to be the best for this, and they have the added ability to stop large fish in their tracks and turn them back toward the boat. If you need a little more flex or like frogging, you might like to try a medium-heavy flipping rod.
Other Features
Flipping rods have other important design features that will impact how they fish. The handle should be comfortable enough to hold and have enough room to grip when you have a fish on. The line rating should be within the range of your target's size, and the lure rating should more or less match what you’re casting. The reel seat, as with any casting rod, should maintain a firm grip on the reel.
Price & Warranty
Flipping rods are generally very agreeably priced. They can be found for under $100, but there are some models with more advanced rod blanks that can cost a few hundred dollars. Generally, the more expensive rods have better warranties, but there are a few very inexpensive rods in our review that have long and even lifetime warranties.
6 Best Flipping Rods Reviewed
1. Dobyns Rods 766FLIP Champion
Our #1 Choice
Rod Length | 7’6” |
Line Weight | 14 - 30 Lbs. |
Handle Type | Full pistol grip |
Material | Carbon fiber |
Rod Action | Fast |
Dobyns is a comparatively smaller-scale rod company than some larger manufacturers, but their 766FLIP model is lighter and more balanced than anything else the competition is putting out there these days. It’s the best rod for flipping and pitching, but the blank also has enough strength for punching in thick vegetation.
This flipping rod is heavy-action and somehow manages to feel lightweight and thick as a tree trunk at the same time. The ergonomics are also promising on this rod. Using it for flipping, pitching, and punching mats is easy and strain-free even for extended fishing trips.
The hardware is strong enough to haul some 5 or 6 pounders right out of the water and onto the boat. Although they rate this rod to handle lures between ⅜ and 2 ½ oz., it can also chuck some larger lures into tight spaces. Whether your flipping method involves holding some line in your free hand or just popping with the wrist of your rod hand, this is doubtless going to be the best bass flipping rod for it.
The rod blank gives you plenty of sensitivity so you can set the hook when the bass hits the lure and not when it’s making noise in the weeds. The reel seat is made of Fuji graphite, and the whole blank is wrapped with kevlar. Even if it can’t handle the heaviest test, this is still a durable and high-performing flipping rod that's certainly top of the range in the flipping rod market. A limited lifetime warranty also covers it for additional peace of mind.
Pros
Cons
2. KastKing Royale Select
Best Flipping Rod for the Money
Rod Length | 7’6” |
Line Weight | 14 - 30 Lbs. |
Handle Type | Split pistol grip |
Material | Carbon fiber |
Rod Action | Fast, Extra fast |
KastKing has managed to pack some incredible features into their Royale Select flipping rods. It’ll be hard to find an extra-heavy powered flipping rod at this price from any other brand, but this rod doesn’t behave like a budget option. The carbon fiber blank competes with any other flipping rod for flexibility, and it has the length to cast your lure out far across a mat, which makes it one of the best rods for flipping and frogging both.
The fast-action tip lets you give any kind of lure the lifelike presentation that bass go for, even in the spring and autumn when the water temperature is lower, and the bass are more lethargic.
The fast action in the rod tip also makes the Royale Select a very accurate flipping rod. With the right flipping technique, you can land a lure in an open patch of vegetation or get it right up underneath a dock. It’s definitely the best rod for flipping docks, especially at this price point. The EVA foam handles keep their grip much better than most of the cork handles on the market, even when they get wet.
Line guides from Fuji give this rod some serious fighting power, which you’re going to need if you go frogging in the thick vegetation where the biggest bass like to hide. The blank also has the extra heavy action you need to wrench bass right out of the water.
Pros
Cons
3. Wright and McGill Skeet Reese Flippin’/Pitchin’ Fishing Rod
Popular Model
Rod Length | 8’0” |
Line Weight | 15 - 30 Lbs. |
Handle Type | Split handle |
Material | Carbon |
Rod Action | Medium-Fast |
The Skeet Reese flipping rod is one of the most well-known flipping rods due to the high performance of its flexible rod blank. It’s constructed with a carbon nanotube, which is a fancy way of saying they constructed the carbon around the blank in a cylindrical shape to give it extra strength.
Since it doesn’t rely on standard blank construction, the Skeet Reese flipping rod is more lightweight and has a similar strength to competing rods.
One great thing about this rod is its ability to cast out lures that weigh up to 2 ounces. That won’t be the heaviest lure in the tackle shop, but it’s plenty heavy to catch 4-pound bass or larger. If there’s anything that takes some getting used to with this Skeet Reese flipping rod, it’s the longer length.
You might hit the water a few times on accident, but once you get used to the extra rod, you’ll be able to cast out further after a flip. The softer action might turn off some anglers who are obsessed with having a fast-action tip, but the extra flex makes it perfect for flipping heavy lures a long distance.
Pros
Cons
4. Lews American Hero Flipping Rod
Best Budget Rod for Pitching and Flipping
Rod Length | 7’6” |
Line Weight | 20 - 40 Lbs. |
Handle Type | Split grip |
Material | Graphite |
Rod Action | Fast |
Lews has crafted one of the finest flipping rod blanks on the market with the IM7 graphite core of the American Hero flipping rod. For a fast-action flipping rod, the American Hero bends well when you have a fish on.
There’s no worry that it will snap when it's under duress, and the increased line weight means you can chase some monster-sized bass with this rod if you want to. It’s the best rod for flipping and pitching big lures, and the EVA foam offers an excellent grip for hauling large targets out of the water.
There are plenty of line guides for excellent line control on this model, and they’re strong enough to keep the line from snapping. You can feel every movement on the end of your line thanks to the graphite blank's sensitivity, which makes it much easier to set the hook at the right time. The reel is very stable in its seat, and it’s easy to hold this rod in your hand for a long time without experiencing hand fatigue.
There’s a built-in hook keeper that snaps rather than closing with a loop, so you don’t have to take your hook out of the bait when you want to use it. Some may find this rod to be too stiff, but for the sensitivity and overall power of it, you can’t do much better for the price you pay.
Pros
Cons
5. St. Croix Bass X Series
Best Flipping Rod Under $150
Rod Length | 7’10” |
Line Weight | 14 - 30 Lbs. |
Handle Type | Split grip |
Material | Graphite |
Rod Action | Fast |
This flipping rod can take some serious strain thanks to the hearty materials St. Croix used in its construction. If you’re looking for a flipping rod that can launch every lure in your tackle box, this is the one. If you aren’t sure which model is the best rod length for flipping and pitching, we recommend the 7’10” model because it has enough length for distance casting.
The cork on the handle of this flipping rod stands out among the competition. It gives the angler a nice, firm grip even when it gets covered in water. Best of all, St. Croix has treated this rod blank with two coatings standard from the factory so it can withstand all kinds of bad weather.
You can tell St. Croix stands by this flipping rod because they’ve backed it up with a 5-year warranty that’s even transferable. For the weight this flipping rod can handle, it's surprisingly lightweight, which is a pleasant surprise when you get into the third or fourth hour of a fishing trip. The line guides are dependable, and the inserts don't pop out.
The reel seat is built by Fuji, so you know it will keep a firm grip on whatever reel you like to use. Some anglers who really enjoy digging in when they fight with a fish might like to have a longer handle, but other than that minor detail the Bass X series has fantastic performance.
Pros
Cons
6. Enigma Phenom
Best Flipping Rod Under $100
Rod Length | 7’0” |
Line Weight | 10 - 20 Lbs. |
Handle Type | Split grip |
Material | Graphite |
Rod Action | Fast |
Even though it only has a medium-heavy power rating, this rod can really rip lures through vegetation and bring bass into the boat. The only bothersome thing is the fluorescent color they've chosen, but that doesn't affect the performance of this flipping rod at all. You can cast lures a great distance with this rod, or you can troll slowly through the water in the colder seasons.
If you like to use topwater lures when you’re flipping and pitching, this rod will be just right for you. It’s frankly unbelievable that they can build such a high-quality rod and sell it for the price Enigma can sell its Phenom for.
It’s still not sure whether or not this rod will hold up to saltwater in the long run, but it doesn’t show any signs of corrosion after a few uses. There are plenty of strong line guides that keep the line where you want it. You can haul in pretty much anything under 10 pounds with this rod.
It’s flexible enough to flip all day and comfortable enough to do so without getting worn out. They even back it with a warranty that lasts the lifetime of the rod, but the warranty isn’t transferable from the original buyer.
Pros
Cons
Rod Setup for Flipping & Pitching
The first thing you need to have to go flipping is a baitcasting reel with a flipping switch, which is a setting that allows you to flip by holding down the thumb bar. Match your line and lure weights with your target fish.
If you’re in a smaller place and small bass are more likely, use small swimmers, worms, and crankbaits. If you want to drag the biggest ones out, try frogging with a heavier line. Get a fast baitcaster so you can bring your lure back to the boat and cast out again quickly.
Flipping & Pitching for Bass - Tips & Tricks
The Snell knot is the most important thing you need to know to go flipping. You should have a strong test to rip through vegetation and a lure that’s well-suited to the environment. Anything lifelike will attract bass with the right presentation.
Get into really close range to use flipping most effectively. Look for shallow water with plenty of cover. You can also fish underneath docks with this technique. If the water is too clear, flipping is probably not going to be the most effective technique. Try flipping in the springtime when the majority of fish will be hanging out in the shallow water. One successful method involves flipping over a bed and then dragging the lure through it.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
What is the difference between flipping and pitching?
Flipping involves pulling some length of line off the rod with your free hand and then tossing it out using the rod's weight. Pitching, which is frequently referred to as flipping incorrectly, is when you use the rod's weight to fling the lure into a precise location. Since conditions can change from place to place, many anglers use a combination of flipping and pitching to catch their targets.
What kind of line do you use for flipping rods?
Fluorocarbon is the best line for flipping because it’s strong enough to rip through weeds and fish more than likely won't snap it. Heavier test is easier to use, especially when you first start out because it will be easier to cast, and it can stand up to more abuse. Braided line can also rip through weeds quite well.
Why is the Skeet Reese flipping rod so popular?
The blanks used in a Skeet Reese flipping rod have great flexibility, and they’re strong enough for flipping and ripping lures through heavy weeds. The Skeet Reese flipping rod is also very accessible both because of its price and because of how easy it is to cast. The bottom line is that it’s great at catching fish, so people like it.
What is the best flipping bait?
If you’re going after the largest bass, frogging is the best way to do it. Flipping is the perfect way to get the frog right in front of a fish, and if you have the right flipping rod, you can give it natural movement that bass can’t help but attack. Other than frogging, anything that moves horizontally through the water like a crankbait will do well.
Where can I find the best-rated flipping rods and accessories?
The top flipping rod manufacturers have their own websites, but their shopping functionality varies where it exists at all. The best place to find and compare the widest variety of flipping rods and accessories is going to be Amazon. Most manufacturers have their own Amazon seller accounts or have verified retailers selling their flipping rods that way.
Conclusion
To use the flipping technique most effectively, you need a flipping rod with a powerful backbone, sensitivity so you know when to set the hook, and great balance. The Dobyns Rods 766FLIP Champion has all that, and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty, which makes it the best flipping rod on the market.