Choices...

[lunker-lander]

Saint Croix
>>St.Croix Avid 7'6'' Medium/Heavy; Moderate-Fast Action - $190.00/tax. Like the price, kind of long?
>>St.Croix Premier 6'10'' Heavy; Fast Action - $120.00/tax. Like the price, kind if short and hefty?

Falcon Rods
>>Falcon Cara Amistad 7'3'' Heavy; Fast Action - Price Unknown
. Like the length, good for both techniques?
>>Falcon Cara Pro Grass 7'2'' Extra-Heavy; Fast Action - Price Unknown. Like the length again, too heavy?

OK, most of you vets probably figured out by now I'm talkin Flippin' and Pitchin'. What rods do you like/not like? do you have any others you would/would not reccommend?

Looking at $110.00-190.00 for the rod; likewise to the winch...

-Lunk-

[lunker-lander]

Sooooo... Anybody? I know you fellas Pitch and Flip...

-Lunk-

[senko]

just give it some time people aren't on 24/7

[basskicker]

i would reccommend to get about a 7'0" medium/heavy fast action for flippin unless its going to be a jig youre throwing then go with the heavy fast action. on the brand, i would go with an all star but if price doesn't matter then i would go with a g loomis.

[lunker-lander]

Cool, now we got some game players! It's definitely going to be a St. Croix or Falcon brand, I'm just stucj on actions and powers.

-Lunk-

[ROBZILLA]

I like the falcon rod my self many reasons I won't get into. Zook might go for the St. Croix rod. I know he has a soft spot in his heart for them. I would go to the store and feel them in your hand, check the eye holes and check you reel connector to make sure what you getting matches the price your paying! it's always best to do a bit of comparison shopping before making up your mind. In the end it's you that has to use the rod. so go from the gut not the wallet!

[lunker-lander]

Thanks, Robbie! Although, I won't be able to compare rods in real life; I'm ordering it over the Net. I really trust St.Croix and Falcon though. I've had both brands for over three years and never a failure in either brand.

That really cracked me up about Zooker though. Like Zooker loves a good old, "St. Crow", as he himself would say...

-Lunk-

[Bob Smith]

Well I am going to jump in here and give you my take as well.

I used to fish with the broomsticks as well, but with the better lines and sharper hooks, I just don't have to anymore. I prefer a medium action fast tipped, long rod for pitching and flipping. There is plenty of muscle to drive the hook home with these rods when using a low stretch line and a good sharp hook. There is also plenty of backbone to horse out some really big bass out of cover too. The biggest difference, for me at least, is the medium action sticks are "lighter" than the heavy action sticks. Believe me when I tell you that will make a big difference over the course of a long day of flipping and pitching whether you're in a tournament or fun fishing.

As for my take on the brand, I've never owned a St. Croix, but I've heard nothing but good things about them. I can personally attest to the quality of the Falcons, especially the Cara series and LowRider series!

[lunker-lander]

Thanks, Bob! I really was liking the Cara Amistad. Perfect length, power, action and all! I'll look into those Falcons a bit more.

What is your Guys' take reel-wise? Fast, but not too fast, right? Speed to grab line, but power to haul 'em out?

-Lunk-

[senko]

shimano castaic is a great choice.........

[WallStreetAmigo]

Man, LL. Did you win the lottery or something? You seem to be accumulating quite the pricey rod/reel combos and tackle at an alarming rate. When are you going to have the chance to fish with all of it? LOL

[lunker-lander]

Originally Posted by WallStreetAmigo

Man, LL. Did you win the lottery or something? You seem to be accumulating quite the pricey rod/reel combos and tackle at an alarming rate. When are you going to have the chance to fish with all of it? LOL

Well, you should know Wallie, we have a thing called "Winter", up here. My definiton is, "Accumulating tackle, rod(s)/reel(s), line, and preparing to slam some hawgs for Spring! Notice I said Rod(s) and Reel(s)...

I really want to get the Flippin' and Pitchin' rod for throwin' to the sunken brushpiles I'm gonna make this year. Anyway, my Slop-N-frog can wait until Summer, that's mainly when I use topwater frogs.

-Lunk-

[Lilmoosecountry]

You'll laugh at this. But my flipping stick is Berkley Big Game Rod. It's basically a catfish pole. My rod is a heavy fast action 7ft 6in & it's all fiborglass. I use a Diawa z-force reel on it. But look you have to understand i spend my days flipping lizzards on the Missouri River. So i have a heavy cover & a heavy current to contend with. My type of Fishing requires a Tow truck sometimes to pull those fish out of cover. As well as the fact that the allstar died after only 2 trips to the river. My equitment has to be tuff.

[lunker-lander]

I was looking at the Daiwa SOL, for $239.99. It looks like a good quality reel, not too high of a gear ratio either.

-Lunk-

[Lilmoosecountry]

Gear Ratio does'nt play into flipping. Unless you want race that bass back to the boat like you were in nascar or somthing. Hey at that price it better have the kitchen sink attachment aswell. Just kidding it's a dam good reel.

[lunker-lander]

Actually, gear ratio, well, rather line pick-up does play an important role in flipping and pitching alike. If you flip into the nastiest, heaviest tree you can find, and a lunker smashes it on the fall, if you don't start crankin', that bass is gone! You need at least in the 20's (line recovery/crank) for fliiping and pitching, I'd think so anyway...

-Lunk-

[BigBassin144]

LL, for my flippin' stik, I'm going with something inexpensive. I wanted to get another Viento, but $200 is too much. So I''m getting the Daiwa Megaforce (59.95) has 7.1:1 gear and a twitchin' bar, which is great for jigs and plastics and stuff.

BB

[lunker-lander]

Well, I got the rod, the first rod I have listed on the post. I hope to order the reel soon as Dad gets me my money from work. I'm stuck between brands on the reel though; Daiwa, Pflueger, or Shimano?

-Lunk-

[crankybait]

I'd go with the St. Croix. Love my Avid

[lunker-lander]

Hey Cranky, take a look at the post before yours...


-Lunk-

[Lilmoosecountry]

The rate of fall mulitplied by gear ratio divided by weight on the worm. AHH bull just fish who cares sounds to nerdy to me!!! Redneck explanation crank it out real fast in heavy cover.

[BigBassin144]

Git-R-Done!!!

BB

[Bob Smith]

Originally Posted by lunker-lander

Actually, gear ratio, well, rather line pick-up does play an important role in flipping and pitching alike. If you flip into the nastiest, heaviest tree you can find, and a lunker smashes it on the fall, if you don't start crankin', that bass is gone! You need at least in the 20's (line recovery/crank) for fliiping and pitching, I'd think so anyway...

-Lunk-

The only problem with too great of a retrieve ratio in flipping and pitching is getting it started when you have a hawg on. The lower ratios tend to provide that "wenching" action you need to get them out of there. With small fish it really doesn't matter that much, but get a big fish one and you'll discover the difference right a way!
Reel suggestions would be to find a reel that balances the rod well and fits YOUR hand comfortably, I would lean towards the lower retrieve ratio for the reason I stated above.

Lilmoosecountry, that fiberglass rig you mentioned, MAN! you must have bull-riding forearms if you use that thing a lot! LOL

[lunker-lander]

Thanks, Bob! What about the Daiwa SOL? Is 5.8:1 too high?

-Lunk-

[Jigger]

Falcon 7 1/2 ft. Heavy action Model FC-5-276T Original Series. It's the bomb. The ultimate in flippin' sticks in my opinion. I've been fishing two of them for about 14 years or so, more or less. I broke one that was about that old this year and replaced it with the same rod. Don't let the "heavy" action on the rod dissuade you. It ain't all that stiff. Not a broom stick by any means. Plenty of action yet enough backbone to move a big 'un out of a brush pile. I love mine.