Most weekend anglers know about the importance of pitching and flipping, but not all of them understand the difference.

“I would say 90 percent of the time people say ‘I’m going flipping,’ but they’re actually pitching,” said veteran pro Brandon Palaniuk. Flipping is when you have a fixed amount of line out, never releasing more. In pitching, you pick out a target and create a cast while releasing line. He explained that you start with the rod tip high, then as you drop the tip the bait swings forward, and finally you raise it back up with your wrist to get distance. That creates momentum.

The key is to manipulate the bait so that it’s a quick, accurate presentation. “I want that bait to just barely make a ripple when it hits the water,” he said. READ MORE