Are "flipping" rods becoming obsolete?

[187famous187]

Going through my rod/reel setups for this year and realizing I hardly ever use my "flipping" rods. I'm talking about the 7'6" plus length, heavy to XH rods. I reach for my 7'1-7'3 pitching rods more often than not when pitching to heavy cover with jigs and plastics. I find the shorter length and corresponding shorter handle, easier to present accurate pitches to precise targets. The one situation where I do use a heavy flipping stick is with braid when I'm fishing heavy grass. I realize this could be more of a personal preference or regional thing more than anything. I never really "flip" in the traditional sense of the technique. Just wondering what others thoughts are.

[JJohnSind]

Transformed into "punching".

[buzzzzbait88]

Going through my rod/reel setups for this year and realizing I hardly ever use my "flipping" rods. I'm talking about the 7'6" plus length, heavy to XH rods. I reach for my 7'1-7'3 pitching rods more often than not when pitching to heavy cover with jigs and plastics. I find the shorter length and corresponding shorter handle, easier to present accurate pitches to precise targets. The one situation where I do use a heavy flipping stick is with braid when I'm fishing heavy grass. I realize this could be more of a personal preference or regional thing more than anything. I never really "flip" in the traditional sense of the technique. Just wondering what others thoughts are.

I really think it depends on the area you're fishing. Even the "heavy" cover I find myself flipping isn't anything compared to what you see guys fishing in the southern states. I'll flip some hydrilla and lily pads, but not too often do I find myself punching heavy hyacinth mats in 5ft of water and hooking 5-8lb fish. Most of my fishing is in 1.5-3ft of water and a 7'4" Heavy rod is more than capable.

[Mark Perry]

Transformed into "punching".

Two completely different things.

[krindgen]

Not for me it snot.

[logjam]

They are good for a rigs and big swim baits

[willwork4fish]

I still flip a decent amount. Especially around wood and log jams on the Mississippi.

[JJohnSind]

Two completely different things.

Never said they were the same thing. I think people pitch more than “traditional” flipping these days. Punching is the closest thing now to what flipping used to be, and I wouldnt say that they are completely different things. Pretty close in my book, and I would flip with my punching gear in a heartbeat. The old flipping sticks were broomsticks, designed before braid got popular. I wouldnt use a broomstick with braid these days.

[Mark Perry]

Never said they were the same thing. I think people pitch more than “traditional” flipping these days. Punching is the closest thing now to what flipping used to be, and I wouldnt say that they are completely different things. Pretty close in my book, and I would flip with my punching gear in a heartbeat. The old flipping sticks were broomsticks, designed before braid got popular. I wouldnt use a broomstick with braid these days.

I think the better punching sticks are a lot more parabolic these days.

[RANGER487]

Not in my arsenal flipping is a good thing on my lakes.

[Transom]

For a good part of the year they are pretty much all I use.

[Mark Perry]

I might be doing it all wrong but I have a different action/power/length rod model for each technique. I carry rods for flipping, a different model for punching and yet another model for pitching in a pinch one might be slightly interchangeable but for me to have the best results I've found a separate dedicated model for each technique is best for me.

[ttranger]

They are not obsolete, but "flipping" is not something you hear a lot about as compared to years ago. I think that "pitching" or even "skipping" techniques have allowed anglers to place their lure into heavy cover and they don't need to "flip" anymore. It's still used in some heavy cover situations like matted weeds, etc., and "punching" is another variant of the technique. Although there are many different rods designed for these techniques you can still perform all of them with one good longer heavy action rod

[krindgen]

I might be doing it all wrong but I have a different action/power/length rod model for each technique. I carry rods for flipping, a different model for punching and yet another model for pitching in a pinch one might be slightly interchangeable but for me to have the best results I've found a separate dedicated model for each technique is best for me.

Lots of shallow dirty water around here. I am about the last dinosaur around here that actually flips. Most pitch 100% of the time. But I use the same rod for everything. Punching? I’ve not tried it yet, but I have a hard time thinking I kin use my pitching rod for punching. Really need two dedicated rods.

[wmitch2]

Many confuse Flippin' with Pitchin'. Flippin' is done with a length of line that doesn't change in the presentation to the target, Pitchin' is done letting line out as the lure goes out to extend the amount of line used as the target is further away. That said, you can use a Filppin Rod for other things. I use mine for some Swim Baits, A-Rigs and close Punching.

[capt1fish]

Going through my rod/reel setups for this year and realizing I hardly ever use my "flipping" rods. I'm talking about the 7'6" plus length, heavy to XH rods. I reach for my 7'1-7'3 pitching rods more often than not when pitching to heavy cover with jigs and plastics. I find the shorter length and corresponding shorter handle, easier to present accurate pitches to precise targets. The one situation where I do use a heavy flipping stick is with braid when I'm fishing heavy grass. I realize this could be more of a personal preference or regional thing more than anything. I never really "flip" in the traditional sense of the technique. Just wondering what others thoughts are.

The CA Delta is my home waters and is where the late Dee Thomas, "The Father of Flipping", honed is craft in the 60's and 70's. Flipping is a mainstay technique here but like you and others have pointed out, has morphed into either punching or pitching as the mainstay. I attribute this to two things: water clarity and braided line. Dirty water used to allow us to position the boat right on top of the cover and thus "scissor flip" into the tules. But the last 20 years or so, our delta has become a haven of submergent vegetation. The vegetation has filtered the water to be more clear, thus requiring presentations from further distances. Enter pitching and punching.

The attributes of braided line has also changed the tackle we use. It's rare when we need a HVY or XH flipping stick anymore, but was necessary due to the stretch found in monofilament. With the low-to-no stretch braid, a 7'1" - 7'3" MH or Hvy has replaced the duties of a traditional flipping stick. These rods will have more parabolic actions compared to traditional flipping sticks and won't tear out holes when using low stretch lines like braid and to a degree, fluorcarbon. I think this trend is all over the place, not a regional thing here on the CA Delta.

I might be doing it all wrong but I have a different action/power/length rod model for each technique. I carry rods for flipping, a different model for punching and yet another model for pitching in a pinch one might be slightly interchangeable but for me to have the best results I've found a separate dedicated model for each technique is best for me.

Not wrong at all Mark, I'm the same. I have a dedicated 8' punch rod, a couple 7'6" Hvy flipping rods and a bunch of casting rods that can be used for pitching. Use the correct tool for the task at hand.