Right or Wrong??? 2025

DINK WHISPERER reply :

Hey guys!

Me and my bro are in the middle of an argument involving pitching a soft plastic lure. When i pitch, i leave the spool open and let the lure hit the bottom. He engages the spool immediately after the lure enters the water. I believe that causes the lure to pendulum back to you. How do you guys do it? Are either of our techniques right?

NOTE: We usually pitch in about 4-6ft of water.

BassnMan Mike reply :

At times both methods will work so your both right.

Listen to the bass grasshopper.

fishnjohn reply :

Most of the time probably 95% of the time you should wait until the bait hits the bottom. The only time I engage the spool early is if I am pitching at a steep bank and I want to try to get the bait to fall at an angle so it can free fall without hitting the bottom. But I usually hold the line with my fingers instead of engaging the spool.

kms399 reply :

let it fall. most of the time.

Dock Master reply :

I don't engage the spool until the soft plastic hits the bottom. The only time I might engage the spool is when I am pitching in super shallow water and it won't make a difference if I engage the spool.

Jig Thrower reply :

I always leave the spool open

DINK WHISPERER reply :

WOW, wait till i show him this, LOL!!! ;D

mrlitetackle reply :

i let it hit bottom freely as well......

zaraspook_dylan2 reply :

yeah im goin with most others here- let it fall.

nickb reply :

I let mine hit the ground, unless of course I see it start to move!!

DawsonH reply :

Just make sure while the spool is open that you watch your line closely. A sudden jerk from a large fish will give you a backlash and possibly take the rod from you if your are caught of guard.

DINK WHISPERER reply :

Quote
Just make sure while the spool is open that you watch your line closely. A sudden jerk from a large fish will give you a backlash and possibly take the rod from you if your are caught of guard.

And that's always when the big ones seem to hit, when i'm off guard, LOL!

6pointbuck2003 reply :

spool open

okies reply :

Let it hit bottom before I turn the handle..

swilly78 reply :

most of the time i let it fall also.

Catt reply :

Not only will I leave the spool open but most times I'll strip line to make sure my lures is on the bottom

dodgeguy reply :

spool open!

Panamoka_Bassin reply :

Quote
Not only will I leave the spool open but most times I'll strip line to make sure my lures is on the bottom

I agree with catt on this one %100. When you engage the spool too soon, you lose that "dead fall" that gets the bass going. As I've learned from being here, most strikes will occur on this initial fall.

BTW, this also applies to spinning reels...

Btech reply :

Quote

Quote
Not only will I leave the spool open but most times I'll strip line to make sure my lures is on the bottom

I agree with catt on this one %100. When you engage the spool too soon, you lose that "dead fall" that gets the bass going. As I've learned from being here, most strikes will occur on this initial fall.

BTW, this also applies to spinning reels...

Agreed Id let it fall

adclem reply :

Spool open as well. Wait for it to hit the bottom.

Later,

J Francho reply :

I like the bait to fall on a slack line, most times. That means free spool, and stripping line. I do not want too much slack, though. There are times, when fishing pockets that I do want the bait to pendulum through the whole, and for that, I just thumb the spool after the pitch.

CWB reply :

Quote
Not only will I leave the spool open but most times I'll strip line to make sure my lures is on the bottom

DINK WHISPERER reply :

AWESOME, looks like i win, LOL!!! THANKS GUYS ;D

islandbass reply :

Quote
AWESOME, looks like i win, LOL!!! THANKS GUYS ;D

I agree that you're both right, depending on what you want to accomplish. If you are pitching to fish you know are on the bottom and I want a vertical fall, then I'll do it the way you described. This is what most will probably do. Your brother's method does not allow for a vertical fall, but there are going to be times you might want to let it swing like a pendelum down (no me likey most often). For example, if they're busting it up on top, why in the world would any angler wait until the bait hits the bottom. We or at least I wouldn't. I'd pitch and engage and work it on top as your brother (no pendelum though). Letting it fall to the bottom would put your bait out of the zone.

However in the conventional sense, the way you do it and others here have said, your way is most likely the preferred way.

CatBassin reply :

I almost always let mine free spool.

moloch16 reply :

Usually I cast, then pull some line off the spool to allow for a free falling bait, then engage so I'm prepared to hook set if a fish hits. Sometimes I don't do this and I just let it fall on a semi-slack line. Just go with what feels right 8-)

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Right or Wrong??? 2025

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