Bassmaster Elite Series pro and former MLF Bass Pro Tour angler Gerald Swindle joined The Bass University in Gadsden, AL to teach an hour-long in-depth class on flipping & pitching grass. Gerald Swindle, aside from being one of our most requested instructors, is a 2-time BASS Elite Series angler of the year, he has 62 top 1 finishes, over $2.5 million in career tournament winnings and qualified for 17 Bassmaster Classic tournaments. This is a entertaining and informative bass fishing class you won't want to miss!
Guntersville, like many lakes, doesn't just have grass, it's covered in grass. So, if your gameplan is to "go flip grass", that can be a daunting task. Gerald's goal is to help shortcut you to success when flipping and pitching grass on a lake with an abundance of vegetation. Swindle estimates in the grass available in Guntersville, about 25% has fish and can be productive. He wants to help The Bass University students isolate the productive areas and eliminate areas where few are no bass will be caught. Part of learning this success formula is understanding the different types of grass. Some grass just isn't as productive for bass because it doesn't present the proper type of habitat that is advantageous for the fish to use for cover and ambushing prey. Gerald begins by breaking down the main differences in grass types and how to know you're in unproductive water, or at least areas that don't have tournament-winning groups of bass in them. Some grasses are just harder to fish than others, and often getting fish hooked and out of that grass can present the real challange. Learn tips from Gerald on getting fish hooked in the grass, and why your hookset could be costing you fish when pitching big heavy flipping weights.
Back in the 80's all anglers had was an 8' rod and some monofilament. Gerald believes a lot of fish are lost because people have simply not accounted for all the changes in the equipment available. Braid and fluorocarbon offer benefits not previously available in mono, like smaller diameter and lower stretch. Along with these advantages come considerations for your other equipment and how they effect things look hooksets. One of the important topics Gerald discusses is "hook flexing". Gerald has some sound advice if switching to braid has resulted in your hook bending or flexing, and his advice may not be what you think from a guy who loves flipping and hard hooksets.
Gerald, to date, has designed 1 bait for Zoom. He wanted a bait that you could rig the same on either side and a handful of other requirements for catching bass and for being a better value. That bait is the Zoom Z Craw. Learn what hook, weight, rod and reel Gerald Swindle likes to use when flipping and pitching in the grass.
Gerald Swindle's Flipping & Pitching Grass Class Highlights
- Guntersville's abundance of grass and the challenge it poses
- Shortcut to success in flipping and pitching grass
- Identifying productive areas and eliminating unproductive ones
- Understanding different types of grass and their productivity
- Tips on getting fish hooked in challenging grass
- Considerations in equipment changes since the 80s (braid and fluorocarbon)
- Importance of accounting for equipment changes in hooksets
- Discussion on "hook flexing" and advice for dealing with it
- Gerald Swindle's design of the Zoom Z Craw and its unique features
- Recommended hook, weight, rod, and reel for flipping and pitching in the grass
