The Bass Geek Part 2: Backyard Casting

BASS GEEK
noun - slang

1. An expert or enthusiast (a term of pride)
2. A person who is pre-occupied or knowledgeable about Bass Fishing
3.  A person prone to arranging pots, pans and planters in their back yard to practise their "flipping and pitching"


How to become a Bass Geek Part 2:

When the warm weather starts to melt away the cool bleak remnants of winer many an angler gets the itch to hit the water and start casting, but what if your lakes are still frozen solid? what then?

you set up a back yard flipping course, thats what!

Step 1: Start rummaging around your home searching for a collection of items you will be able to use as targets, maybe some pots, or pans, and of course your wife's planters also will make great targets and since they are weather proof there is less chance you will damage when you lazily decide not to clean up after yourself

Tip A: be sure to find items with various sized openings, the smaller the opening  the more accurate you will have to be, so if the goal is to improve on your skill, look for small items. If the goal is to just have fun and cast a bit, look for larger items that will make you feel good about yourself

Tip B: turn some of your items on their side so you can practise skipping up into them. This is the best way to practise your dock flipping 

Tip C: don't use anthing made of glass, it will break, and you will make a mess 


Step 2: Grab a rod or two and set them up just as you would if you were out on the water. Be sure to use the same rod, reel and line you would normally flip/pitch with. Same goes for your bait selection, if you fish 1/2 jigs, then you need to practise with 1/2 jigs.

Tip: Safety First,  I like to practise with a couple old flipping jigs or baits that I have cut the hook off of. You dont want to spend your practise time removing snags from your deck, dog, cat or toddler.. it takes the fun out of it


Step 3: Practise when ever you can..  I try to get in some time 3+ times a week, and find the best way to make time is to grab a rod and take it with me when Im out BBQ'ing dinner. If gives me something to do while the BBQ works it's magic and the wife thinks Im out back slaving away


There you have it, part 2 on how to become a Bass Geek. You are now well on your way to pocket protectors (for hooks of course) and tape between the lenses of your polarized glasses (Numa's of course). If your wife wont let you use her pots and pans, put your google skills to work and you will find a cool game by Booyah, called the Flipstah its like an obstacle course in a box