I'm trying to get more into flipping and pitching thick vegetation, I've been using the Yamamoto flapping hog and catching a few, curious as to any tips you have, as well as what your favorite beaver/craw baits are

one thing i would suggest is to look at it like fishing standing timber. pretend the trees arent there and focus on finding changes in the bottom; be it depth changes or changes in bottom composition. when it comes to lure choice the trick is not what exact bait but what kind of action the fish want at any given time. sometimes they want a lot of wide action like a big brush hog, sometimes they want a lower profile tighter action like a speed craw. water clarity usually dictates color choices.

Strike King rage bug and Zoom z craw and a Lake Fork Tackle craw tube are my favorites.

For really thick vegetation, my favorite is the discontinued YUM Big Show craw designed by Terry Scroggins.
The Gambler Crawdaddy is close

For not quite as thick vegetation, I like the Mister Twister buzz bug, the Rage Menace, and Zoom speed craw

For really thick vegetation, isolated patches are great. Don’t get lost in a field of it, seek out isolated patches, holes in it, places where timber is mixed in, and ditches in it. Also, vegetation points and where different vegetations mix.

Those thick vegetation bass see a lot of frogs, flukes, and pitched plastics, so doing something different like throwing a square bill on the edge of it can get hammered.

The very best time to fish very thick vegetation is when it’s emerging in February and March. Throwing a lighter spinnerbait or wake bait through it can be a lot of fun.

One suggestion I might make is to maybe start practicing flipping with your left hand. I watched a Denny Brauer tape many years ago where he showed the advantages of flipping this was and I started practicing and I really liked not having to flip or pitch and then change hands with the rod and reel. For me I am a lot more proficient in covering water this way.

Thanks for the tips

Some of my best flipping/pitching days I was using a stick bait or a mag stick bait. Have never had much luck using a craw style soft plastic. Gets through the vegetation easily and in my experience it just works.

Seems like when I pitch trees I get bit way more often on that initial fall.

So I feel that the more trees I put my lure in, the more fish I will catch. I don't spend a whole bunch of time working the lure back towards the boat.

I like to pitch it into a bush, let it hit the bottom, maybe drag it over a branch or two, but on to the next bush fairly quickly.

If I catch a few fish in one area, I may slow down a bit and pick them apart a little more. Then again, I'm but a rookie at this.

Or they hit on that jerk and reel when coming back to the boat for the next pitch. I agree no reason to spend a lot of time in there.

I flipped a senko for 2 weeks when falcon had water in it, gets to the bottom quick

Been very impressed with the 6th Sense Prawn 4.2


Hard to beat the darkmelon red or nirvana colors

Thick stuff I like a tube with a heavy pegged slip sinker. Have three different colors rigged and let the fish tell me which to use.

Good info

Denny Brauer and Tommy Biffle, possibly the two top pitchers, are both left handed.
I can do both right and left although pitching with my right arm is stronger. I use a left handed reel.

The Flappin Hawg is a great bait but like all things Yamamoto, it tears up easily. Sweet Beaver, Biffle Bug or Rage Bug are good beaver baits. Hard to beat a Speed Craw for smaller profile or a Rage Craw for a little bigger presentation