I have been meaning to ask this question thinking it was dumb, but I guess a dumb question is a question never asked!

What are the differences between flipping rods and casting rods etc.

Currently have a 8" crappie rod with a pfleuger president spinning reel and I love it, less than $100 and I catch plenty of bass on it.

Flipping rods are more designed to throw the heavier lures (1/2 oz-3oz depending on the make) while casting rods are general purpose rods that are designed to throw just about any other type of lure.

So would I be incorrect in saying a flipping rod is designed for the larger bass?

You can catch large bass on just about any rod. Flipping rods are just a technique specific rod, much how you have crankbait rods. It's just a rod that's designed to make that specific technique easier to do.

Awesome! At least now I know. Seems like bass rods can get pretty pricey. I do wish I had a nice bait caster rod and real though. Only bait caster setup I have is for my catfishing outings.

It's more about the cover. There are a lot of variables in rod desing, the speed of the rod is determined by where in its lenght it begins it's bend under load, the closer to the tip the faster the speed. The power of the rod is the amount of load it takes to bend it, heavy, light or with Falcons they assign a number. You consider all these variables when deciding the type of lure, line and cover your going to be using it in. It can seem daunting but a few basic principles make it easier. Let me know if you want more info

I guess I did forget to mention cover and power. Normally flipping sticks are designed to have a much heavier taper and a faster action so you can pull the fish out of cover much easier than say with a slower blank. But you can catch big fish on just about any rod, flipping sticks just make cover fishing and pitching/flipping easier since they are longer and give you more leverage.

Makes sense. So I guess professional bass fishers will have a variety of rods reels and lure sizes/weights for specific locations or scenarios.

Exactly. Remember too that the line is just as important as the rod and reel as it is the only thing connecting you to the fish.

If you want to fish braid you may want a bit slower tip so you don' rip the lure from the fish's mouth. Castaway makes The Grass Master Braid for this. The other good manufacturers will have something comparable as well. http://www.castawayrods.com/home/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage-ask.tpl&product_id=31&category_id=8&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=cid:F8ADF6C7-CEAE-4762-8BDE-6DD9EA590272/2011-07-239509.07.45.jpg

Cool. I will remember that if I ever get a boat and seriously take on bass fishing.

Thanks guys, I learned something new tday!

A good all around rig to start with would be a 6-6 or 7 foot medium action rod with 12-15 mono on a quality real. BPS has the Johnny Morris Extreme' for about 80 bucks, or you can get a good deal at Academy on the H2O's. This will throw just about anything in your tackle box and with enough care work you through any cover.

What kind of reel would you guys recommend? Bait caster. Seems like a lot of fellers go for shimano's.

Depends on how much you're willing to spend. Shimano simply can't be beat for their price range of affordable reels. If you want to venture into a little more "enthusiast" tackle, you can go with Daiwas higher end gear but it's going to cost you. A lot of people on here use Abu Garcia too. Just go to your local sporting goods store and play with the reels and whichever one feels right to you, let that be your decision.

There are a lot of $100 dollar range bass rods that are excellent for the price. I have a falcon bucoo and its great. Next rod is going to be another abu garcia veritas. As far as casting reels go, shimano, quantum, and abu garcia each make quality reels for reasonable prices. Go to the store, find one you like, then turn around and look for it cheaper on ebay.