Wanted to write a post of this topic as I have read many opinions on this and kind of sit on the fence when it comes to some of them. Splashing baits into the water is a NO NO thing to do according to some people, BUT I actually encourage it !
The thing is when we cast regular baits like spinner baits, crank baits, spoons they splash in the water when they land, as there is no real way to ease them in slowly. Well the theory is when flipping and pitching baits near structure like docks, sunken trees the rule seems to be to ease them in slowly so you don’t spook a potential fish, here is where I sit on the fence about this.
Mainly with bass fishing you would be flipping and or pitching soft plastic baits and I grew up learning that a fish will almost “ALWAYS” consider investigating a splash in the water, WHY well nature creates it’s own splashes !
Minnows jump around, frog’s jump into the water, birds of prey drop a fish they caught, bugs land on the water, lots of natural things cause splashes so I say splash away !
I have flipped and pitched for years, always get more attention on a rougher entry into the water, seems to startle the fish into aggressive/reaction mode more then a slow subtle entry. While fishing in Austin Texas on a great reservoir lake(lake OH Ivie) we were flipping creatures and lizards, I was bouncing them off trees in the water them letting them sink, well the bait had little chance to sink fish were on it right away !
My theory is try different styles, don’t get stuck on doing what the norm is to do because fishing is different every time. There is nothing wrong with splashing a slow presentation bait into the water, I do it all the time and have produced lots of big bass !
There may be times where sliding a bait in slowly will work as well, but again splashes are caused by nature and fish react to them so this is why I continue to let them happen.
Hope this post may have cleared up some of those ” I don’t know” thoughts for some of you.
The AMFisH guy…