Just purchased a Dobyns Champion XP 766Flip and an 8.1:1 Tatula Elite. Not sure if the reel will go on this rod or not, but for simplicity let's say it will.

 

This is a dedicated heavy cover "flipping rod". I have never tried this technique before, but am determined to learn. I live in PA, biggest bass I'll have a crack at is ~ 8.5 lbs (would love to prove myself wrong here). I have picked up a ton of 1/2 oz tungsten flipping weights. I forget if I have any 3/4 oz ons but will order if I don't.

 

I want to know if 20lb floro or 65 lb braid is best. I want to know where to flip. What lures to flip with, any thing I need to buy/have.

65 lb braid is going to be the best for flipping.  I flip jigs and creatures or a combo of both.

4 minutes ago, Tizi said:

65 lb braid is going to be the best for flipping.  I flip jigs and creatures or a combo of both.

mind linking me to  specific jigs? I have a few ideas in mind but am looking for others perspective mainly.

I like Dirty Jigs HP Flipping jig and 6th Sense Divine Hybrid jig.

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Dirty_Jigs_HP_Flipping_Jig/descpage-DJHPFLJ.html

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/6th_Sense_Divine_Hybrid_Jig/descpage-6SDVHJ.html

My flipping stick is an older Fenwick I bought years ago. Flipping is a great way to fish the heaviest, thickest cover. For me, the key was practice. If you can learn to leave the spool tension on your reel a little loose, it can help. Some great flippers to check out: Californian Dee Thomas, who invented this style of fishing, and Texans Tommy Martin and Larry Nixon. Some of the all time best.

I started flipping for the first time last year. Later in the summer I had to use 1 oz tungsten weights so you might want to have some for backup too. Also, the Pit Boss was my go-to flipping bait. Strongly recommend!

There is flipping and pitching . Sometimes they get confused . I predominately pitch .

2 minutes ago, scaleface said:

There is flipping and pitching . Sometimes they get confused . I predominately pitch .

Same here - rarely flip, mostly pitch.

Both flipping and pitching essentially use the same gear. You can do both with the same rod/reel.  For the purposes of this thread, it's semantics.

 

I use 50lb Seaguar Flippin' braid for flipping.

6 minutes ago, Glenn said:

Both flipping and pitching essentially use the same gear. You can do both with the same rod/reel.  For the purposes of this thread, it's semantics.

 

I use 50lb Seaguar Flippin' braid for flipping.

I'm not as specialized as others. Same rig is used for flip, pitch, punch, frogs, larger topwater and bubba-shot.

7' Aird-X H/F, Fuego CT-XS (8.1:1) and 50# Power Pro.

1 hour ago, MN Fisher said:

I'm not as specialized as others. Same rig is used for flip, pitch, punch, frogs, larger topwater and bubba-shot.

7' Aird-X H/F, Fuego CT-XS (8.1:1) and 50# Power Pro.

Me to . 

If the cover is heavy grass or pads I use 65lb braid, if it's pretty much anything else (rocks, docks, wood, lighter grass, etc) I generally prefer heavy flouro (17 or 20lb)....I know not everyone wants to have multiple rods for it though, so if doing it all on one setup I'd say go with braid.

 

In grass/pads I like using a punch rig (even if not actually punching) or a regular texas rigged bait, they come through the thick grass and pads a bit better than jigs.  For other cover it's sort of a toss up between jigs and texas rigs.  The one time I almost exclusively flip a jig is in clearer water around laydowns, I've always preferred a jig there.  

 

1/2oz is pretty universal and will get you through just about anything until you start seeing sparse matted grass on the surface or bigger pads...You'll want 3/4 at that point.  When its a full mat of grass then you need the bigger 1+oz weights.  You might also want more than 1/2oz if fishing brushy wood since it's a bit more 'grabby' on your bait.  

 

Any craw, creature, or jig should work in general so I'd just flip whatever types of those baits you already like.  Keep in mind that the compact profiles and appendages will squeeze through thicker stuff better, so like a beaver style bait will do better at getting through than something like a rage bug with it's flappy arms .  

 

Other than that, straight-shank, heavy-wire hook and a pegged weight are what I prefer as the final equipment pieces (if not a jig).

 

Since it's already been brought up, I use the terms pitching/flipping interchangeably...Most of the time I'm technically 'pitching' but it's all just flipping to me.

Logan nailed it. I like jungle hooks 

When flip or pitch you have the line in your fingers to pull on lifting the lure upward, the rod swings forward and you release the line from your fingers. Too small diameter braid will cut your fingers when lifting the lure out of cover to flip into the next spot. Bass are not line shy when in heavy cover, they instantly react to the lure in front of them.

Lure weight has everything to do with penetrating the cover so type of cover and density detates weight. Without knowledge of the cover it's impossible to suggest lure weight.

I would look up punch rigs and watch instructional vedios by Gary Klein. Kleins signature Weapon jig is excellent.

Tom  

32 minutes ago, WRB said:

Too small diameter braid will cut your fingers when lifting the lure out of cover to flip into the next spot

...and if you hold the line with index finger and thumb , it will slice your finger to the bone on a hook-set,  if one forgets to let go . Thats why I dont  use it . 

Congratulations on your new combo.  Your reel will fit like a glove and balance perfectly.

 

You only need a few items to get you started.

 

Jigs: 3/8 and 1/2 in black/blue and green pumpkin to start.  Get a flippin style with a 5/0 stout hook.

Trailers:  This is easy. Strike King Rage Bug, Rage Craw and a Rodent to match your jigs.

Flippin Hook: 4/0

EWG Hook: 4/0

Plastics: See trailers

Weights: Tungsten in 1/4 to 1 ounce

Line:  #65 Braid for grass and vegetation and #20 Flouro  for wood (if you choose.)

Bobber stops.

 

Put those baits in heavy cover areas.   Stay healthy and enjoy the ride!

Not sure why everyone is using such heavy weights unless they are punching. The 5 biggest bass I have caught here in Maryland have all come on 1/2oz jigs or 1/4oz weighted creature baits.

 

Allen 

Braid for flippin grass/vegetation. 

Fluoro (I actually use copoly) for wood/trees. 

 

I used to flip with braid, but got hung up in wood a lot more with it. I don't deal with grass anymore, so I ditched it. 

I bought a dedicated punching set up this year.  Both, times I had the opportunity to  punch last year using 1 1/4-1 1/2 oz jigs I had phenomenal days.  Just my set up was a little under powered.  The one lake I  Have to stop fishing after June because, the weeds are so bad. I was loosing fish not being able to get the out of cover. 

so I bought st.croix bassx H 7’2 rod with 65 lbs braid. I’ve got my accurist on it now but, that’s just temporary.  I want a heavier duty reel for it. 

15 minutes ago, Mbirdsley said:

I bought a dedicated punching set up this year.  Both, times I had the opportunity to  punch last year using 1 1/4-1 1/2 oz jigs I had phenomenal days.  Just my set up was a little under powered.  The one lake I  Have to stop fishing after June because, the weeds are so bad. I was loosing fish not being able to get the out of cover. 

so I bought st.croix bassx H 7’2 rod with 65 lbs braid. I’ve got my accurist on it now but, that’s just temporary.  I want a heavier duty reel for it. 

Youre passing up some of the biggest fish by letting the weeds run you off. Get yourself a 7'6" or 8' musky class rod rated for 8 oz or so with a stout reel and 65 or 80 braid. Use the rod to get the fish off bottom, not the reel. Once you get a fish moving through the weeds, keep him moving! If you let them stop they are gone. The reel I have found that will bring a big fish out along with a bale of hay wrapped around him without stopping is the Okuma Komodo 350. I cant tell you why, but the Komodo seems to have more cranking power than the 300 Curado, Revo Toro 50 or the Lexa 300, and they are built like a tank.

   My fishing buddies say I pace back and forth all spring until the weeds are thick enough to walk on top of them. They may be right! 

10 hours ago, Munkin said:

Not sure why everyone is using such heavy weights unless they are punching. The 5 biggest bass I have caught here in Maryland have all come on 1/2oz jigs or 1/4oz weighted creature baits.

 

Allen 

Different strokes, different folks

 

Sometimes the heavier weights are the only way to get through the cover I'm fishing, in MD and elsewhere....But as we all know there's always multiple way to catch fish on any given day.  

 

I guess you could call a lot of it punching, but I sort of roll that into the universal 'flipping' term too....FWIW when I'm flipping I usually also have a rod rigged with a lighter weight to flip the edges too.  No wrong way to attack it .  

10 hours ago, bogfrog said:

Youre passing up some of the biggest fish by letting the weeds run you off. Get yourself a 7'6" or 8' musky class rod rated for 8 oz or so with a stout reel and 65 or 80 braid. Use the rod to get the fish off bottom, not the reel. Once you get a fish moving through the weeds, keep him moving! If you let them stop they are gone. The reel I have found that will bring a big fish out along with a bale of hay wrapped around him without stopping is the Okuma Komodo 350. I cant tell you why, but the Komodo seems to have more cranking power than the 300 Curado, Revo Toro 50 or the Lexa 300, and they are built like a tank.

   My fishing buddies say I pace back and forth all spring until the weeds are thick enough to walk on top of them. They may be right! 

That’s why I bought the heavier rod 

15 hours ago, Munkin said:

Not sure why everyone is using such heavy weights unless they are punching

Depends on how deep you're flippin, or how fast you want the fall rate to be. Sometimes I'm flippin salt cedars in 15 ft of water. 

Since everyone is arguing over pitching vs flipping, I will be pitching to heavy cover with big rod and line, this is what I refer to as "Flipping". Correct term or not, I am in the business of bass fishing not the business of policing grammar.

 

I will primarily be fishing heavy grass, then wood, then docks, then rock (oil order from most to least time spent). Have decided on 65 lb braid. 

 

My lures of choice will be:

 

1/2 oz plus flipping jig

1/2 oz plus texas/flipping rig

Only time I fool with braid is if I'm in some nasty cover. Heavy grass or pads type of thing. Rest of the time its 20 lb fluoro. Not real familiar with what type of waters u fish so that would dictate what I would target and the type of line I'd use. I'm sure there's tons of information on YouTube etc from the pros. For the most part if they do it with their livelihood on the line its probably good advice.  Good luck I love flippin a jig