Conference wahoo::fishing

    Come on now, you mean NOBODY out there flips for bass?  
    
    Hmmm, maybe we do not have our normal wide audience tuned in for the 
    season yet...?
    
    Bassin' Bob, you out there?  I seem to recall you mentioning flipping
    once or twice...?  Or were just talking about Holeshot Joe flippin' his
    mouth off....8^)
             
    donmac - who may have to become the resident flippin' expert and flip 
             his way to the next tourny's prize money 8^)

    	It's TOUGH to flip from a belly-boat.  That's one reason I don't
    flip.  (Besides, you get WET when you flip out into the water.)  :-)
    Really, it's tough to get that close without lousing up the fishing in
    clear water.  So, I usually sidearm them rather than flip.

    Don-
    
     Why don't you explain the technique to the great unwashed? :-)
    
    The Doctah

Flippin' is a way of making 'ever so gentle' presentations with BIG HEAVY 
baits to BIG HEAVY bass in THICK HEAVY cover with a BIG HEAVY rod loaded
with BIG HEAVY line.

We're talking 3/4-1oz jig-n-pigs, 7.5' heavy action rods, 20-30lb test.  
Down south 20-30lb test line is common, but I imagine around here I may 
wind up use something around 17lb test. 

The idea is to use the rods length to swing the bait out and have it drop 
softly right in the thick of the real heavy cover.  The heavy line and heavy 
rod help allow you to get the heavy bass out of the cover without breaking 
the line.

New England does not lend itself to flipping as much as other parts of the 
country with more cover, less-clear water and bigger bass.  But I do believe 
there are places around here where flippin' techniques may be applied -
Hopkington Lake (aka STUMPfiled Marsh) comes to mind!  I've lost quite a 
few fish while trying to worm thru all that downed timber.  A heavy flippin
outfit could pull those babies out! 

donmac - who's looking forward to be first-time-flippin' on Florida's St. 
	Johns and Ocklawaha rivers 3 weeks from today, but who's counting...

    Hay don,,  yes I flip what do you want to know?  This would be the only
    time you willsee me recomend using the shit line.  use 14/40
    on your flipping rod!!  I broke off 3 fish last year with 20 and almost
    went swimming when one broke...
    
    You say you don't need that heavy line up here?  Well look at when you
    would flip and you would be fishing the same conditions as florida..
    
    trees weeds and rocks with more trees!!  I have caught fish flipping
    when I have had to get inside the tree to get then out!!
    
    Bob
    

    Don,
    I'm new to this part of the country.  I moved here late last summer, so
    I haven't had the chance to get active yet.
    I came from Texas, where I did a lot of worm and jig-n-pig fishing with
    a Flippin stick.  Its about all I use now. (Even when I'm bait casting)
    
    I did just recently purchase one of the new reels with the flippin
    switch, and expect good things.
    
    BTW
    If you ever get down south, you should check into Lake Fork.  Its
    filled with HAWGS.  Comparable to Florida's Okachobee. 
    Last week a 20 lber was found floating. At least this was the local
    Parks & Wildlife Estimate.   WOW!!
    
    Good luck
    
    Barry

    Barry, thanks for the info.  I'd love to do Lake Fork.  I'm trying to
    line somthing up down there (Lake Fork, or Coonass' Lake Bisteneau or
    something or anything!) for 3-4 days prior to Spring DECUS in New
    Orleans - but haven't been able to find a partner.  
    
    Anyone else out here in fishing notes heading to spring DECUS???
    
    donmac 

    Don, I have a few good articles on Flipping techniques I'll try to copy
    them and bring them to the meeting Friday. One thing with flipping is
    that if you are flipping 25ft that's about the max you would want to do
    it, otherwise you would possibly scare the fish from the cover. I agree
    with your earlier statement that cover for flipping is fairly scarce
    but it never hurts to have the right tool for the right situation. I
    bought this weird floating device at the Boston Sportman show friday
    night. You can use it to get your lure down deep or under docks logjams
    etc. It looks like a Dipsy Doodle that they use with downriggers but it
    is very buoyant and will not hook up.I seen it demonstrated in a pool
    and probably would not have bought it on sight only. It one of those
    tools that you might need when your chasing someone in a tournament.
    I'll bring it along with me to show you.
    

    A 20lb bass? Yow! Where is Lake Fork anyhow?
    
    Ed
    

    Jes outside Emory, hafway between Greenville an Mineola.
    
    Dey don eben tak pictures ob de 10 pounders dere!!
    
    Coonass

    Thats right Coonass, A ten pounder is fairly ordinary in Lake Fork.
    Especially this time of year.  Last week a 16 pounder was caught.
    The state record is over 17, which also came from this lake.
    The lake can be a good one , but you know fishin,..  
    
    Anyway, more on Flippin.
    I may have been misunderstood.  I use what I call a Flippin stick.  Its
    not a true Flippin stick.  Its 6.5 feet with medium action.  It
    does have the long handle though.  I guess its the best of both worlds.
    Berkley Lightning Rod.
    
    Hey Coonass,  What part of Bayou country are you from?
    
    Might as well join in,
    
    Tex

    Don B., convince your wife to let you fly down to Orleans a few days
    early - by way of Houston and we'll do Lake Fork on the way to
    Coonass' place.........?  
    
    I tried flippin' for the first time on Friday - I took the day
    off and finished preping the boat for this week's Fla trip - I had it 
    in the Nashua River (in Nashua) in the afternoon - Tim Lucia joined me
    for a couple hours of fishing - or maybe just 'casting' - but it sure
    was nice to scratch the itch...still lots of ice around the edges - but 
    plenty of open water...  i have to work on those soft presentaions...
    
    donmac - who still needs a fishing partner for a few days before
             DECUS...
    

    Yo TEX,
    
    Me, I com frum don roun Bayou Teche, Big Mamou, but spen lots ob time
    near Dry Prong. Wen I wuz in hah school we had to move to de big city
    way op north, to Shreveport, wit dem redneks. Dats wen I learnt to be
    wit den moody Texyuns.
    
    Dey not too bad, specially after dey go out to west Texas an see dere
    ain't nuttin but dust an open air an eberting dat grows either sticks
    or bites chew!! Den dey com bak an enjoy east Texas an Loosiana.
    
    Wot part are chew frum??
    
    Coonass

    Hey guys
    
    This stuff on Fork is real intersting but sortof off the topic of
    flipping.  I have a flippin switch on my new baitcaster and would
    really like to know how the thing works.  Yesterday when I was shore
    fishing I was under heavy overhang which made normal casting
    impossible.  I think flipping may have done the trick because I only
    wanted to get the lure out about 14 feet or so.
    
    How does one acutually flip?  Do you let out so much line and then
    sortof swing the lure out to where you want it.  Do you have to use a
    free spool mode to feed more line out as you sortof lob the lure out?
    I faintly recall seeing an article in a fishing mag where the guy
    pulled back on the line till it made a bow in the rod and then let the
    lure shoot out like a whip.
    
    Anyway any real info on technique would be appreciated.
    
    Brian

    
    
    Brian,
    
       The flippin' switch on your reel does what you said, it puts the
    reel in a free spool mode.
    
       As for the last technique you mentioned, that sounds like sling-
    shottin'.  Not something I would recommend trying with your bait-
    caster.
    
    Bear
    
    

    re .14
    After setting the switch to the flippin setting, let about 15 ft. of
    line out.  Then with your left hand (if you cast right handed), pull
    about 6 ft. of line out (of the 15 previously released)away from your rod 
    from below the first line guide.  Now make the line swing towards you 
    while making an attempt at aiming the correct direction or target.  
    When the line swings out,release the excess line in your left hand.  
    My baitcaster has the thumbar which when pressed in the flippin mode
    puts the reel in 'free spool'.  If your reel works like this you should
    release the thumbar as the bait hits the water. The spool should then
    act normally.
    After a little practice, you should be able to flip or pitch your bait
    into a lot of those hard to reach places where bass love to hide.
    
    Hey Coonass,
    I grew up in Kilgore. You know, .. near Longview.
    But I spent the last few years down in College Station while becoming a
    Texas Aggie. '89
    Gibbons Creek holds some good fish too.
    
    Tex
    
     
    

	As Tex already described,when the flipping switch is on it will let the 
spool lock as soon as you release the thumb bar,normaly you'd have to start 
reeling to do this. I'm not a flipping expert but I believe the advantage of 
being able to have your reel do this,is as soon as your bait hits the water you
release the thumb bar and the spool is loocked in. This lets you set the hook
instantly. Flipping I believe is usally short distances with soft presentations,
if the fish is there they'll usally strike instantly out of reaction and you 
need to be ready. Bassin Bob can probably tell us more on how fish usally hit 
when Flipping. I've never witnessed anyone doing this.

							Gary

    	When flippin' you want the spool to engage IMMEDIATELY for TWO
    reasons.  One is that you want the line under control as soon as the
    lure hits the water.  The second is probably MORE important if you
    don't have a REAL EDUCATED thumb.  For flippin' you back ALL of the
    spool tensioning knobs and magnets off to ZERO.  If you don't engage
    the spool AS SOON as the lure hits the water, you have the BEST
    PROFESSIONAL OVER-RUN IMAGINABLE!!!!!  In addition, When you get a
    COMBINATION of reason #1 and reason #2, (Fish hits with reel in free
    spool and thumb pressure ONLY on spool locking it down) the results are
    DISASTROUS!!!!!  Or, have the fish hit while you are swapping the rod
    from one hand to the other to engage the reel.  (How many times have
    YOU had to CUT a PROFESSIONAL OVER-RUN out of your spools?????  THIS
    will create that specific condition, VERY QUICKLY!!!!)

I tried flippin for the first time last year.  I was out with one of my sons 
on Pawtuckaway and flipped to into the middle of some lily pads about 10' 
away.  My son said, "What are you doin' Dad?  The boat's too close.  You'll 
never catch...".  I cut him off in mid-sentance as I set the hook on a 
2.5lber and just about yanked him right into the boat.

He was amazed! (so was I!)  He really thought it was a fluke...just pure 
luck that a bass would be so close to the boat.  So I then flipped to 
another pocket in the same pads and WHAMMO!  Another bass...3.5#s!

Yup...I'll definitely be doing more of it this year.  Especially at places 
like .... STUMPFIELD!

-HSJ-

Yo Wayne,
	
	Use a left handed reel like I do and you never have to worry about 
switching hands. That's what I've started to do with any new baitcasting reels 
I gotten,because I'm so used to a spinning reel set up. There's no rules as to 
which hands you should or shouldn't use.

						Gary

    re. -.1 and a few others. :-)
    
    	I tried the left handed reels last year thanks to Spinnerbait
    Dilsworth.  Only ONE problem.  IT'S HARD TO TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW
    TRICKS!!!  Learned too many years ago with levelwind reels (when the
    handles still used to spin with the spool on casts and scabs on thumb
    knuckles WERE COMMON!!) when there WEREN'T anly left hand cranks.  I DO
    fish a left hand crank on spinning reels.  (I know, it's all a matter
    of mind set, BUT, MY MIND IS SET!!!) :-)
    
    	As for flippin', it's TOUGH to do from a belly-boat.  Too close to
    the water.  BUT, dropping worms, jigs, etc. over the tops of boulders
    works GREAT with a flippin' switch.  (UNTIL you set the hook!)  Will be
    doing more flippin' this summer now that I have a REAL BOAT.
    
    	Also, when the reel is fully backed off to ZERO for flippin', all
    it takes is one little OOPS, and you get out the line clippers.  So,
    I'll stay with what is comfortable for me.  Besides, when I'm fishing
    with a baitcaster, I want POWER in my reeling hand for those little
    Toothy Critters.  Don't use as heavy a line on the spinning reels,
    therefore, I like the left hand crank since I don't want to overpower
    the line and snap it.

    I have been practicing flipping and until Waynes note didn't realize
    you back off all the magnetics.  No wonder you can birdnest real easy. 
    I also use a let handed reel and find the line keeps getting caught up
    in the handles if I am not paying attention.
    
    I can wait to try this on some hot spot.
    
    Brian

The bend in the rod/sling shot effect refered to earlier is known as "pitching".
I find this a very accurate way of presenting baits with extreme accuracy for
short distances.  Used it much in Florida last two weeks.  Flipping is exactly
as described earlier and is for even shorter distances.  Pitching is basically
and underhand cast with the reel in the normal position (not in Flippin' mode)

Tim

    Yo Don Mac,
    
    	Have you had a chance to play with your flippen rod lately.  If so
    any comments.  I just picked one up and haven't used it yet.  Still
    debating what reel to get for it.  Maybe I'll just mount a winch to it.
    
    							Gary

    Not up here, but I used it in Florida a few weeks ago, and down at
    Coonass' place (Lake Bisteneau, Louisiana) a week ago.  I like it.
    
    I have not been using the flippin' swicth.  
    
    donmac - back from decus and zillions of notes and mail to catch up on

Yup...Don used his flippin rod down at Lake Bisteneau.  He flipped into the 
boat...into another boat...onto the pier...up onto dry land...into several 
treetops...and even flipped back into Coonass' tackle box.  Don flipped 
EVERYWHERE but into the water!

Oh yeah...I forgot to tell you that Don also flipped his glasses into the 
water!  He's blind as a bat without them...that's why he was flipping where 
he was.  Coonass and I had to point him in the direction of the lake.

Don did finally connect with a fish, though.   Don heads south for some
southern bassin and what does he catch??  A big Jackfish!  (i.e. a chain 
pickeral!)  There are probably only two of them in the whole lake and Don 
catches one of em (...and I nailed the other!).

All-in-all, though, I had a good time.  No big bass but final tally was 
about a dozen bass in the 1-2 lb range. Also saw a bunch of gar (Coonass got 
a swivel straightened out by one that had to go 20-30 lbs) and saw one 
prehistoric critter that was about 3' long and almost white.  I think it was 
an albino mudfish.

Thanks, Coonass, for a great time!

-HSJ-

    Well, I think Joe may be exagerating ever so slightly, but I did loose 
    my glasses (again! - during a tournament a couple of years ago I lost
    another pair!).
    
    We arrived at Bisteneau Thursday late afternoon, and only manged to
    get an hour or so fishing in from shore (where I caught my pcikeral).
    
    We were at the boat house by 6am and ready to go.  While walking on the
    dock I walked face first into a spiders web - these Louisana Bayou 
    spiders can spin some mean web - when I jerked my head back the web
    stuck to my glasses and pulled them off my face, then they fell, off
    the dock and into about 8' of swampy water.  I speant an hour or so
    trying to rake them up while Coonass and Joe went fishing.  Then after
    the stores opened up Coonass drove me into town where I was able to get
    some contacts.  
    
    It was probably around 2pm when I was finally on the water.  Coonass
    and I fished together until after dark with no luck, but I still had
    a good time.  The weather was beautiful and my guide was terrific.   
    
    I had to head out early Saturday morning, so I only got a half days 
    worth of fishing in, but it was a great time.   I enjoyed the weather,
    the scenery and the company.  Thanks for your hospitality Coonass!
    
    donmac - who did better playing cards than fishing 8^)