Hookeye, I'm by no means an expert at flipping but I can get it done so to speak. One of the things that helped me most was to get a left handed reel. The idea behind flipping is to be able to make a precise presentation that enters the water as softly as possible. Done right the lures entry will be mistaken for a bug or other morsel falling into the water from the cover above. This automatically triggers a feeding instinct. Many times the strike will occur while the angler is swapping the rod and reel from his left hand to his right hand. Sometimes the strike will go unnoticed during the swap. By learning to use a left handed reel you never have this distraction. You are ready to set the hook as soon as the lure lands. You never loose contact with the lure and you can be making things happen while your buddy is still fumbling with his reel.
As for technique let out enough line so that the lure hangs beside your reel when the rod is pointed straight up and held in close at chest level. Cup the lure lightly in your left hand. Now bring both hands to waist level while dropping the rod tip to just above the water. At this point both hands are at waist level and on oppsites side of the body, one in front of each of your pants pockets. OK, let the lure fall by opening your left hand and as it arcs toward the water bring the rod tip up as you extend your right arm up and out letting the line release but maintaining control with your thumb. Stop the spool just long enough to prevent backlash and them free spool the lure down controling the spool with light thumb pressure. Engage the gears and set the hook and hoss him in . I use a left handed Shimano Black Magnum on an old glass diawa flipping rod and a min. of 17 lb mono. You can use up to 30 lb test to slow your lures sink rate. I prefer to use 17 lb or 20lb and use a lure that is bulky and designed to sink slow. I feel that this gives a less obvious presentation. For fishing docks and bulkheads in clear water you can benefit from switching to 12 lb line. Just make sure your lure don't sink too fast.
You would probably benifit by starting out with a 3/4 oz sinker and using a plastic lid about 4" in dia. as a target. Try to keep the sinker as close to the ground as you can. When it lands on the lid softly 5 of 10 tries switch to 1/2 oz. Start with the lid at 18' and increase the distance to 25' after you move to 1/2 oz. Then practice with 3/8 oz at 25 and so on till you can get a 1/4 oz to about 30'; all you need to do then is go on the tour.
tip Use the cover as a backstop. If you hit it softly it will sound like a bug hitting it and when it hits the water, that is clue #2 to Mrs. Bass that it's time to eat. At this point a slow sink rate will draw strikes. If not let it go to the bottom and sitfor a 5 count before working it back slowly. Saftey advise wear a good pair of polycarbonate polarized sunglassesto help you see under the water and foremost to protect your eyes as this is close range work and you will ocasionally have a lure come flying back at you. if you set the hook before you feel the fish's weight, you greatly increase the odds of this happening.
Flipping is a modernization of the old stumpknocking technique explained by Fojoloy today on another post. Any information you can find on stump knocking and jiggerbobbing should help your flipping. One more plug for the black magnum: it has a drag system that lets you instantly back the drag off by turning the drag 1/8 turn backwards. This is a desirable function for this type fishing as it is close cover work at first nd you will be fighting big fish at boatside, AL
