Light Tackle Question

[dreamertino]

When fishing with light tackle if you hook a big fish say near some brush or coontails how would u adjust your drag system so that you dont get broken off

[Sam]

Make sure it gives a little and let the bass run to tire her out.

 

NEVER POINT ROD TIP AT FISH DURING THE FIGHT TO LAND HER.

 

Keep rod tip high and then lower it as she gets closer to you but don't point the rod tip at her or your line will break.

 

Walk around the shoreline or boat with her and help tire her out.

[I.rar]

NEVER POINT ROD TIP AT FISH DURING THE FIGHT TO LAND HER

Walk around the shoreline or boat with her and help tire her out.

This

[dreamertino]

Ok I was thinking to do something like that but im afraid of being broken off I kno its gonna happen im just gonna try my best to prevent it and the reason I ask was I was fishing at a small pond yesterday and caught around 15-20 bass that were no size and while I was catching the French fries I was wondering what I would do if I hooked a big one

[fishking247]

Just play the fish, light tackle or heavy tackle. I can't tell you how many times I hear "I lost the big one". People panic. Just fight it like any other bass. Almost all my big fish over 5lbs have come on 10-15lb braid or 8lb mono. Good luck

[Snakehead Whisperer]

Try to pull the fish away from the cover during the initial hookset. That way the fish doesn't react and start taking out drag until you've already pulled it into open water.

 

Not sure if I read the question right, but it's a bad idea to adjust the drag while you have a fish on unless it's an absolute emergency situation. Usually I will adjust the drag on my lighter rigs to about 1/3-1/2 the breaking point of the line/knots.

[derekxec]

you shouldnt have to loosen your drag if you get a big one on it should already be set for that but if you needed more drag i just put mu thumb on the spool a little for baitcaster or use my hand on the spool for spinning reel to create a little more drag

[dreamertino]

Ok ill try that fishing it is 8# fluro on a spinning combo so ill remember to play the fish and to put my hand on the spool derekxec

[Paul Roberts]

I have never used drag on a spinning reel. I prefer to back-reel which allows me to control and adjust pressure. Much of the time the rod and my reach absorbs most of what fish do. I can give 1 turn, or 2 if I need to, or just lock down. Most reels are fast enough to easily keep up with bass. I've even back-reeled steelhead and salmon and on a really good bolt, I just leggo the handle then catch the rotor after the bolt. Again, I've never used drag on spinning tackle. I don't want my reel giving line. I want control of that.

[SirSnookalot]

For bass fishing no adjustment is needed on spinning gear.  As mentioned palming the spool will add drag, in the case of a fish buried in vegetation grab the spool with your hand and pull the fish out of cover into open water, then reel in as normal. Another little trick is to grab the rod a little higher up on the shaft and again pull the fish out of cover.

[lmbfisherman]

Make sure it gives a little and let the bass run to tire her out.

 

NEVER POINT ROD TIP AT FISH DURING THE FIGHT TO LAND HER.

 

Keep rod tip high and then lower it as she gets closer to you but don't point the rod tip at her or your line will break.

 

Walk around the shoreline or boat with her and help tire her out.

x3 Yep!

[Paul Roberts]

It helps to have the appropriate tackle. It will save you heartache.

 

A suggestion, if you happen to hook a big one near brush on light tackle:

As Sam advised, walking is very good thing to know about. It exerts very even pressure and often the fish will tow along nicely, and for quite a distance. First, before you get to casting, look around and identify the trouble spots. If you hook a good one, immediately walk (or move the boat), tow that fish away from the snag to more open water. Pumping the rod won't work, as the fish will feel it and react. Paniced bass are notorious for purposely diving into cover. I even had one bolt into a muskrat hole at pond-side! Look for trouble before you start casting.

 

And...one more plug for back-reeling. It's easy. Once you get used to it, you'll never go back. Complete control is what it gives you.

[BrianinMD]

Emergency drag changes are never good, I will sometimes loosen a little it once the fish is away from cover. Nothing worse than having line snap when the fish decides to make one last effort to get away. A quick shock on the line with only a few feet our does not work out well usually. As suggested before I use my hand to provide more resistance if I need to. I don't leave it lighter normally because I want to hookset and initial get out of cover ability.

[bartdude186]

Learned my lesson sunday after casting out a spinning reel that i didn't check the drag on that day. it somehow got tightened down all the way and i lost a very nice fish and a 10 dollar lure right at the boat when it made a final run.

[HeavyDluxe]

I have never used drag on a spinning reel. I prefer to back-reel which allows me to control and adjust pressure. Much of the time the rod and my reach absorbs most of what fish do. I can give 1 turn, or 2 if I need to, or just lock down. Most reels are fast enough to easily keep up with bass. I've even back-reeled steelhead and salmon and on a really good bolt, I just leggo the handle then catch the rotor after the bolt. Again, I've never used drag on spinning tackle. I don't want my reel giving line. I want control of that.

 

This is a perfectly valid (and helpful!) approach, but I want to offer a bit of a contrary view.  There are two reasons I don't personally like backreeling, even though it does allow you to manage the pressure on a fish.

1. I fish spinning gear exclusively, and so I have a couple rods with different weight line.  I found it hard to judge pressure relative to line test when I'd go back to my lighter setup.  I found myself overpressuring the fish on my lighter tackle and breaking off.  Setting the drag properly on each setup helped.
2. The final nail in backreeling's coffin for me was a couple times I have slipped, lost hold of the reel handle, and ended up with a real mess on my hands (and no fish).

 

Backreeling is definitely something to experiment with, though.

 

FWIW, I've always felt like I can properly set the drag on my reel and, if needed, apply additional pressure to the spool with an extended finger on my reel-hand or palming the spool with my crank-hand.

[Paul Roberts]

The final nail in backreeling's coffin for me was a couple times I have slipped, lost hold of the reel handle, and ended up with a real mess on my hands (and no fish).

 

I've... never had, or seen, such a problem. I can't really imagine how it could happen, to the point of a "mess".

 

Maybe it's this –controlling the rotor. That’s what the handle does, but it’s not the only way to do that, and instantly.

 

In back-reeling the rod hand is also used to control the rotor. This is no great adjustment since we already use the rod hand to pick up the line to cast, and to assist in proper line tension at the beginning of the retrieve. (Originally spinning reels didn't even have a bail, the line brought into the line pickup with the rod hand finger.) One's rod hand is always an easy touch away from the line and rotor. It could stop a "runaway" rotor in a heartbeat. Also, the cranking hand can catch the rotor instantly, if need be.

 

The only adjustment I could see one needing would be in educating the rod hand to control the rotor. But if anyone spent even an hour back-reeling they'd be using the rod hand to control the rotor anyway, since the anti-reverse is clicked off when fishing. I use the last three fingers (middle to pinky) to control the rotor. The index finger picks up the line to cast. Grab a spinning rig and try it -drop your last three fingers onto the rotor. Problem solved.

[Comfortably Numb]

8# is not really light tackle and you should be able to move a fairly large fish.

[xbacksideslider]

I was forced to learn backreeling when I was a kid, discovered the advantages of light line, but I had a cheap spinning reel with a really crummy drag. 

 

Now that I can afford a good reel with a decent drag, I still backreel and there are several reasons.  First, that's my habit.  Next, even with a good reel, when you use 4 or 6 pound line, the initial "break" of the "stiction" of the drag discs, the point at which they first release line, can be at a greater pressure than that at which you initially set it at, especially if you haven't tested it, or freed it up lately.  Lastly, backreeling reduces the line twist associated with the drag system's operation.

 

Another thing, sometimes you want to play out line to the bait and that can be done if the anti-reverse is off.  For example, when you are line watching and the darn wind picks up and starts to drag the line, backreeling will allow the wind to take line without distrubing the bait.  Or, a fish takes the bait and you want the fish to run a bit before your hook set.

 

Don't get me wrong.  I still use the drag, but more as a back up, I still set it, test it, and let it cover for any mistake I might make.  It's kind of like a second soft rod tip.

[Paul Roberts]

Glad there are at least a few of us left. Rich Zaleski is a back-reeler too.

 

Yes, the line twist thing is very true. Since I've always back-reeled I guess I don't know how much of an issue that could be in bass fishing. But with chinook salmon, it can be a real headache. After having your reel nearly spooled several times during a single fight, all those rpm's leave you with line that acts like a loaded spring.

[mjseverson24]

I use both the drag system and back-reeling for different situations. I use the drag on almost all of the fish I hook, but if I am hooked into a bass greater than about 5 lbs then I may back-reel especially near the boat to make sure the fish doesn't put too much pressure on the line or hook. Most decent spinning reels have good drag systems and back-reeling is probably unnecessary for most people.

Mitch

[HeavyDluxe]

I've... never had, or seen, such a problem. I can't really imagine how it could happen, to the point of a "mess".

 

I'm gifted.... what can I say?  Wait 'til you see my dance moves. 

 

Just to be clear guys, my intent wasn't to knock backreeling.  It's something I'd like to experiment with again somewhere down the line.

[Darren.]

I try to test my drags before I make the first cast on a given day. I normally try to set-it-and-forget-it for drag on my spinning gear, but every so often I will change things, especially if I put on a heavy leader, I may have tightened the drag that particular day.

 

So if you get into the habit of double checking your drag each time, you should be fine. And then I use the spool palming method to add drag during a fight. Absolutely hate backreeling, no offense to those who do it. Just don't like it myself.

 

As well, I once watched a pro on TV who discussed drag setting, can't remember who, and he said if you cast out and pull back as if you are setting the hook, you want to hear a quick pull of your drag. While this may or may not be "the best way" to do it, it might be a starting point.

 

Lastly, agree with C-Numb that 8 lb test can haul in some nice bass. I would consider it lightER line. I do use it often and have pulled in some hefty bass in cover.

[Paul Roberts]

I'm gifted.... what can I say?  Wait 'til you see my dance moves. 

 

Just to be clear guys, my intent wasn't to knock backreeling.  It's something I'd like to experiment with again somewhere down the line.

  Just control the rotor with the fingers of your rod hand and you'd be fine.

 

And as Mitch says, good drags work fine. But I just wouldn't know, I've never used it. I just lock it down and am done with it. Just can't imagine turning the control over to a "setting".