Super User Raul Posted February 19, 2014 Super User Posted February 19, 2014 I swear to God, I´ve never ever done backreeling a spinning reel, never felt the need of doing so ( and don´t even know how to do it because I´ve never thought it would be necessay for me to learn how to do it ), I trust my reel´s drag, I trust I´ve set it right and I´ve done the necessary adjustments when I´ve needed to do it even while fighting the fish. Quote
EvanT123 Posted February 19, 2014 Author Posted February 19, 2014 Lots of good information here guys thank you. I like watching videos of these old time fisherman. I try and look for ways I can incorporate some of there old school ways and techniques with today's techniques and technologies. 1 Quote
Super User K_Mac Posted February 19, 2014 Super User Posted February 19, 2014 I tried it a few times and came to the conclusion that my drag would be far more effective in fighting a fish than I could be. That is not say that done well backreeling would be a bad choice. Just not for me. I lack the motor skills to do too many things at once... Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted February 19, 2014 Super User Posted February 19, 2014 Lots of good information here guys thank you. I like watching videos of these old time fisherman. I try and look for ways I can incorporate some of there old school ways and techniques with today's techniques and technologies. That's why they have history books. Learn from the past and try to improve. Quote
dave Posted February 19, 2014 Posted February 19, 2014 If I'm not mistaken, I think I have read that Aaron Martens back reels. Quote
wnybassman Posted February 19, 2014 Posted February 19, 2014 I'm a drag guy. Never have I felt the drag has let me down. Sure, I have lost a few fish close to the boat on sudden sharp lunges, but I am pretty certain I would not have been able to react quick enough to back reel either. Out away from the boat in open water it is easy enough to let the rod do the work and follow the fish with your arm. Drag really doesn't come into play until you start getting closer to the boat anyway. Quote
Super User J Francho Posted February 19, 2014 Super User Posted February 19, 2014 If you want to see a modern video showing how to do it, check out the Lunkerville episode called "Chico and the Man." Rich Zaleski back reels and talks about it, if I'm not mistaken. Quote
Super User Team9nine Posted February 20, 2014 Super User Posted February 20, 2014 Great reference J Francho - thanks. RichZ is an adamant back reeler. They show it on the second half of the show ("Chico and the Man - Part 2"), available online. -T9 Quote
Super User J Francho Posted February 20, 2014 Super User Posted February 20, 2014 Any of you well read, and, ahem, mature guys will recognize his name. I grew up reading his articles and have even had the pleasure of meeting him. He still writes for In-Fisherman. The guy is a legend up here. He has a mean chili recipe as well. Quote
bassguytom Posted February 20, 2014 Posted February 20, 2014 I sometimes back reel when catching big smallmouth. It seems I can keep the fish from jumping and spitting the hook. I was told this by another fisherman and it has worked for me. Quote
EvanT123 Posted February 20, 2014 Author Posted February 20, 2014 If you want to see a modern video showing how to do it, check out the Lunkerville episode called "Chico and the Man." Rich Zaleski back reels and talks about it, if I'm not mistaken. Just watched the episode. Some good info right there and you can't ever go wrong for the entertainment value. I'm being optimistic and hoping we're a month and a half from ice out. I'm going to give back reeling a try. Worst case I lose a few fish and switch back to the drag. Quote
Super User OkobojiEagle Posted February 20, 2014 Super User Posted February 20, 2014 Worst case I lose a few fish and switch back to the drag. Your drag doesn't disappear... hold the reel handle still and your drag continues to work. oe Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted February 20, 2014 Super User Posted February 20, 2014 I'd much rather back reel than depend on my drag with spinning gear, I feel like I have much better control over the fish than I do if I let the drag do all the work. I still set my drag for those times I can't get the anti reverse turned off before the fish takes off, but I'll switch over to back reeling as soon as I can. Even though I fish some really nice spinning reels with great drag systems, there's still the chance they may fail or stick and I'm not losing a big fish because of it. Wow! Very surprising comments. How do you anticipate a surge? I have 100% confidence in my drag and drag setting. I depend on it exclusively. 1 Quote
Super User Scott F Posted February 20, 2014 Super User Posted February 20, 2014 If you own a newer Quantum spinning reel, you can't back reel. They no longer have the switch to turn off the anti-reverse. Quote
Super User Teal Posted February 20, 2014 Super User Posted February 20, 2014 I just stick to what I know and that is useing the drag and patience Quote
Super User Darren. Posted February 20, 2014 Super User Posted February 20, 2014 I have tried back-reeling, but it feels like trying to write calligraphy with my left hand...when I'm a righty. My drags work 100% fine, see no need to do otherwise. But that's me and what I'm comfy with. Quote
Super User .RM. Posted February 20, 2014 Super User Posted February 20, 2014 Evan Back reeling seems to be a thing of the past, as Mr Francho pointed out. FL Your both wrong.... If that was the case reel mfg's wouldn't add the anti-reverse on/off switch... I use back reeling all the time on my light live bait rigs that get hit by bigger fish... Have boated many 4+lbrs on UL rigs that wouldn't have been boated without back reeling.. Just an old service tech's .02¢ Tight Lines! Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted February 20, 2014 Global Moderator Posted February 20, 2014 Wow! Very surprising comments. How do you anticipate a surge? I have 100% confidence in my drag and drag setting. I depend on it exclusively. While I do try to feel for it, it's about impossible to anticipate a surge fast enough to start backreeling immediately. What I do is have the switch off as soon as I set the hook on a heavy fish so I'm ready. If the fish surges I drop my arms and lean towards the fish to prevent the line from breaking while I start backreeling. May sound complicated but after you're used to it you don't even realize you're doing it. I like that I can put extra pressure on a fish when I need to and I can lighten up when I need to. It's really helpful fishing around cover. If I'm fishing around something like a dock with posts I can either hold the handle and lean on them to try to move the fish away from cover that could break my line, or if the fish gets around a post I can basically relieve all pressure while I try to get to the dock and hand my rod around the post. Also helps a lot in our lakes with zebra mussels. Setting the drag may work fine when your line is in perfect shape, but let it touch a rock with zebra mussels on it and try to use the drag and the fight will be over shortly. If I feel my line hit an object in the water where I know there's mussels I can take it easy on the fish and play it out to help protect the line better. I understand that drags on spinning reels are great now but I'm much more confident in my ability to control a fish by backreeling and I have zero concern of my drag sticking or failing. 1 Quote
FlipnLimits Posted February 20, 2014 Posted February 20, 2014 Your both wrong.... If that was the case reel mfg's wouldn't add the anti-reverse on/off switch... I use back reeling all the time on my light live bait rigs that get hit by bigger fish... Have boated many 4+lbrs on UL rigs that wouldn't have been boated without back reeling.. Just an old service tech's .02¢ Tight Lines! God bless. Musky fishermen also don't close the bail. And that's something nobody would do bass fishing. Wrong? Right? Neither is the answer. 20 years ago, everyone I knew back reeled and I did also to a very limited amount. Fishing against high school kids nowadays, most don't back reel. It's just not as popular as it once was. Mfg's have an anti-reverse switch because the older guys are still designing them. lol I say that tounge in cheek, of course I'm starting to resemble that remark. Whatever gets the fish, I'm for it! Quote
Super User SirSnookalot Posted February 21, 2014 Super User Posted February 21, 2014 He also used a 5' UL rod. Slider fishing is a worthwhile pursuit, but tackle had advanced leaps and bounds since then. I know a few that back reel, and in fact I do when using a centre pin reel for trout, but drags on even budget level spinning reels are do good now, back reeling isn't necessary. When it comes to knowing about equipment and techniques, Francho knows his stuff pretty darn good. I read this post yesterday, then went out bass fished and thought about it, needed it fresh in my mind. I caught a few bass over average size, not only was back reeling not needed (which I did), but even a 4lb bass doesn't pull enough for me even to be concerned about drag. I don't know a lot about technical aspects but I do know how to land bigger fish on lighter tackle that can run 20-50 or 100 yds, I value my knuckles I use the drag. Quote
Super User tomustang Posted February 21, 2014 Super User Posted February 21, 2014 I have not had a problem with my drag to have a need to try back reeling. Nor have I encountered a roller getting stuck. I personally think that there could be a bigger problem occurring messing around with which way the handle is going, I would much rather have the drag setting low and apply a slight amount of pressure to the spool, which doesn't happen unless I'm fishing salt. If I'm not mistaken, I think I have read that Aaron Martens back reels. It was on page one Quote
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