Back winding spinning reels?

[NOC 1]

4 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Let's see how the hook set works with your free spinning drag 

Seems to me that if you have to loosen the drag to let a fish run, you have already successfully set the hook?  Do you back reel before you set the hook?

 

 

[NOC 1]

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Bingo - I prefer NOT having my knuckles banged about...which did happen years ago when I tried back-reeling. The control I have using/adjusting drag on-the-fly has netted me a number of fish heavier than the line-test I was using. I'll keep with that as it's proven itself to me over the years.

Heck, I've landed Flathead cats on 10 lb line with a reel that has 9lb of drag. My son last year boated one near 30lb using similar gear. Neither of us noticed any lack in just using the drag.

 

I get it if folks want to back wind, but to say it works better is BS. Likely that was true 40 years ago, but no longer. Good luck finding the gear that even works like that anymore. And you better stock up on donor reels if you do.

 

What I hear from the OP is an old guy (I'm 64 and am one too) who is grumpy because his antique gear isn't respected anymore. But hey, like in everything else, time keeps moving on.

 

That said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with keeping the old ways alive.

 

There are guys who like fishing with the old wooden pin reels too and all power to them.

There are guys who love cars from the 20's, who shoot old re-curve bows from the 60's and who are devoted to hunting with rifles from the 1700's too. But none of those people dare to make the argument that they do so because it is more effective than the modern stuff. This is the same.

[Team9nine]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

Interesting debate.

How often does anyone back reel with the fish more then 25' away? 

Spinning reels with rear drags like Cardinals worked by applying pressure on the spool shaft and easy to ajust with number settings, back off 1 click if needed. Hard to find rear drag reels today.

The older spinning reels the spool type drags tended to stick and higher force to get started and weakened quickly making adjusting difficult constantly readjusting or trusting them. Few bass angler used older spinning reels as adults until about 20 years ago when finesse presentations became more popular.

My biggest bass on a spinning reel, Stratic 2500, using 5 lb Max UG line was 13.2 lbs on a drop shot. Didn't back reel just used my trolling motor!

Tom

 

 

One of my first, and favorite spinning reels was a Cardinal, albeit a “newer” version than the green/cream ones, but it still maintained the rear drag feature that I used frequently before becoming more proficient with backreeling. They were much easier to adjust while playing a fish than the front drag models, though not as accurate or smooth as you mention.

 

As for the 25’ and out, I often use back reeling at those distances and greater to ease pressure on a bigger fish that is coming up to jump. Backreeling allows you to still keep the same rod angle and feel on the fish the entire time, and then immediately increase pressure as needed. It is surprising how many fish won’t  end up jumping once you take some of that pressure off and just maintain enough tension to keep the hook in place until he/she turns back down.

[MN Fisher]

Just now, NOC 1 said:

What I hear from the OP is an old guy (I'm 64 and am one too)

I'm in there too - 61 in a month.

Just now, NOC 1 said:

I get it if folks want to back wind, but to say it works better is BS.

Exactly - if it works for you, then go ahead, it just doesn't work for me at all. Don't tell me I'm wrong for using the drag instead of back-reeling.

[J Francho]

5 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

It is surprising how many fish won’t  end up jumping once you take some of that pressure off and just maintain enough pressure to keep the hook in place until he/she turns back down.

This is exactly what I do using a centrepin, but I'm feeding it line with gentle pressure of my pinky on the flange of the spool.  These fish are usually pushing double digits, sometimes more.  I'm using leaders as light as 4#.  I've never felt I needed to do anything like this on even the largest bass I've caught.  

[TnRiver46]

34 minutes ago, NOC 1 said:

Seems to me that if you have to loosen the drag to let a fish run, you have already successfully set the hook?  Do you back reel before you set the hook?

 

 

Yeah man it’s a wild reverse hook set, all the rage 

[NOC 1]

Just now, TnRiver46 said:

No but my hand is on the reel handle  when I set the hook 

You alluded to someone not being able to set the hook because they might at some point loosen the drag. The point is that no one is loosening the drag before the hook is set any more than you are back reeling before you set the hook.

[TnRiver46]

16 minutes ago, NOC 1 said:

You alluded to someone not being able to set the hook because they might at some point loosen the drag. The point is that no one is loosening the drag before the hook is set any more than you are back reeling before you set the hook.

I’ve got no clue what you mean

 

i like backreel, it helps for diving smallmouth in deep water

 

I’m not the only one, sorry if it makes people contrary. I’m not telling anyone not to use drag

 

news flash: the drag is still set when you backreel 

[NOC 1]

5 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

Let's see how the hook set works with your free spinning drag 

I'm done.

[Sissyfishing]

I did not intend to start a war, just enjoy playing fish 

there’s many ways to catch a fish and many ways to get in the boat, to each his own! Works for me! More power to ya! 

[islandbass]

On 10/20/2020 at 5:28 PM, Sissyfishing said:

Using nets and drag systems causes the loss of most big fish, tighten the drag all the way then disengage your spinning reel and practice back winding even with light line 6 lb and playing a large fish (tire them out where you hooked them not at the boat) then moved to the fish with a tight line and rod high can save the day! Patience is required and you will rarely loose a good fish. 

I remember i thought I’d try back reeling. I really screwed up while battling a salmon, and said screw that. I’m using the drag, lol. More power to you if you can do it. I know when to cut my losses and love on, lol. 

[Bluebasser86]

Well, just like always, this went nowhere but downhill.

 

Do it the way that works for you, and know that it's fine if someone does it different. Also know that we're done here.

 

LOCKDOWN!!