Line Feathering

[Mobasser]

I'm not sure if this is still done very much, but it's a good thing to know. I've seen this mentioned in older fishing books, and shown with diagrams. Some of the novice and beginner spin fisherman can learn this.                  Open your bail as you normally would, and make your cast. Immediately after you release the line, extend your forefinger and touch the lip of the spool. Apply pressure as the line is coming off the spool. You can apply more or less pressure as needed, to slow a cast, or make a very quiet entry.                                                     It takes a little practice, but when you get it down, you can easily slow a cast for pinpoint accuracy or a quiet bait entry.                                This is nothing new, and I think I've heard this mentioned by WRB and A- Jay in past threads. It works well.                                                     Some famous spin fisherman from past years that employed this technique we're Bill Dance, Charlie Brewer, and Billy Westmoreland. All experts with a spinning rod and reel.           This " line feathering" can help a lot with casting accuracy.

[MN Fisher]

Since I do all my skipping of lures with spinning gear, this is something I pretty much do without thinking now.

 

Learn how to feather line, and the old adage of "baitcasters are inherently more accurate than spinning reels" falls by the wayside.

[Deephaven]

Can also use your thumb from the opposite hand.  Not a terrible idea since it makes it really easy then to use that hand to close the bail.

[J Francho]

I'm feathering in the first ten seconds of this video.

[PhishLI]

I did this as a kid instinctively as a panic reaction, but with my free hand. It was the only way to keep my lures out of the lily pads when I was trying to hit the edges. Fear of losing them when spooled with 6lb Stren is motivating. It's still my habit now. I've tried the reel-hand forefinger method, but it feels unnatural to me at this point. Same results anyway. It works.

[dodgeguy]

22 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

I did this as a kid instinctively as a panic reaction, but with my free hand. It was the only way to keep my lures out of the lily pads when I was trying to hit the edges. Fear of losing them when spooled with 6lb Stren is motivating. It's still my habit now. I've tried the reel-hand forefinger method, but it feels unnatural to me at this point. Same results anyway. It works.

I did the same thing when I fished spinning

[Team9nine]

Yep 

[Deleted account]

yeah, on smaller reels the casting index finger, on larger ones cupping the opposite hand.

[Darth-Baiter]

i dont think i am touching the lip of the spool.  i think i am brushing the line as it peels off the spool.  if i need a hard stop, i put my other hand into the flailing line.   

[Mobasser]

1 minute ago, Darth-Baiter said:

i dont think i am touching the lip of the spool.  i think i am brushing the line as it peels off the spool.  if i need a hard stop, i put my other hand into the flailing line.   

I like to do this mainly for a quiet bait entry. Timing is important. I actually touch the spool very lightly as the line comes off. I apply just a little more pressure at the end of the cast. It's helped when I'm casting over clear water, and trying to be stealthy. It seems to work well with tube baits, and lightly weighted soft plastics.Ive practiced it to the point that the bait just appears above a waiting bass.

[Darth-Baiter]

13 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

I like to do this mainly for a quiet bait entry. Timing is important. I actually touch the spool very lightly as the line comes off. I apply just a little more pressure at the end of the cast. It's helped when I'm casting over clear water, and trying to be stealthy. It seems to work well with tube baits, and lightly weighted soft plastics.Ive practiced it to the point that the bait just appears above a waiting bass.

i'll try this weekend.  i'll pay attention.  i dont think i touch the spool, but i might.  thanks!!!  i usually accompany the move with a statement.  "whoa, where do you think you're going?". 

[bulldog1935]

It's exactly the same idea as thumbing your baitcaster, keeps your line tight, and the single greatest weapon against wind knots. 

It's manual bail technique, which we've covered on the forum many times.  You don't have to touch the spool, and you can use all your fingertips to feather the line.  While your hand is there, close the bail manually rather than using the crank auto-close, turn with the rod to take up the slack, and retrieve. 

Any time I loan a rod, we go over this. 

If you do this, you can load your spool to the brim with the finest braid. 

[Columbia Craw]

I factor feathering in when I purchase a spinning reel. Daiwa LT series reels have just the right distance to the spool edge. Stan Fagerstrom taught me how the finger and cup feather.

[FrnkNsteen]

6 hours ago, J Francho said:

I'm feathering in the first ten seconds of this video.

That's exactly how I do it.

[Hammer 4]

Been doing it for many years.