How do you cope with no anti-reverse switch on new spinning reels?

[bulldog1935]

One thing everyone experiences with a spinning rod is getting the bail rotation (line roller to top center) for proper line-finger position and bail open, it's possible to bring the lure too close to the rod tip trying to get there.  

This is where partial bail open and let out one line loop sets up your cast.  

People winding lures and rigs into their rod tips and shattering rods is simply being too excited or too dense to be aware.  

I have these Tica reels with optional A/R and, again, the only time I use it is when I'm aligning the handle to put them in a reel case.  Noteworthy, these are bulletproof loaners.  

  

[bulldog1935]

3 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

My 60's era Mitchell 320 and my early 70s era Pflueger 640 both had to be reel-closed. They used metal tabs that inserted into the bail end - Pflueger from the side, Mitchell through a hole - there was no way to manually disengage those.

 

Mitchell made 440 Ottomatic that solved that - one of the few '70s reels that would manual bail.  (Penn, Hardy Exalta copied Mitchell 300's bail lock/trip mechanism)

Pushing on the Ottomatic bail opens it, pushing on it again, it closes itself - you can do both with your rod-hand index finger. 

[GetFishorDieTryin]

19 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

@GetFishorDieTryin it's mostly the sealed salt reels that have disposed of it already, e.g., Tsunami TSS, and it's a genuine liability in the surf where a mid-cast bail close is a disaster.  

The use of braid makes it a bad-habit wind-knot liability (loose braid behind the spool, etc).  

It took one generation for everybody to forget optional A/R switch ever existed on baitcaster.  

With the drive for light weight and improved reliability, I'll stand on my prediction.  

I replaced 3 bent A/R dogs on this reel.  It's gets pretty exciting landing a redfish without a free hand.  

I was referring to auto trip, which all decent reels over size 4k have done away with for the most part. AR switches started to disappear a long time ago on Shimanos designs.  Even the lower end reels have drags that are smooth enough at low pressures to make AR toggles redundant.  Whats the sense of paying the extra money for a reel with Magseal, X protect/Core protect and so on, when the water can bypass all the seals, via entry through an AR toggle.  I fish in the rain and surf often with reels that have a toggle.  I just pack it with grease, and it works well enough as long as I don't dunk it.    

[bulldog1935]

7 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

@GetFishorDieTryin it's mostly the sealed salt reels that have disposed of trip-bail-close already, e.g., Tsunami TSS, and it's a genuine liability in the surf where a mid-cast bail close is a disaster.  

The use of braid makes it a bad-habit wind-knot liability (loose braid behind the spool, etc).  

 

It took one generation for everybody to forget optional A/R switch ever existed on baitcaster.  

With the drive for light weight and improved reliability, I'll stand on my prediction.  

I replaced 3 bent A/R dogs on this reel.  It gets pretty exciting landing a redfish without a free hand.  

 

[Hammer 4]

I don't. That's why I now buy Diawa spinning reels.

[Captain Phil]

13 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

My 60's era Mitchell 320 and my early 70s era Pflueger 640 both had to be reel-closed. They used metal tabs that inserted into the bail end - Pflueger from the side, Mitchell through a hole - there was no way to manually disengage those.

 

 

My Mitchell 300. The reel that changed bass fishing forever!

 

 

[fin]

10 hours ago, Hammer 4 said:

That's why I now buy Diawa spinning reels.

That's not the only reason I buy Diawa, but yeah, most of their models still have the switch, and as long as they do, I'll keep buying Diawa. Who knows if they will continue with the switch though.

[bulldog1935]

kinda - Procyon-down have optional A/R.  

What makes it most is they offer more models below this price inflection.  

Tatula-up have full-time A/R.  

The Daiwa reels with optional A/R are built by Tica.  

[Hulkster]

I never ever used it in 30 years of fishing. so I don't miss it at all 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Pretty sure the high end Daiwa reels don't have AR switches, my 19 Certate doesn't.

 

I've never used an AR on any reel that had it.   I found it actually to be a negative feature depending on where they put the AR switch.  

[fin]

49 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

The Daiwa reels with optional A/R are built by Tica.

 

That's interesting. I've never heard of them. I now see they are an Amazon seller, but they apparently don't have a very big footprint in the retail market.

 

I'm okay with lower-end stuff.

[bulldog1935]

It's your thread, so I'll follow your lead.  

I stumbled onto Tica 13 years ago matching my first salt finesse rod with micro-frame Cetus.  

 

After 7 hard salt years, I retired that reel, not because it was worn, but because my friend Paul just handed me another as a gift.  Eric now has 7-y-salt micro Cetus, and it's still going strong.  My first large frame Libra saw some brutal use, still going strong.  Tica has a world market, but not a US market, probably in agreement with Daiwa, their biggest customer.  

These reels aren't for everybody.  I like them as a pimp platform, because they can accept upgrade Daiwa handles.  Generally, though, they have odd gear ratios and mis-matched handles for what most USM buyers want.  

 

Tica goes back to offshore reels in 1960, and they build them tough.  For my niches, Libra SX is the best locomotive-drive made.  I more than alluded on the parallel Shimano Power/Finesse thread, I'd take a low-end (Tica-built) Daiwa over non-worm-drive Shimano to have durability over short-lived refined feel.  

Stradic-up, even Daiwa fanboys admit Shimano's line management of fine braid is best. 

 

Filling this speckled trout limit on the Libra SX 1500, my buddy said, "well, it's not as smooth as Shimano"

 

[Mobasser]

I think Lews still has an AR switch on most of they're spin reels.

[Eric 26]

@bulldog1935 Looking forward to using that 7 year old reel this upcoming season 😉

[Basswhippa]

I'm a Shimano guy and have dozens.  But moving to Diawa on spinning reels for the anti reverse switch option.  It has no liabilities in bass fishing, only benefits to how i fish.  It is convenient. 

[Bankbeater]

I never use it.

[Alex from GA]

I bought a lower end reel recently, couldn't find the A/R switch and almost sent it back.  After a month I'm almost used to it.  All of my other spinning reels have it and a bunch of my baitcasters do also.  XHS Shimanos.  I do prefer the A/R switch for lowering the bait to cast.  With the drags on the Mitchell 300 and 308s I used to back reel but the newer reels mostly have a decent drag. 

[fin]

28 minutes ago, Alex from GA said:

After a month I'm almost used to it.

 

28 minutes ago, Alex from GA said:

I do prefer the A/R switch for lowering the bait to cast.

 

I'm sure I could eventually get used to it, but I don't see an advantage to changing.

 

 

[Alex from GA]

IMO there isn't any.  Look closely @ what you're buying.  My recent Tatula has the A/R switch and I'm happy with it.

[TOXIC]

Well, if we follow the “Pros” lead, none of them I see backreel anymore.  What I do see is most every one of them furiously hand stripping line when they hook up.  It’s comical to me.  I am a finesse fisherman first and foremost so my drags on spinning reels are meticulously set and I use them.  If I have to hand strip line, then my drag is not set correctly in my opinion.  Now don’t even get me started on bail triggers. 🤣

[ironbjorn]

Well, I mean, my lure is only ever close to the rod tip (but, like, 6" - 8" away if I had to guess) if I'm intending to cast. I don't like damaged guides and I know what I'm doing, so my lure never touches the tip top or any other guide for that matter. And if I need to let a little line out, I pull against the modern drag systems that aren't fragile. When fishing, I trust those modern drag systems that, along with weight, make up most of the cost of the reel and just... fish.

[Boomstick]

I prefer an anti-reverse switch but if the reel doesn’t have one I can just pull out drag

[TnRiver46]

I was watching YouTube today and a guy with the latest and greatest gear was fighting and 11 lb bass on spinning gear and he says “my drag just completely gave out!” He was reeling against it and not gaining any line 

 

this is why we backreel. It’s not for everyone but it sure gets made fun of, maybe now some will understand 

On 12/22/2023 at 10:59 AM, TOXIC said:

Well, if we follow the “Pros” lead, none of them I see backreel anymore.  

 

 

you’ve gotta look a little more closely ! It happens 

[bulldog1935]

I think I'd file that one under "Do Not Buy This Reel"

[TnRiver46]

Aw now @bulldog1935 I know you better than that. I’ve had the handle spin backwards on every round abu I’ve got 😂 , what if I just quit buying them ?