WHY BACK REEL??

[DaveQ]

With a good quality spinning reel, in summer weather,what if any is the reason/advantage of back reeling, while fighting a good fish???

[Phil T.]

Because really good drags are so rare nowadays.

[WAeyes]

I must have a rare one because I have never had to back reel - SHIMANO! I guess if you don't trust your drag, then you should use the back reel feature.

[T-Mac]

It is FUN!
Learned the hard way at Tobin Lake a couple of times... and I do use Shimanos!
I only do it with hawgs on light line.
It is FUN, 'tho.

[WAeyes]

Funner than listening to your drag screaming?

[GORD]

The reason I backreel is because I've lost fish in the past when I relied on my drag and it stuck...."SNAP" good bye fish. It's always the big fish that do this. Even if the drag is 99% perfect, I'm not prepared to gamble. It's more of a skill test. It's a personal fight between you and the fish and it's fun. When you use the drag and a big fish runs and pulls line, you are tempted to tighten the drag to regain control "SNAP" goodbye fish. When a big fish pulls drag you should back the drag off if anything, not tighten it.

[TLY]

Lets also extend this to bait casters. Same answers, just less reels available with the option. Again, drag is a relative thing and whatever you are set at it is wrong. I would raher take a few slaps on the knuckles with the reel handle and keep the fish
than let some unquantifiable set of 'stuff' manage my success.

It does take away excuses, on the other hand the enticement and bite are the reward and not having to handle the fish are a plus.
Makes for better stories too maybe.

Being a leftie it also complicates reel choices. Life is tuff.
When you find what you like buy it, it may be awhile before the next option comes along.

My opinion

TLY

TLY

[Fin Addict]

No advantage that I can see. If you are after really large fish (not walleyes), very few reels capable of handling them even have backreeling capabilities. If you tried, I would anticipate broken fingers. I set my drags for big game (marlin, shark, wahoo, tuna etc) w/ a scale. Lever action drags on the bigger reels have presets so you know the pressure you put on the fish relative to breaking point of the line as you increase and decrease pressure. For smaller fish like eyes, I have never been broken off due to failure to backreel when my drag is adjusted properly on a decent reel. I generally use a Shimano Stradic for eyes. I stopped backreeling when the equipment improved. If you like to do it, have at it. I just find it simpler to keep consistant pressure on a fish with my drag and feel I lose fewer fish this way.

[stewart]

Maybe it's just my own superstitions, but I find the hook pulls out less when I backreel. Since walleye don't usually make huge runs feathering the handle when they need to go is pretty easy.

[BILL]

I COMPARE BACK REELING THE PROPER TOOL AT THE PROPER TIME. KIND OF LIKE USING A GOOD FITTING BOX END WRENCH ON A TIGHT NUT RATHER THEN A PAIR OF PLIERS. TO EACH HIS OWN BUT I HAVE LANDED LOTS OF FISH THIS WAY AND SOME WERE HOOKED VERY LIGHTLY. I KNOW I WOULD HAVE LOST SOME OF THEM AND IT'S USUALLY A GOOD FISH WHEN IT HAPPENS. TRY IT.

[dc/co]

one of my old partners once said, when you back reel you are in control of the fish, when the fish is running out on the drag he is in control. Just a different way of looking at the situation.
dc

[MR.T]

When I was a kid thats all you could do.
Their was no such thing as brake,drag.
So you just back reeled,I still do,I
never set or use the drag.What ever works.
MR.T

[Lund_Dude]

"I Pitty the FISH that messes with MrT!"

[Greg P.]

I like to use backreel because I feel I have better control over when the fish needs line, or when I think I can turn it without more line. I can often tell when a fish is about to run, and can control the line betterusing backreel.

I have lost fish like others on this post because the drag sticks. Even though I checked it for the right setting. I firmly believe more expensive reels have more consistent drag systems. Not all my reels are expensive.

I prefer spinning reels with the 'fighting drag', which is a drag system on the bottom off the reel, with an easy to reach lever for instant adjustment. This is particularily important when I am assisting less experienced people, who have never caught a fish big enough to need a drag system. I rarely have them use the backreel, due to over spinning, and tangles.

I do use my drag and check it often, but I rely more on the backreel for better control. Both methods are effective.

Hope this helps
Greg P.

[curt quesnell]

people backreel because they can.

whether necessary or not, you can certainly reel in a fish
any way you want to. drag, no drag, hand over hand, left hand
retrieve, right hand retrieve. thats the great thing about
fishin there are lots of different ways to achieve the same
thing....

how ever you reel in a fish...i hope you reel in alot of em

curt quesnell

[Greg P.]

curt,
I know you must have a more biased opinion than 'because they can'. I hope all the personal attacks on individual opinions hasn't limited your contributions to the board. I have found your responses to other questions and issues excellent. Please keep it up.

Do you use drag or backreel? And why?

Greg P.

[B. Reel]

People also back reel because it has been found that the drag ca put twist in your line.

[curt quesnell]

i have tried to back reel, just to check it out and never got
comfortable with it.
when i get a bigger fish on that requires
more attention i will manually turn the spool to get it started
when the fish takes off, i will pull a few inches of line off
the spool after every run of the fish to make sure the drag hasnt
tightened up. i like to use the drag, but like the backreelers
i dont necessarily trust it.

thats how i do it.

curt quesnell

[curt quesnell]

true....but the "reel" culprit is reeling against the drag.
fish the fish with the rod.....take in line with the reel.

i have seen fishermen reeling for minutes on a snag, never
stopping the crank on the reel long enough to feel what it
might be. thats where the twist comes from


curt quesnell

[curt quesnell]

i meant "fight the fish with the rod, take in line with the
reel"

doh!!!!!!!!!!

curt

[WAeyes]

I knew what you meant and agree completely. Line twist is caused from reeling while the fish is screaming your drag. DO NOT reel while the fish is running, this is "big fish 101".

[JimmyJ]

If you want to learn to backreel, go to a lake that has a bunch of Northerns in it. Do Nothing but backreel. Once you learn to backreel and get good at it you will never loose a big fish again. I have yet to loose a big eye or a northern and I fish primarily with 4# mono. You could hook a Sturgeon and if you are a proficient back reeler you could land it on very light line. I guess that is what I enjoy the most about this is the fact that you can fish ultrlight without fear of loosing a big fish.

[NoMore@#$%?#]

I have been a back reeler for one year now and I will never trust a drag again. Two years ago I lost more fish due to failing drags than I ever have. I now save lots of money on reels because I buy good cheap reels and dont even set the drag. I have had awesome results backreeling. I feel as though I have more control over the fish and know exactly when its going to run. Learn to backreel and you will never go back to your drag again.

[Kevin/CO]

I think some one said it best when they put it to each his own. Backreeling has its advantages if your comfortable with it, using your drag has its advantages if your comfortable with it. Where ever your confidence and experience is is where you will be the most porficent. Personally I use reels with a rear drag and set it just enough so I can set the hook. Once I get that hook set I try to get a feel for what kind of a fight I am in for. If I think I can get away with a higher drag I tighten it. If it feels like I have my work cut out for me then its lighten up the drag and time to see who has the higher stamina. Bottom line go with what your the most comfortable and confident, each has its advantages and short comings its just a question of how many shortcomings you end up countering/eliminating.

[RIVERRUNNER]

I use my drag, but if I know I have something nice on my baitcast reel I always keep my crankin hand on the line. When the fish is ready to run or drag stops, but seems to be very heavy, breaking piont, I PREFER TO GRAB LINE AND PULL OUT SLACK.P.S. do not wrap around your hand, I have been cut doing this but I 'VE ALSO LOST SOME FISH TRING to adjust drag during the fight. Spinning reels, i LIKE TO TO FLIP THE BACKREEL SWITCH,unfortunatly I only do this afew times a year. ALWAYS CHECK YOUR DRAG SETTINGS , THEY WORK ON 95% OF FISH. G0OD LUCK GOOD FISHIN

[Al]

I fish both eyes and smallies. I see a lot of guys go running around their boat both backreeling and letting the drag to its job. I've fished with some of the best, and names most in some regions would recognize. What I have seen is that they very rarely if ever back reel. They use the drag, and most all of them use the higher end shimano spinning reels. But, they regularly check the drag and they maintain their reels very well. One told me that you can have potential problems with backreeling if you get carried away and suddenly they change direction and you create slack. The drag stops when the pressure lessens.

Besides, I like nothing more than hooking up with a smallie and listening to them take drag when they are already down 30 feet. You know you have a fish on then.