Spinning Reels with No Anti-reverse Switch

[Mojo-NC]

Originally Posted by Ozark Bob

I guess I am one of the most dense fishers with an open face reel. I started about 65 years ago. The need for back reeling was eliminated (for me at least) with the advent of the super great drag systems available for the last 25 or so years.
The fishing line advances in that same time frame have (for me at least) eliminated the 2 or 4 pound test from my life. The anti reverse lever has been the source of heartbreak for many many years. The inadvertent flipping of that evil switch has lost many fish and created lost fishing time either untangling or respooling. I for one say "good Riddance!" (for me at least) Grumpy old man Bob

Ok Bob, so you are one the guys that I was directing my original question to - how do you stay vertical when jigging from shallow to deep without back reeling. Are you saying you manually tug the line out of the reel using the drag? I did mention that I do not back reel while fighting a fish. I flip the switch only to adjust the reel position while casting and to adjust for changes in bottom contour in order to stay vertical.

[Ozark Bob]

In that situation my bail is open and my index finger has the line. If I am pretty much setting still I will pull out a foot or 2 of line. Bob

[Mr. Sauger]

To directly answer your question, When using a spinning reel, I usually just pull line out against the drag to let more line out.

All of my spinning reels have the forward/reverse switch but I find just yanking some line out is easier than doinking with the bail or looking down to find that little anti-reverse lever, change setting, back reel the right amount while carefully keeping line taught, yadda, yadda...

Sometimes I may use the back reel feature if I am searching for the bottom.

The added line twist never seems to be a problem.

[Mojo-NC]

Originally Posted by Ozark Bob

In that situation my bail is open and my index finger has the line. If I am pretty much setting still I will pull out a foot or 2 of line. Bob

Hmmmm, keeping the bail open until I feel the bite is something I had not considered as an option. That sounds much better than opening and closing the bail all the time. Thanks, I'll try that next time I get an opportunity to get back out fishing. With the current extended weather forecast, it looks like it might be a while.

[David Anderson]

Originally Posted by Ozark Bob

I guess I am one of the most dense fishers with an open face reel. I started about 65 years ago. The need for back reeling was eliminated (for me at least) with the advent of the super great drag systems available for the last 25 or so years.
The fishing line advances in that same time frame have (for me at least) eliminated the 2 or 4 pound test from my life. The anti reverse lever has been the source of heartbreak for many many years. The inadvertent flipping of that evil switch has lost many fish and created lost fishing time either untangling or respooling. I for one say "good Riddance!" (for me at least) Grumpy old man Bob

I agree. Having been one of those guys that bought a Stradic CI4 without the switch my first thoughts we WTF is this??? Reality is that it's been 30 years since I back reeled a spinning rod, mostly because I didn't trust the drag and it was usually on a northern pike during one of those last runs at the boat. Like you I always jig with an open bail and the line on my fingertip. Better feel and line control. With today's drags one doesn't have to keep it so tight and if you need line just pull it off the spool.

[Ricky Spanish]

Originally Posted by Ozark Bob

In that situation my bail is open and my index finger has the line. If I am pretty much setting still I will pull out a foot or 2 of line. Bob

Same here. I'll either touch the top of the spool with my index finger or drape the line over my finger.

Also, I don't keep my drag set so tight that I can't just pull out a foot of line by hand if I happened to reel up too far as someone else mentioned.

[TomP.]

Originally Posted by Ozark Bob

In that situation my bail is open and my index finger has the line. If I am pretty much setting still I will pull out a foot or 2 of line. Bob

I use to do this all the time until braid came out 6# braid can cut a finger on a good hook set especially if the drag gives at the same time, I had to quit this with braid, mono I will still use my finger . And another reason I like longer jigging rods 7ft with the extra length i can compensate for more bottom changes just by raising or lowering the rod, and not having to deal with opening and closing the bail.... as much.

[Ozark Bob]

Originally Posted by TomP.

I use to do this all the time until braid came out 6# braid can cut a finger on a good hook set especially if the drag gives at the same time, I had to quit this with braid, mono I will still use my finger . And another reason I like longer jigging rods 7ft with the extra length i can compensate for more bottom changes just by raising or lowering the rod, and not having to deal with opening and closing the bail.... as much.

That works quite well. I don't use braid on many spinning rigs anymore. My braid rigs are almost all baitcast, my lighter reels cast 3/16 baits quite well. No line twist to deal with either. I spent my first 20 years afraid of bait casters but took the time to get good with them. Spinning reels have their place in my rod locker. Maybe 20%. Bob

[Pooch]

Originally Posted by Ozark Bob

I guess I am one of the most dense fishers with an open face reel. I started about 65 years ago. The need for back reeling was eliminated (for me at least) with the advent of the super great drag systems available for the last 25 or so years.
The fishing line advances in that same time frame have (for me at least) eliminated the 2 or 4 pound test from my life. The anti reverse lever has been the source of heartbreak for many many years. The inadvertent flipping of that evil switch has lost many fish and created lost fishing time either untangling or respooling. I for one say "good Riddance!" (for me at least) Grumpy old man Bob

"The need for back reeling was eliminated (for me at least) with the advent of the super great drag systems"

^^^Me, too.^^^

I was never coordinated enough to back reel. Other guys are great at it.

Pooch

[Bobby Winds]

I would NEVER EVER trust a drag on a reel made in China.......PERIOD

I use much lighter line then most anglers and even at 65 years old I can still back reel with the best of them.

But for anyone that does have a reel that doesn't have switch to back reel you might get a rod or 2 broken on Erie when the drift is 2-4 footers and you get a snag and now must trust that China made drag to prevent a broken rod.

Everyone fishes different but I will NOT purchase a spinning reel without a reverse reel switch and I threw out the only spinning reel that had that the useless one stop feature so you could "Quick Cast". That ship came and went and I'm guessing this new fad will too.

What's next, vehicles that don't go in reverse to save money too..........