Back-Reeling vs. Drag System

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mark Wells on January 24, 2011 at 2:14pm

Thumbing the spool and back reeling come up quite often in the musky fishing arena mostly because of boatside strikes or strikes while doing a figure 8. Many old timers of the sport do both. If you're good at it, do it. But with today's technology in reels and butter smooth drags, why would you want to back reel? If you've got your drag set correctly for the line, lure, fish and condition you're fishing and your drag is in good shape because of proper maintenance, why back reel? Trust your drag. Like Ron Hobbs mentioned, keep your drag loose enough that you will not break the line on the hook set. I like my drag set semi loose and thumb the reel on the hookset most of the time. You've always got time to tighten the drag during battle but rarely do you have time to loosen the drag during the fight. Your thumb can make up for a loose drag easily during the fight when line needs to be gained.

Permalink Reply by Jordan Doucet on December 6, 2013 at 9:32am

This is a great topic, thought i'd bring it back up.

Permalink Reply by Marc Marcantonio on December 6, 2013 at 3:11pm

It would be interesting to hear who has changed over to back-reeling after having read this thread, and who tried and gave it up.

I will be demonstrating backreeling at my dropshot seminars at the Puyallup Show.  

Permalink Reply by Zach Chandler on December 7, 2013 at 5:50pm

I will say that after I read this thread, I gave the back reeling a try. I still use my drag. Its just a comfort thing I guess... but I'm a hack

Permalink Reply by Jake Anderson on December 9, 2013 at 3:59pm

I tried it. Found it to be straight forward and an easy concept to learn. I definitely felt in control and in better position for surges near the boat.

There are so many concepts that in my opinion only apply to tournament angling where every single percent of favorable outcomes are considered and applied. Along those lines..., Zach, you aren't a hack, you just don't care if a 3.5lber comes off at the boat on a wednesday evening.

In august i fished a tournament on the river and caught a 4.5lb smallmouth that i felt lucky to land. It did some things at the boat that made me sweat because i wasn't backreeling. It was one of the hottest fish I've ever had the pleasure to dance with.

In april, and May i dont feel that backreeling is as important because the fish just dont have the same late surges that they have in august and september. This is due to water temp and exhaustive spawning activity.

Permalink Reply by Joel Alinen on December 9, 2013 at 10:19pm

Every year I plan on trying this but I never end up doing it...gotta try it on bed fish this year!

Permalink Reply by Tag Watson on December 10, 2013 at 6:26am

Hey Joel,

To Jake's (very good) point, backreeling is rarely a necessity on bed fish due to the lack of fight and/or late surges. Get the bed fish in as quickly as possible to not wear them out. The best practice will be on Summer fish because of their tendency to make multiple hard surges during the fight. Good luck!

Joel Alinen said:

Every year I plan on trying this but I never end up doing it...gotta try it on bed fish this year!

Permalink Reply by Joel Alinen on December 10, 2013 at 1:29pm

According to Hobbs that's the fastest way to get em in though

Permalink Reply by Tag Watson on December 10, 2013 at 4:42pm

Definitely give it a try!  Flipping stick with 65 lb. braid is an even quicker way to land bed fish!

Joel Alinen said:

According to Hobbs that's the fastest way to get em in though

Permalink Reply by Joel Alinen on December 10, 2013 at 7:29pm

Lol...1/4oz Drop Shot snub on a flipping stick with 65lb braid...rippin lips!

Permalink Reply by Ronald Hobbs, Jr. on December 10, 2013 at 9:31pm

It is the fastest way, you can have a tighter drag setting due to the fact you don't have to compensate for the poor start up inertia of a shitty drag. Pull on the fish as hard as your tackle will go when they are swimming toward you are to the left or right let them go on a hard surge. Guys freak out and loosen drags it's silly, seen it way to many times. Other trick have the right rod line hook combo for what you are doing. Salmon and steel heading prime example, use the whole rod to fight the fish just not the top 6"

Permalink Reply by Sparkles on December 12, 2013 at 7:39pm

So why you are fishing you have the reel switch flipped already to allow back reeling?

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