Tried it one time. Hated it. Inaccurate. Fell off while fighting fish.
Save the money and find a used linecounter reel.
Do any of these work or does anyone have a brand they recommend?
Just started trolling this weekend for crappie and have found mixed reviews of these on-line.
Thanks for any tips and would also be interested in your favorite cranks for trolling crappies.
What kind of reel are you using for trolling now? I use an old Abu Garcia Ambassadeur and count the number of times the level wind goes back and forth and it gets me in the ballpark. Not perfect, but good enough until I buy a couple line counters. From what I’ve heard the clip on’s are pretty bad.
Tried one once… Berkely, I think? Lasted about an hour before it came off and never went back on.
shamus wrote [quote]
” Not perfect, but good enough until I buy a couple line counters. From what I’ve heard the clip on’s are pretty bad.”
Well if/when you buy line counter reels, don’t go low end. Spend the money and get good ones. I learned the hard way, bought two lower end combos and not good. After tape measuring 120′, one line counter was coming in at 240″???, and the other was all over the map between 110-150, etc. So basically worthless. Cheap crap! Don’t bother unless you want/need something more serious. I’m now in the market to buy 2 more good line counter reels on top of the useless ones I just bought. Oh, BTW…I have those for sale now, if you’re interested I’ll let those go…cheap! 
shamus wrote [quote]
” Not perfect, but good enough until I buy a couple line counters. From what I’ve heard the clip on’s are pretty bad.”
Well if/when you buy line counter reels, don’t go low end. Spend the money and get good ones. I learned the hard way, bought two lower end combos and not good. After tape measuring 120′, one line counter was coming in at 240″???, and the other was all over the map between 110-150, etc. So basically worthless. Cheap crap! Don’t bother unless you want/need something more serious. I’m now in the market to buy 2 more good line counter reels on top of the useless ones I just bought. Oh, BTW…I have those for sale now, if you’re interested I’ll let those go…cheap!
What reels are these?
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>walleyestudent wrote:</div>
shamus wrote [quote]
” Not perfect, but good enough until I buy a couple line counters. From what I’ve heard the clip on’s are pretty bad.”
Well if/when you buy line counter reels, don’t go low end. Spend the money and get good ones. I learned the hard way, bought two lower end combos and not good. After tape measuring 120′, one line counter was coming in at 240″???, and the other was all over the map between 110-150, etc. So basically worthless. Cheap crap! Don’t bother unless you want/need something more serious. I’m now in the market to buy 2 more good line counter reels on top of the useless ones I just bought. Oh, BTW…I have those for sale now, if you’re interested I’ll let those go…cheap!
What reels are these?
These…Shakespeare “budget” combo. Rod is fine, reels function ok but the line counter itself is worthless. They would work ok for longline trolling or where precision depth control is not a factor.
Shakespeare.jpg
I tried the clip on counter too and they were junk. Very inaccurate and didn’t take long and they wouldn’t reset to zero all the time. Save your money.
When I don’t have a line counter I also just count the number of passes of the level wind. I rarely use a line counter when trolling shallow. Most of my baits run 4-8′ whether I have 50′ of line out or 150′.
shamus wrote [quote]
” Not perfect, but good enough until I buy a couple line counters. From what I’ve heard the clip on’s are pretty bad.”
Well if/when you buy line counter reels, don’t go low end. Spend the money and get good ones. I learned the hard way, bought two lower end combos and not good. After tape measuring 120′, one line counter was coming in at 240″???, and the other was all over the map between 110-150, etc. So basically worthless. Cheap crap! Don’t bother unless you want/need something more serious. I’m now in the market to buy 2 more good line counter reels on top of the useless ones I just bought. Oh, BTW…I have those for sale now, if you’re interested I’ll let those go…cheap!
I do know how to perfectly calibrate the counters on reels and can vouch for Andy–these reel counters are JUNK. No way can one get them “right” per the spool diameter as we do with the “good” ones. As he said, each time we rolled them out–they read way differently each time–without adding line or taking line off them as one would do to get them calibrated correctly.
I do know how to perfectly calibrate the counters on reels and can vouch for Andy–these reel counters are JUNK. No way can one get them “right” per the spool diameter as we do with the “good” ones. As he said, each time we rolled them out–they read way differently each time–without adding line or taking line off them as one would do to get them calibrated correctly.
So how does one perfectly calibrate the counters on reels? Would be something good to know.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>steve-fellegy wrote:</div>
I do know how to perfectly calibrate the counters on reels and can vouch for Andy–these reel counters are JUNK. No way can one get them “right” per the spool diameter as we do with the “good” ones. As he said, each time we rolled them out–they read way differently each time–without adding line or taking line off them as one would do to get them calibrated correctly.
So how does one perfectly calibrate the counters on reels? Would be something good to know.
Feel free to call–too hard for old weather-beaten typing fingers to ‘splain here.
I rarely use a line counter when trolling shallow. Most of my baits run 4-8′ whether I have 50′ of line out or 150′.
True, you wouldn’t necessarily need for shallow long-lining. But deeper trolling with leadcore it is far more precision oriented. Per 5 feet of line out or in will raise or lower the bait up or down 1 foot. So you can see where 10 feet of line too much or not enough could run your bait out of the strike zone.
fishinfreaks asked;
So how does one perfectly calibrate the counters on reels? Would be something good to know.
Feel free to call–too hard for old weather-beaten typing fingers to ‘splain here.
Yes, it’s almost something you need to watch. Have you made that video yet Steve? 
This is a good read on line counter calibrating.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Loading-and-Calibrating-Counter-Reels/532142.uts
Simply mark 10 feet from the transom up the gunwale towards the bow. Put the crank bait in the water and unspoool 10′ of line with your thumb on the spool, when the line tightens up, do it again until you reach the desired length. This is WAY more accurate than one of those clip on type line counter
Simply mark 10 feet from the transom up the gunwale towards the bow. Put the crank bait in the water and unspoool 10′ of line with your thumb on the spool, when the line tightens up, do it again until you reach the desired length. This is WAY more accurate than one of those clip on type line counter
Well now wait…that’s just too easy. 
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