Noticed there are a bunch who choose to backreel rather than utilize their drag.
For those who do, what are the advantages?
Ive tried it before and it seems very awkward to me but i figure there must be something to it….
The reason I haven’t ever tried it is I don’t want to lose a big fish trying to figure out how to do it.
dd
I like using my drag better. Granted, that’s instilling a lot of trust that your drag system won’t fail… But I like being able to take my hand off the reel in certain situations (like to remove the flasher), and when that fish decides she wants to go, you can just let it rip. I fear with a large pike or walleye that they might make runs that backreeling would have a harder time keeping up with.
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I fear with a large pike or walleye that they might make runs that backreeling would have a harder time keeping up with.
When you engage the back reel you don’t give up your drag. All you have to do is stop the bail with your finger tips and the drag takes over. Best of both worlds.
I rely heavily on back reel when I hook up a big fish. Particularly on the ice. Cold conditions make for sticky drags and I’m not about to trust a big fish to a stack of washers when I can control the amount of pressure. Granted it does take some practice but if you can walk and chew gum you’ll pick it up after a fish or two.
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For those who do, what are the advantages?
Precise control over the amount of tension applied. As the fish gives ground you reel to take up line. When a fish runs you give back. The goal is to keep the tension consistent.
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Ive tried it before and it seems very awkward to me but i figure there must be something to it….
I will admit, it takes a little practice. I think you’ll find a lot of guys that consistently catch big fish on light line make use of this technique because it affords a high degree of control over the pressure on the fish and load on your line. Done correctly, break offs are a thing of the past.
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Ive tried it before and it seems very awkward to me but i figure there must be something to it….
That was my impression as well. Especially when we spend money on high dollar reels that are supposed to have superb drag systems.
Agree with James. Learn how to backreel and you won’t be losing many big fish. Try it out on some smaller fish first until you get the hang of it. Use it in conjunction with the drag and keep your hand on the reel handle when backing off. One thing: When you land that big one, get your picture took and your hand shook….remember to flick back to the non-backreeling mode, it tends to unreel if you don’t have the reel in your hand.
Doesn’t using your drag also cause more line twist? Atleast thats what they tell me…
When I was in high school my uncle told me to learn to backreel and I would lose less fish and have less breakoffs. I use to take my ultralight to the carp holes around and learned how to backreel very quickly. Now I can’t imagine not backreeling. I feel as if I’m in complete control. I caught a couple 15-20 lb pike on 6 pound test in Canada last summer and not once did I fear losing those fish. I would highly recommend trying it.
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Doesn’t using your drag also cause more line twist? Atleast thats what they tell me…
Yes and no. Reeling when the fish is taking drag will create line twist. Just letting the fish take drag doesn’t. Back in my guiding days it wasn’t uncommon to have an angler with a lesser amount of experiencing fighting big fish reel almost constantly throughout a fight with a hard fighting fish like a big sturgeon. Once the fish was landed and the tension in the line relieved the spool of line would almost explode off the reel due to the crazy line twist. At that point the whole spool of line needs to be replaced.
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For those who do, what are the advantages?
Precise control over the amount of tension applied. As the fish gives ground you reel to take up line. When a fish runs you give back. The goal is to keep the tension consistent.
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Ive tried it before and it seems very awkward to me but i figure there must be something to it….
I will admit, it takes a little practice. I think you’ll find a lot of guys that consistently catch big fish on light line make use of this technique because it affords a high degree of control over the pressure on the fish and load on your line. Done correctly, break offs are a thing of the past.
Betcha you didn’t back reel against those 20+ King Salmon in Milwaukee Harbor when they took off James. 
There is no way I could have back reeled against the 15lb Brown I caught with Randy W last Thursday… 
Walleye, Pike, panfish etc… no problem with back reeling 
It depends on the species, location, and conditions. Saltwater gamefish like Tarpon…NO WAY anyone is gonna back reel them… 
Betcha you didn’t back reel against those 20+ King Salmon in Milwaukee Harbor when they took off James.
There is no way I could have back reeled against the 15lb Brown I caught with Randy W last Thursday…
Walleye, Pike, panfish etc… no problem with back reeling It depends on the species, location, and conditions. Saltwater gamefish like Tarpon…NO WAY anyone is gonna back reel them…
This is in the ice fishing forum let me know when you get a tarpon while ice fishing
I don’t spend a lot of $$ on my panfish reels. I think I was able to pick up my Siennas for $19.99. So I don’t have high quality reels for this set-up. But this season alone I have caught in the dozens of bass, not all 20″, with the help of back reeling and longer rods. Get a feel for it and you will see just what it can accomplish.
BTW, I still consider myself a nube at this point, but I have yet to have a break off with 2lb test.
FDR
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Noticed there are a bunch who choose to backreel rather than utilize their drag.
For those who do, what are the advantages?
Ive tried it before and it seems very awkward to me but i figure there must be something to it….
It’s all about control, but it takes some practicing to get comfortable with it. But…get a baitcasting reel and it’s all really easy.
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This is in the ice fishing forum let me know when you get a tarpon while ice fishing
Hahahahahahahaha
Especially if it’s caught on a blade bait fished on a downrigger tip up.
Do you prefer electric or manual riggers for your tip ups?
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Granted it does take some practice but if you can walk and chew gum you’ll pick it up after a fish or two.
yeah, I’m out. 
x2 – of course I also use the same ideas for summer fishing also.
OK Pat, I was exaggerating to make my point…
Cold water fish like trout and salmon are not lethargic during winter like Bass walleye etc… You will not back reel a big one through as effectively as with a good drag.
We do catch Trout and Salmon through the ice where I live.
Perhaps I don’t understand reel/line physics. Would back reeling while these are screaming drag twist the line?
Wade, anytime your turning the bail while your drag is screaming, you can cause line twist. However, your applying a much greater force when you reel against the drag. While back reeling your reducing the pressure and allowing line to spool off while the line is pulled out – thus going with the drag.
Tom – We would backreel on 25#-30# chins while they were burning off 150yrd runs all the time with our spinning gear. Back in the glory days of mitchell 310’s, 410, and my favorite 408 with 4# to 6# cheap mono – you learned to “free spool” without getting your knuckles busted. After having a few fingers thumped by the reel handle, you adapted to conditional learning
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