Spinning reel "trigger"

So full disclosure – I don’t buy fancy fishing stuff. However, a few years ago I went to a store wanting to buy a “nicer” reel ($50-$100). I was expecting to get the same kind I had grown up on, which I later learned was a spinning reel with trigger. The store said that they were not very prevalent anymore and I ended up buying a proper $70 spinning reel. It worked well enough, but I eventually went back to one of the old trigger models I had when I inherited a bunch from dad.

What exactly is the benefit of no trigger? The only “downside” I have ever noticed is that when I want to stow the hook I might need to pull a bit of line out to get a proper amount of bend in the rod. Otherwise it just seems so much less clunky and faster than a spinner with no trigger. I like to cast for bass and northern and it just seems to go so much faster.

Please enlighten me.

The benefit of no trigger is one less thing to malfunction/maintain. Personally, I can’t stand the triggers. They also tend to put unnecessary stress on the bail pivot than I’d like. I hand-close/open all of my bails 99% of the time anyways (which we all should be doing, honestly). Once you’re programmed to hand-close/open the bails, it becomes second nature (just like you and the triggers, it’s what your hand knows, muscle memory) and you don’t even realize you’re doing it. Some benefits of hand-closing/opening the bail is that you can you use that hand to feather your line in case of overshooting your target area, a soft touchdown, or for certain dry fly presentations considering that that hand is already in contact with the bail. Then, just flip the bail closed. It severely reduces the chance of bird-nests and also puts less mechanical stress on the bail assembly.

As far as line goes when stowing the hook, I just attach the hook to the hookkeeper or the the bottom guide. If there is still too much slack in the line, I’ll hand turn the spool until the line is taught. If the line is too taught, I just pull line out (like drag) and use the spool to tighten up again if necessary. No trigger involved anywhere.

Just wait until you see a spinning reel without a trigger OR a bail. A second hand is a must!

More to break, line can get tangled on the trigger, and it has to reverse spin back to the trigger position which can cause slack. That’s all I can think of that is potentially a problem. I haven’t had one for a long time but I remember on mine sometimes you’d get line looped around the trigger.

Never was a fan of the trigger, I like instant back stop.

you can’t have instant anti-reverse on a trigger reel. If you are just before the stop point, the spool has to rotate back almost an entire revolution before it stops if you set the hook without holding the handle. Will lead to a lot of missed fish if you don’t always fish with your hand on the reel handle. Fine reels for beginners or infrequent fisher people, or if you use it for an application where you are always reeling. Most of the trigger reels would fall into the low end for quality as well.

The trigger was a big innovation back in the 1980s and every maker had them. They kind of fell out of fashion, although I like them for my sons because it makes the transition to a full-on spinning rod easier. The downside was the additional mechanical complexity of the trigger, which in honesty doesn’t provide a huge benefit for most.

If you like them, use them. They’re still out there. There’s no significant downside, so if you like them, go with it.

Grouse

Dusty Gesinger wrote:

Never was a fan of the trigger, I like instant back stop.

I have a Spirex that’s probably 25 years old.

It’s as smooth as a $300 reel today, but the lack of instant anti-reverse sucks (and it collects dust because of that)

I have a Spirex that’s probably 25 years old.

It’s as smooth as a $300 reel today, but the lack of instant anti-reverse sucks (and it collects dust because of that)
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I also have a old Shimano reel with the trigger, that I had a hard time letting go of. Still on my work bench, like you said works great still today, much better quality than the plastic guts you get today in the less expensive reels.

My first real combo also had a trigger back when. As grouse stated, if you like it stick with it!

One other thing I actually do miss and wish would be more prevalent with reels is the bottom drag. Imo there is no one spot for a drag to be set. In the course of catching a fish you might see my right index finger on top of reel go clockwise/counter a dozen or so times to successfully get it in. Hooksets are set at one level, once it gets closer and depending on size loosens up for runs, northerns really loosens up bc u know they will missile out few times, they tire out then tighten back up to get er in net praying to God they don’t run again on you or that finger better be fast on top of drag disc!!

Hooksets are set at one level, once it gets closer and depending on size loosens up for runs, northerns really loosens up bc u know they will missile out few times, they tire out then tighten back up to get er in net praying to God they don’t run again on you or that finger better be fast on top of drag disc!!

I don’t usually have to mess with my drag at all, if it is set correctly. I leave mine where a fish can reasonably pull drag when it runs, never had a problem with my hookset, but all my friends say my hookset is epic! Lol

I’m using a shimano trigger that has to be over 25 years old. It was the first reel that my dad got me for the rod he custom made for me – so it won’t be going anywhere. I kinda like the “fighting drag” switch on the back for when a huge northern pops up.

I find that the string sometimes tangles on the trigger or the same place where the bearing is on a triggerless reel. With either one, once I use it enough it stops happening.

I don’t much care if it back reels a few inches – I mostly like that I can get casts off faster. Too bad they don’t make super nice ones anymore.

I’m kinda with you Tindall. I grew up using them and never had a mechanical problem because of the trigger – ever. I found some online last year and ordered one for my son.

I have a Spirex that’s probably 25 years old.

It’s as smooth as a $300 reel today, but the lack of instant anti-reverse sucks (and it collects dust because of that)
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I thought that those Spirex would be so sweet that I bought 2 of them. Used for 2 months. Went on the garage sale the next spring.
Live and learn I guess.

Deuces wrote:

My first real combo also had a trigger back when. As grouse stated, if you like it stick with it!

One other thing I actually do miss and wish would be more prevalent with reels is the bottom drag. Imo there is no one spot for a drag to be set. In the course of catching a fish you might see my right index finger on top of reel go clockwise/counter a dozen or so times to successfully get it in. Hooksets are set at one level, once it gets closer and depending on size loosens up for runs, northerns really loosens up bc u know they will missile out few times, they tire out then tighten back up to get er in net praying to God they don’t run again on you or that finger better be fast on top of drag disc!!

Deuces wrote:

My first real combo also had a trigger back when. As grouse stated, if you like it stick with it!

After two fish my drag is set for the day. With maybe a minor adjustment for a surprise species. I would rather drop the weight than have an extra knob.

I do remember those triggers though. I was pretty cool as I was the first in my family to get one. Then after one summer of use my bail would not fully open when I pulled the trigger. So I had to open it just like everyone else.

Anyone remember the reel that you would pull down on the bail and let go to cast?

Her she is, rear drag and all

The starting bid is $200

They don’t make them like they used to. Shimano is still good, but they used to be awesome