Anti-reverse swtich on spinning reel

[Jon]

I was chatting with a couple of buddies this morning and we got talking about the anti-reverse switch on a spinning reel. I have never used it in the 30+ years I have been fishing and quite frankly, don't see why they are put on a reel. And for someone starting out fishing, hitting the switch accidently is an easy way to a bird's nest.

 

I was just wondering if anyone uses the switch and if so, in what situations.

 

Jon

[johnnyb]

I never use mine either....BUT....there are some people that actually back-reel when fighting a fish, as a way to give it line instead of letting the drag slip.

[Christopheraaron]

I was actually having this problem yesterday, my friends brought their rod but then we realized that they had flipped the switch, it's kind of a strange reel any ideas on where the switch may be?

[Ralph Field]

I think that those who back reel when they have a large fish on are older and were taught to not rely on the drag system. The drags on middle and upper end reels today are silky smooth so their is no need for back reeling. I fish steelhead with a spinning reel and doubt that I could ever keep up to their explosive charges using back reeling. I have done it with bass just to see if it was better, but I concluded that there definitely wasn't any advantage to it with the reels I use. I think that people that back reel either grew up with it or use cheaper reels. I leave my anti-reverse on all the time because I paid a lot for a reel with a silky drag system, so why not use it?

[kickingfrog]

Agree with staffman. The drags are so much better now that back-reeling is more for show.

[dave524]

I was chatting with a couple of buddies this morning and we got talking about the anti-reverse switch on a spinning reel. I have never used it in the 30+ years I have been fishing and quite frankly, don't see why they are put on a reel. And for someone starting out fishing, hitting the switch accidently is an easy way to a bird's nest.

 

I was just wondering if anyone uses the switch and if so, in what situations.

 

Jon

 

50 years of using a spinning reel and I use it all the time, the biggest birdnests come from slipping off the handle on a good fish and the reel backpedalling, I can't imagine having to keep hold of the handle all the time on a good fish.

[NBR]

I back reel and so seldom use the drag you could call it never. I guess drags are better now but my spinning outfits are old and many years ago I quit using the drag slippage as a tool. Also reeling against a slipping drag is a big cause of line twist.To me off/on on cranking is an absolute must!

[rjager]

The only time I ever have seen the backreel used effectively is when you are fishing with livebait. It allows you to let the fish run with the bait for several seconds and still maintain a feel for the fish prior to setting the hook ensurig the fish has your bait in its mouth. Mind you as soon as you do set the hook I ussually turn the back-reel off. Also I use this strategy allot less now as it can result in guthooks quite easily.

[mercman]

I was actually having this problem yesterday, my friends brought their rod but then we realized that they had flipped the switch, it's kind of a strange reel any ideas on where the switch may be?

 

Look below the handle.Some put a chrome slide there that can be pushed either forward or backwards.

[Harrison]

Back reeling is still popular with a lot of our friends in the US.

 

While guiding I was amamzed to watch some of them keep up with giant Lake Simcoe smallies back reeling... However, I also saw some bust up their knuckles trying.

[dave524]

I will admit a optional silent anti reverse would be a bonus but I always fish with the anti reverse engaged.

[Ralph Field]

Look below the handle.Some put a chrome slide there that can be pushed either forward or backwards.

 

 

Some newer spinning reels have the switch on the under side of the reel near the spool.

[BillM]

A question for the back-reelers:

 

If you're alone in the boat, and you need to use the net, how do you absorb a boatside run from the fish?

 

The drag is still engaged regardless of what position the switch on the reel is in.

[BillM]

Eeek, sounds like a great way to lose a fish.

[Ralph Field]

When I tried it I used only one hand at boat side by putting pressure on my skirted spool with my index finger. Even though I've seen pros do this on US fishing shows I see no need at all for back reeling. I guess it is like a lot of things in fishing a matter of personal choice. I choose to use the drag that I paid for.

[Toad Hunter]

if its the same switch i think everyones talking about i use it to let a little bit of line out from time to time when trolling cranks, but i could be using it wrong

[Billy Bob]

I back reel all the time when walleye fishing and sometimes even when perch fishing.....

 

Drags are nice but I NEVER depend on one with a large fish getting near the boat......when you start to get close to the boat, mono line now has minimum stretch because you have much less line out....ever notice most fish are lost just before netting....and it doesn't have to be the line broke but maybe the hook just pulled free because you no longer have that big amount of stretch to absorb those last strong runs/dives.

 

I also use a very light rod and light line when perch fishing....but I catch a lot of smallmouth and in more recent years, many more walleye while perch fishing...back reeling is not for show, but rather to insure you land a larger fish then that rod was intended to catch..

 

Bob

[Dabluz]

I back reel all the time when walleye fishing and sometimes even when perch fishing.....

 

Drags are nice but I NEVER depend on one with a large fish getting near the boat......when you start to get close to the boat, mono line now has minimum stretch because you have much less line out....ever notice most fish are lost just before netting....and it doesn't have to be the line broke but maybe the hook just pulled free because you no longer have that big amount of stretch to absorb those last strong runs/dives.

 

I also use a very light rod and light line when perch fishing....but I catch a lot of smallmouth and in more recent years, many more walleye while perch fishing...back reeling is not for show, but rather to insure you land a larger fish then that rod was intended to catch..

 

Bob

 

Don't worry, you can depend on the drag of any decent reel. Rods are intended to catch any fish....so do lines, hooks etc. Ok....a larger fish takes more time to subdue when using light equipment. Yes....it's better to back off the drag a bit when the fish is close to the boat because of 4 things....the reduced shock absorption of the mono due to it's shorter length and also for the fact that the angle of the line in relation to the rod and reel increases the amount of pull that it takes to make the drag do it's job, fish close to the boat often make sudden moves, there are also common mishaps like the fish going under the boat, falling out of the landing net, line getting tangled with another person or object etc etc.

 

I have also noticed that not many people pump the rod in order to bring the fish closer to the boat. By pumping the rod you can actually reduce the drag on your reel yet still apply the same amount of pressure on the fish. There is not much difference but the difference can be very easily noticed when fighting a fish. With the reduced drag, you don't have to reduce it still more when the fish is close to the boat.

 

A good drag is important to me. I use very light line and have been using light line for over 40 years. I never use mono over 6 lbs test. Most of my fishing is with 2 to 4 lb test mono because the technique that I use requires me to be able to make long casts with hardly any weight on the end of my line.

[Billy Bob]

40 years would be about 10 years light of my experience.......LOL