 
JUNE 2001
First the basics. If you have not replaced your line before each season, you are asking for trouble. Monofilament line has a tendency to remember the shape that it has been in. When it comes off the spool it will stay in that shape. As a fishing guide, I end up replacing my line every two or three trips. Spinning rods need the most amount of care. With it's open-face design, it is much more critical to have line with little memory. So, keep new line on your reels and enjoy the fishing more. My clients hear me talk of line management all the time. Some lures have little drag and consequently are difficult to feel as you retrieve. With out proper line management all sorts of problems can occur. The most critical part of line management comes right as the cast hits the water. I see angler after angler click the bail back over without hesitation, not even looking at the spool to see if everything is OK. Proper line management calls for paying attention all the time. The two ways to keep a tight line after the cast that I prefer are; #1...to click the bail over a split second before the lure touches the water. This pulls the line tight on the spool. This is done by turning the crank handle forward. Timing is important and depends on how much the wind is trying to billow your line. More wind: click earlier; less wind: click right before the lure alights. This technique works well in shallow water when you will start your retrieve quickly. If you were to click the bail immediately, the lure would pendulum back towards you taking some of the distance gained by your cast. This is ok if you are presenting your lure to some kind of structure that slopes away from the shore. But if you are out deeper and you want your lure or bait to sink deeper, it is not the best way to control your line. #2...This technique is a 5-stepper. After your cast, and right before the lure touches the water, use your left hand to feather the line as it pulls off the spool, stop the line by placing your hand on the spool to stop the line, then release the line so it sinks to the desired depth. Next, click the bail over with your left hand by pulling over the bail wire, pull the line away from the spool, lift your rod tip slightly to take out any slack and slowly drop your rod to retrieving position as you begin winding. Once again, feather, stop, click, raise, and lower as you begin the retrieve. Remember, a good retrieve starts with how you manage your line just before and after the lure touches the water. copyright © 2002 Curt Golder, all rights reserved |
There
is nothing as frustrating as trying to take a snarl of twisted line
out of your reel while your fishing buddy is catching fish. This
steals away joy and valuable fishing time from your trip. By following
some simple rules, you should end up with a problem-free day. This
tip is for a right-handed caster using a spinning rod.