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Other than cranking the handle,
most anglers only touch their spinning reel to open the bail
before a cast. Well, there is a lot more that can be done to
give your spinning reel a helping hand!
Your fingers can be used to adjust
the distance of your cast by applying pressure to top edge of
the spool as line uncoils. The amount and length of pressure
will let you place the lure right where you want. When anglers
make too long of a cast, they often quickly crack the handle to
close the bail and or jerk the rod. The use of your finger is
far more accurate, effective and better for your reel.
Closing the bail by hand after
making a cast is a great habit to learn. For starters, it will
extend the life of your reel. Turning the handle to initiate
the bail trip mechanism causes unnecessary torque on the reel
that will lead to worn and broken parts overtime. Using your
hand eliminates this torque plus it is just as fast and
efficient as turning the handle to close the bail. Another
bonus of closing the bail by hand is the elimination of most
loose loops that can develop on the spool. These loops are
caused by slack line at the end of the cast and often lead to a
bird nesting tangle on the subsequent cast (especially with the
small diameter spectra lines). When you use the handle to close
the bail, the bail arm makes a partial revolution before closing
which allows the loose loop to develop; instead, put your hand
on the bail wire to close it manually.
Another cause of the dreaded
bird’s nest is cranking the handle when the drag is letting out
line during a battle with a large fish. This causes twists to
form in the line which leads to tangles; therefore, it is
important to remember not to reel when you hear the drag
clicker. It is often necessary to quickly put the brakes on a
hard charging fish headed to break you off on barnacle encrusted
pilings. In this situation, you want to apply pressure with
your fingers on the spool to slow or stop its rotation. It is
common for anglers to apply spool pressure with baitcasting or
fly reels but for some reason people forget to use the same
technique for spin fishing. Give it a try and you’ll gain much
more control over the fish!
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