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#136619 - 01/22/02 12:38 PM Dumb Question 2
Coot Offline
Juvenille at Sea

Registered: 05/23/01
Posts: 143
Loc: Kelowna British Columbia
I believe that when fishing a float(bobber) it is important to feed line without drag. How do you insure a drag free drift when fishing a spinning reel.
I know what I do but do you backwind the handle,Leave the bail open and spill line,or leave the bail open and hold the lip of the drum with your thumb and finger and allow the line to slip out under light tension.
I know that RT hates spinning reels so he must have the answer

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#136620 - 01/22/02 02:10 PM Re: Dumb Question 2
F F F Offline
Returning Adult

Registered: 12/03/01
Posts: 472
Loc: Kent
I fish floats almost exclusively for steelhead. I like to open the bail and put my index finger on the top of the spool lightly. As in most holes there are usually 2 slow water areas and a fast water area. Fast USUALLY being in the middle and slow on the sides. When drifting the slower water your line tends to hit the fast water and it ruins a nice natural drift. Keeping the rod high as soon as the float hits the water will help this and stall the float as you probably know cuz your no dummy. But as the bobber passes you, open the bail, put your pole index finger on the bail and let out 3-5 foot sections of line out to continue the drift but "mend" your line like in flyfishing. Lift your pole high and throw a loop of slack line back upstream and you won't disturb the drift. Throwing the line upstream that is passing your bobber in the fast water really helps in a long uninterupted drift. When you drift a long ways, you "mend" your line to the opposite shore instead of upstream. And Just your finger on the spool easily creates enough tension for a good hookset without the bail being closed. Works great.
_________________________
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Occupation: I pet the fish.

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#136621 - 01/22/02 02:16 PM Re: Dumb Question 2
Coho Offline
River Nutrients

Registered: 03/09/99
Posts: 2682
Loc: Muk
Coot-this is truly a dumb question rolleyes , how could you bring yourself to do it? You must be so ashamed. I am sitting here trying to apprehend your thought process for such ignorance. I am totally kidding wink . I use a bait caster for my float rod-free spool it. I see many guys using spin reels and it works for them-I would be interested too. I just wanted to be a jerk and say hey. laugh

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#136622 - 01/22/02 02:26 PM Re: Dumb Question 2
Skywalker Offline
Spawner

Registered: 03/10/01
Posts: 578
Loc: Snohomish, WA, USA
I have yet to fish for steelhead with my float rig, but used it somewhat successfully for chums.

To me the most important thing is being able to mend your line so that it doesn't either drag your float down stream, or impede it's progress if it's in faster water. To do that it REALLY helps to have a long rod and line that floats, like Powerpro, Fireline, or mucelin (sp?) coated mono.

How you achieve that drag free drift depends on what the current(s) is(are) doing, but tossing the belly of your line upstream or downstream is how I usually go about it, and I do it with the bail open and gentle finger pressure on the lip of my spool so I can add line to the drift if necessary.

In retrospect, I probably would have just gotten a casting rod and used a baitcaster on it once I discovered how well a long rod handled floating line, but I suppose having a spinning setup for floats also means I can take less experienced people with me if I should choose to.

[ 01-22-2002: Message edited by: Skywalker ]

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#136623 - 01/22/02 06:59 PM Re: Dumb Question 2
PhishPhreak Offline
Repeat Spawner

Registered: 06/19/01
Posts: 1083
Loc: North Bend, WA
I'm with FFF on this one. I open the bail for free drifting, and work it pretty much as he explained.
I had to practice the hook set a few times to gain some confindence in the method, but I'm convinced my odds of losing a fish due to slow response on the hookset are not increased because I use a spinning reel.

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#136624 - 01/22/02 07:12 PM Re: Dumb Question 2
UltimateFeashKacher Offline
Returning Adult

Registered: 10/24/01
Posts: 294
Loc: WA
Don't use spinning reels. Summer time when you deal with light stuff a spinning reel makes casting easier but when dealing with heavier stuff for winter I use casting reel. If you use a light rod with slow/medium action you still can use casting reels for summer time.

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#136625 - 01/22/02 08:16 PM Re: Dumb Question 2
PhishPhreak Offline
Repeat Spawner

Registered: 06/19/01
Posts: 1083
Loc: North Bend, WA
Spinning reels work fine. It's just a preference thing. Especially when dealing with hatchery brats.
Also, with braided line, you can fish heavier line, but still keep a small diameter.

When the water gets low and clear, as if often does during a cold dry spell in the winter/late spring, it's nice to be able to toss size 1 to 3 spinners as well - or tiny egg clusters...

When fishing for nookies, and you really need heavier line, then I'd agree that you're better off putting the spinning reel down (but I still find myself using mine now and then and doing fine).

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#136626 - 01/23/02 03:18 AM Re: Dumb Question 2
Anonymous
Unregistered


Coot, I like spinning reels just fine. I use both those and casting reels to float fish for steelhead. When using the spinning reel I do about what FFF posted. I will add that for my spools filled with superbraids lines, I like the way they float and mend. With mono filled spools I coat the lower 40 ft. or so with muscilan line floatant to help with keeping it from sinking, and making mends and line/float control easier. As for letting line out the spinning reel for an extended float downriver for aways, I use my finger as FFF described to slow down the float a little when my rig is in water where the surface speed is greater than the bottom current speed. In water where the current is close to unilateral top to bottom, I sometimes just leave the bail open, leave my finger off of it, stick the rodtip well out over the slot, and the line coils going thru the spinning guides slightly slow down the float's drift for a good presentation. smile

RT

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#136627 - 01/23/02 12:27 PM Re: Dumb Question 2
Coot Offline
Juvenille at Sea

Registered: 05/23/01
Posts: 143
Loc: Kelowna British Columbia
Hi RT: I`m with ya there. Now what changes if any do you make with those microjigs,those wee buggers that weigh 1/64oz .Do you weight your float by building lead into the float or do you just add pinchons below the float.
Apparently the trick in fishing these is to keep the float standing straight up in the water,ie directly above the microjig.no holding back,and you have to mend line by throwing slack above the jig.
I like fishing these for pinks we use a small wool egg pattern with a small amount of crystal flash and a grey squirrel tail and a metal bead head You can use a big corkie as a float and fish these either by casting upstream with a flyrod or across and down with a spinning rig.
Great sport on lightwiegt tackle .

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#136628 - 01/23/02 03:03 PM Re: Dumb Question 2
F F F Offline
Returning Adult

Registered: 12/03/01
Posts: 472
Loc: Kent
Hey ULtimate, how heavy a line are ya throwin? I only use 8, always have always will. Gotta keep it a challenge for gods sake. The object is the catching not the keeping right? BUT, i do agree that a heavier line would be easier to mend and controll, to a point. Especially with some floatant. I couldn't see 20lb being at all desirable to try to mend in a moderate current, just add wind to that scenerio. A fish has never broken me off on 8lb, except for some of the brute chum. It's just so darn easy to controll.
_________________________
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Occupation: I pet the fish.

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#136629 - 01/23/02 11:08 PM Re: Dumb Question 2
UltimateFeashKacher Offline
Returning Adult

Registered: 10/24/01
Posts: 294
Loc: WA
FFF,

By heavier stuff I meant heavier lures not necessarily heavier line. Don't get me wrong I own a few and use coffee grinders often but I hate to "feed line" with it. With casting reel it is much easier for me to feed line and I can set the hook quicker. Maybe I need more practice (Another excuse to fish more). It is easier to cast light lures with spinning reel like for summer time fishing. You know like any thing else you need more than one tool to do the job but if I had to use only one reel for rest of my life it would be a casting reel.

Regards

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#136630 - 01/24/02 07:54 AM Re: Dumb Question 2
Anonymous
Unregistered


Coot, I don't use the micros. The smallest I use is 1/16 oz. jigs for steelhead. In fact, I use 1/8. oz more often in low clear water than the 1/16 because it gets down quicker in riffles where the summer runs often hang out. I don't think the 1/8th size spooks steelies in gin clear water. However, the 1/16 has a little more lively action in times of low water flows. So maybe I am missing out by not using the really small micros? ...

As for a float in those conditions, I use a small 1" diameter round plain cork. It casts well, is naturally stealthy, and remains upright on it's own. You just have to be a little more aware of light bites when they occur.

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#136631 - 01/24/02 01:50 PM Re: Dumb Question 2
Osprey Offline
Spawner

Registered: 05/09/00
Posts: 956
Loc: Osprey Acres /Olympja
After being a die hard bottom bouncer most of life,I have watched sooo many Guys fishing way too much weight on their drift rigs,I learned a long time ago.....Presentaion is everything,drift speed is critical.

Float fishing:I've been using a custom designed Float for years,after much trial and error wink
Being able to adjust the weight is very important,you're set-up has to be balanced,this way those times when Mr.Steelhead just tips over a normal float...my goes down.

Micro jigs :are just makeing their way out here,Those great lakes fisherman have them down,they laugh at some of the jigs we fish out here.This system takes a huge learning curve to get right.I won't go into details because It took so long to get this tech down.
A 1/8 or 1/16 oz jig on a 1/0 Owner hook is still not a micro...think small......Os
_________________________
[/b]The less I give a [Bleeeeep!] the happier I am[/b]

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#136632 - 01/24/02 04:31 PM Re: Dumb Question 2
Wild Chrome Offline
Spawner

Registered: 12/14/01
Posts: 646
Loc: The Tailout
I must be the only float guy on this board backreeling his spinning reel. I like this method for 2 reasons. First, if you put a slight amount of tension on your float when it's downstream from you, the hook swings downstream and is the first part of the jig to enter the fish's mouth. The float should not be straight up and down, it should be pointing slightly upstream. Remember, the speed of the current near the bottom is usually slower than on the surface. The speed of the float is easy to control(when you're upstream) by backreeling and adjusting rod angle.
Second, by back-reeling, I get a more solid and comfortable hookset than even the baitcasters do. If I miss a fish(rare), it's usually broken off. With 10 pound mono, I can reliably hook fish >120 feet away and I've yet to find my hookset limit with braided line (a 10.5 foot rod helps too). The one thing about backreeling, you have to have a certain amount of pull on the line from the current or from moving the rod-tip slowly upstream in order to avoid line spilling off the spool and getting tangled. I will open the bail if the current is slow and do as described by FFF above. Also, any line twist can make backreeling a nightmare. I keep fresh mono on my float rod or use braided line. I also use a swivel to attach my leader 1 foot above the jig. If I experience any line twist, I cut off the front 30 feet or so (more a problem with mono). Backreeling also works better if your mono is wet. The first 10 minutes of the day can be tough due to the dry line coiling and twisting really bad.
I fish the Clackamas a lot. It's a pretty big river. I think backreeling is more adventageous in big rivers.
_________________________
If every fisherman would pick up one piece of trash, we'd have cleaner rivers and more access.

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