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Posts: 118
| Just curious how many people push their button while figure 8ing? I was taught that as a kid and have pretty well stuck to it, but with the toughness of new gear and line is it really necessary? I feel like I have a ton more control over the 8 itself without worrying about my thumb gripping the spool. |
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | It's simply a personal preference, there is no right or wrong way. Myself, I do not...I like my drag pretty darn tight and I like to be able to bury hooks into their mouths at certain angles at my feet and then usually muscle them around a bit. Always ready to free spool when they go on a power dive or make a run...that works for me but everyone has a different style of course |
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Posts: 3907
| I never release the spool until after I set the hook. All my reels are upgraded with Smoothie drag washers* so I don't have to worry about either a weak hook set or breaking my gear on a green boat-side fish.
*Reels are stored with no tension, tension is set each time I hit the water and I release the tension on each reel as I leave the lake. I keep my reels squeeky clean and lubed.
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Posts: 1938
Location: Black Creek, WI | I figure8 in freespool. I like the control it provides.... but its also part of my routine for preparing to fire off another cast. |
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Posts: 925
| I 100% agree with jlong until a couple years ago in that it was part of my routine getting ready for the next cast. That is the way I learned ... however, about 5 years ago on LOTW I had a crazy frenzy within 30 minutes where I lost 2 big big fish (I know I know everyone likes to say 50", but after fishing LOTW for 13 years I feel like I have a pretty good gauge on the size of fish.)
Anyways, my point is I got both fish to eat in the 8 as they were as hot as it gets. I felt like I got hooks into them, but when I sat back and analyzed, I know my spool slipped under my thumb. When you try to put the screws to a 25lbs+ fish, your thumb cannot hold the spool like a super tight drag can.
Ever since I have locked down my drag and haven't had any issues. If they bite on the 8, they are in the net.
Now, like I said, my experience with the thumb slippage is on big big fish. I'm sure it's not an issue with 30 or 40 inch fish.
But when I'm on LOTW for 1 or 2 weeks a year, I can no longer risk my thumb slipping on a hook set in free spool.
Edited by MuskyMidget 6/26/2014 8:47 PM
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Posts: 925
| BTW - I was very hesitant to lock down my drag. I talked to Brad Hoppe and when he told me he locks his drag down, that was enough for me.
The size of the fish he tangles with on Miltona, I couldn't argue anymore about free spooling. |
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Posts: 10
| Lock the drag down....big fish have lots of bone in that mouth and clamp down power. Getting those hooks buried is tough. Every fishing camp has one guy that consistently puts the most fish in the boat ...year after year. What's his/her secret...I bet if you check his drag it's locked down tight.
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Posts: 866
Location: NE Ohio | i have always pushed the button and use my thumb on the spool. i can apply allot of pressure just using said thumb. and if they want to go i can easily let them. if they want to go on a tight drag somethings goin to give and its usually the hooks tearing out of the fish resulting in a lost fish. i have seen boat partners trying to back a drag off on a boatside bite and it just doesn't get done in an uncontrolled situation like that, and its always the big ones that get away somehow! |
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Posts: 243
Location: South Central Wisconsin | I always 8 in freespool. You realistically have 18"" to 2' of line out. How much pressure does it take to set SHARP hooks in a fish that close? You don't have to set the hook as hard as you do when you get a hit on the end of a cast. The stretch and slack is gone. Learn to use your freespool, set and let them get 15' or so away from the boat and then put the power back into the fight. You will lose less boatside fish by not immediately putting the screws to them.
DISCLOSURE: It's way more f&$/&#& exciting to have a big fish thrashing at boatside!! |
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Posts: 93
Location: Des Moines IA | It's locked down for me... |
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Posts: 2370
Location: Chisholm, MN | I do not free spool in the 8. I used to but even a 40 incher felt way too heavy to hold and get a solid hook set. I guess it's personal opinion, but I could just imagine a large fish instantly doing crazy headshakes at boatside and getting off in free spool. I have great hook up percentages in the 8 too. I always like hooking a fish at the boat because it's almost like you can control the fish from making a hard run until you are ready. Just drag her around the boat and in the net she goes! |
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Posts: 267
| I always free spool, but I was brought up in the monofilament/braided dacron days. I wonder if today's superlines makes it less critical to freespool???? Anyone have thoughts on this? Also, as a guy that always used 6500s for years, when a fish hits and there is tension, it is very difficult to push the spool release button. Therefore I always pushed it ahead of time. Do the newer reels not have this problem? |
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Posts: 3504
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | Hiya everyone,
I'm changing tactics... Lighter drag and more thumb pressure. On this trip alone, I have snapped two rods on figure 8 fish right at boatside... Unless this s a fluke, I have had 2 of the 3 fish on figure 8's thrash and roll into the line, and snapped my rod. I had a big northern a couple years ago snap a rod on a hard hit at boatside as well. This was with a locked down drag and no time to loosen it. Not sure if it is the rod or not as I build my own rods but the latest one was on a purchased rod due to one breaking while on vacation and this latest one was a week old. Cannot blame the manufacturer of the blanks/rods as the fish is going to do its thing regardless and am not sure any rod could hold up to that kind of issue.
To me, I'm more worried about what has happened above than ripping the hooks out of the mouth.
I now have one fish I can name "yellow blades" as it is still carrying the showgirl it stole from me... That was a first to have a super braid 80lb line cut right off at the point of the rod break. Clean cut through... Not happy about the entire situation, but things happen and hopefully the fish can rid itself of the lure in short order...praying it is only in one jaw and not both...
Steve |
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Posts: 10
| Smell_Esox - 6/27/2014 1:41 PM
I always free spool, but I was brought up in the monofilament/braided dacron days. I wonder if today's superlines makes it less critical to freespool???? Anyone have thoughts on this? Also, as a guy that always used 6500s for years, when a fish hits and there is tension, it is very difficult to push the spool release button. Therefore I always pushed it ahead of time. Do the newer reels not have this problem?
I used to free spool and fished salmon on Lake Michigan heavy in the 1980's when the chinooks were 25 lbs . I brought my drag and mono mentality to Muskie fishing. It worked, but I was resistant to change and asked the guy in our fishing crew who always boats the most fish what his secret was. I copied his retrieves techniques, speeds baits everything. After much begging/pleading he told his secret was locking his drag down tight. He said with this overkill equipment they aren't going to break the line leader or straigten out these 7/0 treble hooks.
My set ups are as follows. I run two rods on my deck. Each is a Sling blade, tranx hg (replaced my 400te's) 65lb test tuff line xp and homemade Berkeley 80lb fluorocarbon leaders snaps/swivels 100lbs min. I routinely check for nicks abrasion.
I will free spool when the boat side fight provides to opportunity, never before the hookup.
My hookup percentages went up when I locked down my drag. Will never go back.
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