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Fishing Reel And Rod Tips

Don't Lose That Big Fish

One of the most common mistakes made by fishermen is to have the drag on their reel set improperly. The drag should be set at one-third of line's test weight being used. This means that a reel holding 6 pound test line should have the drag set to let out line at 2 pounds of pull. The drag should be set by running line out through your rod's guides, tie a loop in the end, then use the hook on a fish scale (the tool, not the fish body part) to pull on the line. When the weight shown on the scale is one-third of rated line weight, the drag should be letting out line. If not, adjust the drag until it does.

Make Your Cork Handle Like New

The cork handle on you fishing rod can easily look like new again with a little elbow grease and a mild abrasive such as 120 grit sand paper or course steel wool. Be careful, you don't want to remove any more material than necessary.

How To Put New Line On A Fishing Reel

Improper filling of a fishing reel can lead to many tangles. It is very important to put the line on the reel the same way it comes off the spool. When filling a bait caster have a buddy hold the spool of new fishing line parallel with the spool of the fishing reel and so that the line will be wound on the reel in the same direction as it is coming of the new spool. For spinning reels set the new spool of line on the ground and start loading the reel. If the line begins tangling or twisting flip the spool over. When using one of the new super lines first put on about 5 yards of mono, this will keep the slicker super lines from slipping on the spool.

Avoid Backlash on Bait Casting Reels

Setting the mechanical brake and magnetic brake on a bait-casting reel is critical to avoid backlash. Two methods exist for adjusting the mechanical brake and I would suggest trying them both. The first method is to adjust the control so that it just barely stops the bait from falling after you push the casting button. To properly adjust the mechanical brake, loosen it and push the button. The lure should start falling. Quickly adjust the brake until the lure stops falling. Adjustments should be made in small steps. The other method is to set the brake so that the spools stops turning when the lure hits the ground. To do this, push the casting button and let the lure fall to the ground. If the spool keeps turning after the lure hits the ground tighten the brake. Make small adjustments until the spool stops the instant the lure hits the ground. With either method, you will need to keep adjusting the brake when you change lures if there is a difference of weight. The manetic brake helps eliminate backlash when the lure is in flight and the wind suddenly slows the lures velocity. The more wind, the higher the setting should be.