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Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Jigging => Topic started by: IceRover on Feb 17, 2006, 09:56 AM

Title: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: IceRover on Feb 17, 2006, 09:56 AM
Just out of curiosity, which way do most of you like to fight a fish on light line? I myself like to backreel my spinning reels. How many of you prefer using the drag instead? How about hand over handing. Interested in which way and why.  :flex:
Title: Re: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: hali-man on Feb 17, 2006, 09:57 AM
DRAG! You never know what the fish is going to do.
Back-reeling can cause some real problems...
JMO
Title: Re: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: iceintheveins on Feb 17, 2006, 06:56 PM
I use my drag. Backreeling isn't something I recommend because a big trout or pike can run so fast you end up with a horrible tangle.
If I hook into a large trout, or a pike of any size, I will loosen my drag and let the fish run on a light drag to tire themselves out. I keep the drag pretty tight to get a good hookset.
Title: Re: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: hali-man on Feb 18, 2006, 06:13 AM
I also do not like the line twist which develops using the drag especially if the fishing is good. Found myself changing lines much more frequently using the drag system, especially mono, line twist is very hard on mono.

Hmm... I have never encountered that problem. It does make sense, though.
Title: Re: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: pirkaus on Feb 18, 2006, 05:29 PM
One of my reels is a knuckle buster with a drag, so it does both I guess :tipup:
Works good for me and that's what counts
Title: Re: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: bwalleye on Feb 19, 2006, 08:47 AM
If you don't crank against the drag, it won't cause line twist. Crank in the slack, crank in the fish, but don't crank against the drag.
Title: Re: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: bwalleye on Feb 20, 2006, 02:19 AM
Good point  IceDancer, but I'm not coordinated enough to back-reel :-[

I tried back-reeling before at the insistence of a fishing partner and the results were, um, er uh, ....messy ;D
Title: Re: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: bwalleye on Feb 20, 2006, 09:23 PM
OK coach, I'll do it for the nipply uh nipper ;D
Title: Re: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: crappieslayer22 on Feb 23, 2006, 11:22 AM
drag.. b/c when u back reall u could make a tangle up
Title: Re: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: PondPro on Feb 26, 2006, 05:51 PM
drag.. b/c when u back reall u could make a tangle up

i agree.
Title: Re: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: slimechaser on Feb 28, 2006, 02:22 PM
As an avid all season angler reading this I find myself facing two tough truths about myself,
#1- I'm cheap! & #2- I'm lazy! Which means I usually dead stick with the drag only tight enough to hold my offering at the desired depth. It also means I am not using top o' the line equipment. My last reel purchase set me back $7.46. It's a cane pole reel made entirely of plastic (except for the nut on the drag), it's honestly the best ice fishing reel I've ever used! But it doesn't lend itself to quick or easy drag adjustments during the heat of battle. The last fish I caught using this set-up was an 18" walleye, I didn't actually intend to back reel (favoring the finger tension method mentioned earlier) but this fish actualy forced my hand backwards for about three full turns before I managed to turn him around. Part of this is because the actual reel is so small (maybe 2 1/4" from rod to highest point on the reel) that you can hardly tell which way your turning it! The point to all this, in my opinion, you really should be using a little of both. I figure good size fish happen along so rarely that you would hardly ever have to back reel anyway and the rest of the time the drag should be sufficient to wear out most fish. But of course as long as your having fun and landing a fish or two - - there is no wrong way. Tight lines :tipup: :tipup: :tipup: :tipup:
Title: Re: Fish Fighting Preference
Post by: BillP on Feb 28, 2006, 03:53 PM
I like using drag because like hali-man said never know and i dont like backreeling as well as anoying tangles.