Gettin’ to the Reel

Gettin’ to the Reel

The dos and don’ts of getting your fish onto the reel!

As premium fly fishing reel manufacturers, we know how important it is to get a fish onto the reel to allow the smooth, steady drag help increase your chances of landing fish. There the reel can do what is designed for: keep steady smooth pressure on the fish no mater what they might try to do to screw up the angler. I also spend nearly two decades as a fishing guide and have seen the proverbial shit hit the alluvial fan more times than I care to remember.  Here are a few tips to help you transition from having a heap of tangled line at your feet to enjoying that smooth drag that you spent your hard-earned cash on…

Test your Drag Before the Fish Tests it for You

The first step is always to prep your reel. Reels should be stored with the drag all the way loose so that your reel will last longer. To tighten correctly you will want to think about a few variables. First, the tippet you are fishing. The lighter the tippet the lighter the drag. Next, how far will you be casting and how far do the fish you are looking for run. This is important because if you are fishing for a fast-running fish like an albie or a bonefish, the water drag on the line enters the equation. The more water drag you expect, the lighter you want your drag set initially. You may tighten up toward the end of the fight to give you more control, but you have to get to the end of the fight first. Second, always set your drag for the largest fish you can expect. For example, you are fishing the Yellowstone River. There are large browns in fast water, even if you are currently catching whitefish hand over fist, which can happen on the Yellowstone. Set your drag for those big fish. You might tighten the drag right away when you have hooked another mountain bone, but loosen it up after the fight because that next fish could be the one.Finally, always rinse and maintain your reel. A well-oiled machine, should be, well…well oiled.

Don’t Rush It

Getting to the reel is essential for landing a big fish. Playing a large fish by hand, meaning using your fingertips, is problematic and having all that line in tangles around your feet is a sure way to a lost fish. That being said, one of the biggest mistakes made in the early stages of playing a fish is rushing to get the fish to the reel. In my 20 years of guiding, I have seen it all and by far the most infuriating act is to see someone with a big fish on, panic, and just drop all the line and start reeling in slack to get to the reel. Nine times out of 10 this results in a lost fish. Instead, forget you even have a reel. Play by strip until you have a pause in the action. Then start to reel in that slack. If the fish decides to go ballistic or run straight at you, go back to the strip. Do not let go of your pinched line until you are fully on the reel.

Keep A Clean Work Area

Fish like it’s your job! Keep your area clear of bags with buckles, extra flip flops, or that frosty beverage. The last thing you want to do is to unsnag or untangle your line from all the crap you have laying around. When I set up a boat, the first thing I do is sit or stand where a caster will be and I toss line around to see what I snag on.  Look for pinch points as well like a hatch, between frame and rubber, or poorly designed casting braces. Don’t be afraid to yank that extra do-dad from the boat. A clean boat is a happy boat.  I bring an extra towel when I fish on someone else’s boat just in case they have laid out a snag jungle. I can lay the towel over the prickly spots and feel better about seeing that line slide cleanly through the guides.

This goes for wading as well. Pick clothing and outerwear that is clear of buckles. Tuck that lanyard in your shirt.  I personally hate external retractors as I have seen them snag line and nearly take someone’s coat off.

Prepare for THE Moment

Most fish are lost in the first 10 seconds of the fight. It can happen for many reasons: too much slack (the primary killer), clamping the line which breaks the fish off, a fish not being properly set so it throws the hook, or having a rough transition from the slack line at your feet to the reel. They are all somewhat avoidable, but a smooth transition from playing the fish by hand to playing the fish on the reel is very avoidable if you are ALWAYS thinking about it. With some fish (I’m looking at you tarpon) clearing the line is always in the back of your mind and happens in a flash. But for other species, say a lazy day floating the river casting for trout, line might be casually looped around all kinds of rowdy obstacles. Then the unthinkable happens that two footer toilet bowled your hopper. Be prepared for the big fish, even on the most unlikely days. You never know.

Choose the Right Reel

Sure, I’m a bit biased. But that is also because I’m part of the Cheeky Team and believe in our theory that a smooth drag with little, to no start up inertia is the most important attribute in a reel. This is because of what I wrote above, most fish are lost on the transition, either due to angler error or faulty gear. We put a lot of time, effort and technology into making the smoothest drag on the planet. A good guide will tell you that playing a fish as uneventful as possible is their dream. If nothing crazy happens on a big fish, the angler and their equipment has done its job. The Spray series with its enhanced GDS system that has multiple carbon-fiber and stainless-steel disks ensures a smooth and uneventful fight, as far as equipment goes. The rest is up to you.