Best "Line-counter" reel....?

[Seafever]

I use knucklebusters for most bottom fishing......because I'm going to the bottom and I can tell when the lure gets there. Plus I prefer knucklebusters over level winds anyday.

But salmon often aren't on the bottom.....they are at different depths...

So you need to know how much line you've got out.....and my knucklebusters don't have a counting method on them.

So I bought an Okuma level-wind with a line counter on it.....

I put 30lb test Tufline on it. Usually I run 80lb test but I wanted a lighter line on this reel.

It's not even close on determining amount of line out......it will say 30ft out when actually there is 60ft etc.

I'll hit bottom in 80ft of water when the counter shows 50ft.........

Any suggestions on what is the most accurate line-counter reel?

Do all of them rely on rotations of the spool to calculate line-out? If so, then I'd have to use a certain type/diameter line to be accurate and that could very limiting in choice.

?

 

[drmadcow]

I love my Shimano Tekota 800LC for bottom jigging, there are smaller options 700, 600, 500, and 300. If you want 300 yards of 65lb (my preferred jigging braid strength) than I'd look at the 600LC. The only downside to these reels is they are expensive. The worst Line Counter I've seen is the Shakespeare Tidewater as the line counter gets stuck all the time.

 

[hambone]

LOL these threads are getting worse and worse.

Check the amount of line 1 revolution on the knuckle buster brings in. Drop to bottom and reel accordingly to the desired depth.

Or watch the jig on your sounder. I can tell exactly what depth I'm jigging at.

 

[Seafever]

I can't see the jig on my sounder. And anyway it's in a position where I have to take 3 or 4 steps back to keep an eye on it continually when standing up jigging.

So if I'm in 300ft of water and the salmon are at 100 I go the bottom and reel back 200ft and I should be right on target......even though on the knucklebuster the "1 revolution" amount will change with the amount of line let out....

LOL these responses are getting worse and worse...

 

[Seafever]

Are those aftermarket counters that go direct on the rod any good?

They would measure actual line going through them as opposed to relying on spool revolution.....

Never tried them yet......

 

[FisherTim]

Old School. Measure a point on your rod that is a certain distance away from the reel, 12",18",24"... Use a number that's easy to work with(in terms of feet{1,1.5,2}) and then just count pulls.

It doesn't matter what your spool retrieves, because you're counting line length, not turns.

Alternatively, you could put little markings on your line, like a knot at every 50 feet, then count from there. (I would suggest using some kind of knot that gives minimal kinks to the main line, and you tie a fluorescent bit of light mono on there.)

 

[FisherTim]

Something I've done for fishing slip weights is wrapping the line around a handle at the depth a fish strikes, then back onto the spool.The issue with that being that you cant do it when fishing for big fish, in case the fish wants to run.

 

[hambone]

Pull out 100ft of line.... Rocket science

I can't see the jig on my sounder. And anyway it's in a position where I have to take 3 or 4 steps back to keep an eye on it continually when standing up jigging.

So if I'm in 300ft of water and the salmon are at 100 I go the bottom and reel back 200ft and I should be right on target......even though on the knucklebuster the "1 revolution" amount will change with the amount of line let out....

LOL these responses are getting worse and worse...

 

[Seafever]

I've tried a lot of those old school tricks. Adding markers to line, counting pulls etc etc . works sometimes if you're not in a hurry.

Markers added to line, the markers tend to slip. I won't put a knot in the mainline..weakens it.

However if you're fishing a place with lots of structure and big reefs, you will often encounter canyons , drop-offs and crevices where the salmon are hiding.

Now if you have a ripping tide and lots of wind you've got to get into these places fast with pinpoint accuracy before the elements take you off it.

And your actual fishing time on this spot could be less than one minute.

Which means you've got to get down there fast and with deadly accuracy.
You haven't got time to bugger around counting pulls or lowering and winding back or guesstimating how much line you've got out.

You've got to be dead on from the get go or it's over before you even get started.

 

[drmadcow]

You could try something like PowerPro Depth-Hunter Multi-Colored Braided Fishing Line, where each 5 feet is a different color.