Can Someone Explain This Technique To Me?

[Rain City]

well it’s his brother so there’s that lol

Really?!

 

[RiverBoy]

Really?!

yep. Aces bro

 

[Rain City]

yep. Aces bro

Well then. I guess I've learned a lot today lol.

 

[TheHurtLocker]

Ok I'm bored, sue me. Boats in the shop.

Without dogging the poor guy can someone please explain to me why he's doing this? It makes no sense to me.

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I’d say this way of palming the reel with your left hand is more of a centrepin technique when fishing rivers. Centrepins have no drag so you keep your rod holding hand on the rod and reel for drag just like the pic above.
Maybe he’s playing the fish with no drag on the reel so that’s the way you’d hold it if that was the case.

 

[jeffywestcoast]

Im thinking he is just being careful to keep the rod tip up and keep good pressure on the line, lowering the tip down gives the salmon just enough slack to spit the hook, that or the salmon surfaced way back of the boat and he is struggling to get some line back on the reel.

 

[Ripperoflips]

I never palm a reel either. Same thing as above from using a Silex in rivers for decades. Just drop fingers down onto the spool rim to give drag like a cars disc brakes. I recently learned it doesn't work so well on those graphite mooching reels. Too much friction. They burn.

So you were having the hot hand? I think you were putting too much pressure on the reel, I'v used graphite mooching reels fore ever and never burnt my fingers on one. That said I'v had a hot thumb on my levelwind more than once trying to hold back a freight train spring on the Fraser.

 

[Finally]

Not to beat a dead horse but I believe holding the rod at the top of the reel allows you better control to apply drag and frees up your right hand for retrieving. It also keeps your hands away from the spinning handles. That’s how we do it on our boat and being river center pin fishers makes it easy. Our Dad having never used a CP does the ol palming action from the bottom and his knuckles pay the price if the fish decides to run at the wrong time.

 

[Rain City]

Not to beat a dead horse but I believe holding the rod at the top of the reel allows you better control to apply drag and frees up your right hand for retrieving. It also keeps your hands away from the spinning handles. That’s how we do it on our boat and being river center pin fishers makes it easy. Our Dad having never used a CP does the ol palming action from the bottom and his knuckles pay the price if the fish decides to run at the wrong time.

Not quite dead yet don't worry. I'm actually really interested to hear what other guys do. Equally interesting to now know that it's so common amongst guys. Shows how narrow my lens into fishing is.

 

[ChilliSpoons]

As a river centrepin fisherman I find it natural to hold my left hand at the reel. I prefer to run a fairly loose drag on the mooching reel and feel fully in charge of how much drag is applied. And that being said I don’t feel the need for fancy reels when a perfect drag system isn’t required for fighting salmon out on the ocean. But the forearms do take a beating with this technique.

 

[Reeltime]

Fish is close, breaks are on the reel, rod is maxed out high ready for the next run or fish head shakes taking the torque, he's controlling it's head keeping it from turning... he's smiling and winning the game

i do reel the lock up and abs finger breaks all the time great technique

 

[BigBadBrad]

Not to beat a dead horse but I believe holding the rod at the top of the reel allows you better control to apply drag and frees up your right hand for retrieving. It also keeps your hands away from the spinning handles. That’s how we do it on our boat and being river center pin fishers makes it easy. Our Dad having never used a CP does the ol palming action from the bottom and his knuckles pay the price if the fish decides to run at the wrong time.

You hit the nail on the head Finally. The days of “palming” a reel are long gone. If you have a cheaper shimano or something with a poor pulsing drag then sure palm away.....I make sure my guests know not to palm the reel on my boat. Set the drag proper and you should be fine. The technique seen in that photo is exactly how I look when fighting a fish except I try to keep my shoulders pulled back and straight. Pull those shoulders back, straighten out your back and engage your core muscles. Good posture is just as important as the equipment your using in
my opinion.

 

[ChilliSpoons]

Clearly there are more than one way to skin a cat. Some guys like to hold a spinning reel upside down and reel backwards. Is it wrong??? Goofy maybe but not wrong if it works for you. Find a technique that works for you and enjoy the experience. If your a guide and taking newbies out then it’s up to you to teach the techniques that you believe in.

 

[Rain City]

Clearly there are more than one way to skin a cat. Some guys like to hold a spinning reel upside down and reel backwards. Is it wrong??? Goofy maybe but not wrong if it works for you. Find a technique that works for you and enjoy the experience. If your a guide and taking newbies out then it’s up to you to teach the techniques that you believe in.

That's for sure. No wrong methods as long as you're having fun. I'm actually really glad I asked because I've received some pretty hilarious messages. I'm certainly no expert.

 

[adanac]

The Hillier boys have caught more than their share of fish on this coast over the years, for themselves and their many guests. I had a chance to fish with the next generation of Hillier's in Haida Gwaii a couple years back, so the lineage continues.

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Jake! that guys a bonafied slayer

 

[trophywife]

Ok that's what I was thinking. I've never fished a river in my life so you can see where I'm coming from here. Thanks for the feedback guys.

sames, bank maggots. lol

 

[Ringo]

You hit the nail on the head Finally. The days of “palming” a reel are long gone. If you have a cheaper shimano or something with a poor pulsing drag then sure palm away.....I make sure my guests know not to palm the reel on my boat. Set the drag proper and you should be fine. The technique seen in that photo is exactly how I look when fighting a fish except I try to keep my shoulders pulled back and straight. Pull those shoulders back, straighten out your back and engage your core muscles. Good posture is just as important as the equipment your using in
my opinion.

.... and a good size dance floor to apply maximum tension to the fish, esp. when it’s darting towards the boat. Good points here in this post.