Jigging reel question - anti reverse

cracked_ribs

cracked_ribs

Well-Known Member
This is something I wonder about once in a while and I figure some people here must have an answer they're satisfied with.

When I'm jigging, I like to let line out in a pretty controlled way on account of our rocky, reefy bottom structure. I don't want to hit bottom hard, so I reel it out and feel for the tap, then pull it back in a few feet and work the bottom, reeling in and letting out as necessary.

Growing up, this was never a problem because we used spinning reels for everything. But these days, a decent spinning reel that you can actually switch the anti-reverse off on is impossible to find. They're purpose-built for casting now: if you want to let line out, you flip the bail and fling it.

Does everybody just use mooching reels for everything now? Or conventional reels with a reverse function? Or has everyone just adapted their technique to thumb the spool while letting it freewheel out?

For the moment I just jig with old spinning reels, and a couple of Alvey sidecasts. I like spinning reels, because I like having the ability to cast easily if I feel like it and I have never gotten the hang of casting a conventional. But I would rather be able to use newer, better spinning reels...except I back-reel too often to upgrade.

What does everybody else do?
 
Lots of ways to reduce hooking bottom issues. Pour your own jigs, put one assist hook on the top only, watch it fall on the sounder, use your thumb, a long rod will give you 10+ feet of lowering ability with the bail already flipped, use marked braid and count the depth, drift from the top of the reef and down the reef, lowering as you go. Don't backreel.
Usually your boat is drifting, so you don't want to control the drop. Get it down fast before you drift off the spot.

I have one Penn Battle spinner which I like, but I also have a Penn Jigmaster, and couple Abu baitcasters which require a thumb. Plus a couple heavier hali rods/reels. If I lose a jig, I switch rods. I wouldn't want to jig with mooching gear.
 
Most newer lever drag reels would suit your needs.
simply turn off the clicker and free spool to desired depth.
 
I've evolved into a full time jigger after years of trolling with downriggers.In Victoria I target Springs in Oak Bay and Constance Bank which have a forgiving bottom (not too many hang ups). The only reels I use are single action one way drag with free spool,Trophy or Shimano 4000.I've switched them out to braided line,I like the colour coded type that changes colour every 10-20 ft. so I know when I'm close to bottom after the first drop. I use about a 9 Ft. rod,the lightest that can handle the 6-20 Lb. fish we catch,the graphite Okuma is good.I've tried spinning reels but I just don't like the numbness of the drag compared to a single action reel spinning under my hand. The big advantage of the spinning reel though is the gearing that allows you to catch up to a fish that's running towards you.I'd still rather reel like a mad man to catch up,it's just adds to the fun but if all you care about is putting fish in the boat the spinning reel is better.
 
I wittled it down to using an Abu Garcia C4 with 30# braid on a 7 1/2' "musky" rod. I find a longer rod wears me out, a shorter rod harder to play horizontal running fish. The Abu functions well. Just don't dunk it in salt water and rinse off thoroughly after every use.

I have caught most of my Springs on the (near) free fall with just my thumb feathering the spool, ready to buckle down if the fall is at all interrupted. For Springs 6-10 feet off the bottom is good, jig a dozen or so times then bring it up and drop it again. Drift down slope or else really watch your sounder. I actually do better in front of reefs than in the mixed current behind them. Don't waste too much time in one spot.
 
I use Hardy Longstones for jigging (and trolling). Set the switch to free spool, let out line and feather the reel until you touch bottom. Flip the switch to take it out of free spool and jig away. My daughter has an older Shimano 2000 that she likes to use, it works the same as the Longstones.

The longstones are great. They're a no BS reel, super tough, and almost zero maintenance. I have one that I've been using for decades (since the 70's), it never lets me down. Works great in both jigging and trolling applications.
 
Interesting, thanks for the responses, guys. Looks like I will have no choice but to either stick with Alveys, which all but rules out braid, use beater spinning reels so I can have a reverse option, or free spool out and use other methods for tracking the depth, like colour-changing braid or watching the lure on the sounder.

There's a bunch of reasons I like being able to backreel - drifting over structure where the depth changes quickly, for example, I can feel my way along the bottom, moving smoothly up and down. Or if I have someone out with me I like to be able to say "yeah, you're about 25 turns to the bottom". And I like to be able to switch on the fly from jigging to casting. But I think I might be the only person who has my specific preferences because nobody builds good reels that do exactly what I want them to.
 
A lot more time reeling with single actions and not a true free fall. I'm a big single handed reel fan but it doesn't work as well for jigging. I've used them, but when using a jig under 4 oz they are just too slow. Especially when the tide is ripping, you'll be off the spot before the lure hits the bottom.
 
Tubber offers great advice; especially a single assist hook tied to the top of the hook.

I believe a Shimano bait runner spinning reel will offer the feature you desire - dropping the jig at a controlled speed.
 
Its all personal preference on this one but my 2 cents - The avet sxj packs a lot of punch for a small reel and you can fish it a long time without getting tired.

You can control descent with your thumb and retrieval is super fast if fishing deep. It can handle most all species in BC waters. If you want you can cast it about as far as you can fling it but be careful on the backlash!
 
Sounds like a good pairing.

@ericl after looking closely at the Bait runner D I realized that you are speaking literally - I thought you meant the baitrunners and live liners and so on could be used to drop a lure in a controlled way by using the secondary drag. But the baitrunner d still looks to have the actual antireverse switch I like!

So I guess I will have to get one since it seems to be the last fairly decent spinning reel with a switch.
 
I was given an new Alvey 45BC ( Kayak Reel ) by a friend from NZ. I have taken several lings using it. A well made reel with a 10 yr warranty. However, its a spare right now as my Penns and Ambassadeurs are easier to use.
 
My alveys have hauled up a fair number of lings also... they're a good reel IMO, although I am not totally sold on using braid on them just because I think they benefit from a pretty careful loading on the retrieve since you could be casting that line. Guiding it on with your finger full-time is pretty harsh on the finger!

But you can't break them...I have a couple of ancient ones, non-side-cast, just regular single action reels, that probably work as well today as the day they shipped out.

And I do really like having the ability to do that controlled descent at will when working around bottom structure. I'm honestly surprised that nobody else wants to back down by reeling, but I take this to mean that a good lever drag is easy to thumb your way down once you get used to it and is a better jigging reel overall. I just think of the number of strikes I've had on the way down and how often I've immediately set the hook and started fighting, the reel all ready to go in my hands as I wound her down. But I guess a conventional would be similar - you spool down with your thumb and you can be pretty quick setting the drag?

I guess I just grew up using one set of gear for everything and we maximized the use of what we had and now there are better specialized reels for different tasks and I'm the last guy left who wants to fish a single 6500 sized spinner for everything.

My dad always had these beater cop car impalas and caprices, you know, and spent an inordinate amount of energy trying to make them handle a little better and shift exactly at these specific speeds he used for passing people on particular roads around his town and I always thought he was nuts, because the rest of the world had moved on and sure, you couldn't get a car that would have these specific shift points you were used to from the TH350 transmission but they would be better in every other way and in fact you could use the readily available power and six speed transmission to pass those same people effortlessly in those same places, if you just spent a week learning how. But he wouldn't listen and kept screwing around with these beaters and nobody could get why.

And apparently I grew up and became him with fishing reels because I only want to fish my weird way with a reel that only exists in the form of $50 Daiwa spinners and the rest of the world has moved on and can't understand why I'm demanding to spend $300 to get a $50 disposable reel.
 
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