The Figure 8 - Spool engaged or disengaged?

[Keith_MN]

I would be interested to know how others approach the figure 8 at boatside. Do you A) leave the spool of your reel engaged as you perform the figure 8, or disengage the spool and place your thumb on the spool while doing the figure 8 and then engage the spool (drag) if a fish strikes? And why do you do it one way or the other?

Thanks for any feedback.

[ARMAN-21]

I disengage.

[mwal]

I disengage and use heavy thumb. If I hook up I let them get away from the boat. I have lost a couple on a short leash and haven't lost any since I started to disengage.

Mwal

[muskymike]

Disengaged, always! Set the hook and use a heavy thumb while letting fish go to the bottom. Then work to tire out the fish.

Nothing is worse than a fish flopping on top of the water with 2 feet of line to work with. You're sure to see your bait fly out of it's mouth.

I'll even pull the fish down into the water to try and get her to dive deep.

[RK]

Hiya,

Disengaged with the thumb clamped down, always. Learned to do it that way back in the dacron days when you cranked your drag down as far as you could, then got an extra quarter turn with a needle nose pliers. Don't tighten it that much anymore, but still, freespool with the thumb gives you way more control/options when a fish hits at the boat. If it power runs, you can thumb it till it gets out away from the boat, and if it head shakes you can give it a little lighter pressure and hope it quits shaking and swims away. With the drag set and the reel engaged, you have one drag setting.

Plus, for me, it's just part of the routine of casting. I freespool, do an L-turn, and pick the bait out of the water for the next cast if there's no fish. Gets to be habit, so there's no herky-jerky fumbling around when there is a follow. Well, not much anyhow My first few figure-8s of the year are usually pretty ugly...

Cheers,

RK

[Keith_MN]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'll have to work on disengaging the spool until it becomes habit.

Good fishing!