Why are they doing that???

[Member]

So I have been noticing on fishing programs that they have their thumb on the fishing line while they reel it in. To me its just asking for a burn or cut.

Is there any reason for this??

I know its good indication of a bite when using bait but having it their while reeling in a fish ?

Any who curiosity got the better of me henceforth this topic and I would to hear your thoughts

cheers Brad

[Member]

I was just thinking the same thing last week when I was flicking lures , I noticed my thumb on the line never realised I was doing it till I bought braid lol , in my head I think I feel my lure and any thing that hits it better I'm not sure if that's the case but I definatley have a bad habit there , (that is using a bait caster to I don't do it with a spin rod and reel just the bait caster . Maybe I'm weird lol

[Member]

Fair enough with a bait caster.

However once you have a fish hooked on your line does your thumb stay on the line and if so why???

[Member]

Fair enough with a bait caster.

However once you have a fish hooked on your line does your thumb stay on the line and if so why???

No level wind on the reel perhaps?

[Member]

Have you noticed if they are right handed, using a left hand wind bait caster?  If so, there is nowhere else to put your thumb.

[Member]

           I spent a lot of my younger years spinning the rock platforms around Jervis bay with a seascape six to one major. They had no level wind ,no drag to speak off and little or no cast control. Thank god we did not have braid . It was bad enough picking backlashes out of mono. Our only salvation was an educated thumb. Seascape users were easily identified by there lack of thumb prints. Unfortunately the rocks are now only for tripping over...Ron.

[Member]

I upgraded my Seascape to a Polikansky Monitor.  Looked prettier but still a mongrel to cast!  No magnets and little control weights back then Ron.  Just sore thumbs.