How do you engage your Reel?

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I bet you have never thought about the art of engaging your reel after a cast. Is it something which requires any attention while fishing? I never really thought so until I had an experience while bonefishing a few years ago. It was my first guided fishing trip in the Florida Keys, I was fishing for bonefish. I had one of those salty old time, old school guides, which was apparently one of the best guides in the Keys.

One of the first instructions, among many others was how to engage my reel. I was fishing with a Daiwa spinning reel. His instruction was “always engage the reel by hand, do not use the handle to flip the spinning reel bail” seemed a bit ridiculous to me. Until I quickly found out why he gave me such explicit instruction.

After about an hour without sighting a single bonefish, my guide instructed me to get ready to cast as a bonefish was on his way towards our boat. I was ready… Once the fish was about 30 yards to our front right side direction the fish suddenly stopped and started circling in a tight area. The guide informed me he found something to eat and this would be the opportunity to make a cast. I made what could only be described as a perfect cast directly in the path of the feeding bonefish.

The fish made its way to my bait and started circling. About that time I engaged my bail not as instructed by my formidable guide. “CLICK” was the sound I heard and it seemed as though the whole world became silent except for that clicking sound. All of a sudden the bonefish flashed in disgust and swam off as though the world was truly coming to an end. After a tongue lashing explaining how “I told you so” and a few mumbled words which I could not make out from my guide. I decided I would not do that again.

Needless to say that incident has stayed with me ever since. I have become much more aware of the intricacies of how to engage your reel.

Don’t make the same mistake. Here are a few tips which might put an extra fish in the livewell.

1. Whether with a spinning outfit or baitcasting rig always let your bait fall with a slack line. Even if you have to pull some line off manually. this will insure a more natural fall, keeping your bait in the cover.
2. Let your rest once your cast is complete before engaging your reel. Whether fishing on the bottom or the top, let your bait complete its decent prior to engaging your reel.
3. When fishing with a spinning outfit always engage your bail manually.
4. When fishing with a baitcasting outfit, engage your reel as quietly as possible, especially in shallow water.
5. Always and I mean always watch your line as your bait is falling, if your line twitches or stops before you believe it has reached its destination forget about all of the above, engage, reel down and set the hook.

While this article may sound somewhat to extreme, pay attention to how loud engaging your reel is next time you are fishing. you may be surprised.

Enjoy your fishing day!