Just saw Ish appear to be turning his reel handle backwards on his spinning reel.  Almost 100% sure that's what I was seeing at least.  Can someone tell me why he would be doing that?  That may have even said so on the audio, I just don't have the sound on here at work.  

Thanks!

If he was fighting a fish at the time, it's called back reeling. In the "old" days, spinning reels did not always have very dependable drag systems so guys would flip the anti reverse switch and control the fish by letting line out turning the handle backward as needed. Those who got used to fighting fish that way still do it even though the drags are much better on modern spinning reels.

^^ Nailed it.  30 years ago I always back-reeled when fighting a fish.  Today I let the drag do the work for me.

Back reeling a spinning reel is still commonly used with big bass on light line near the boat to prevent a sudden surge from breaking the line. Regardless how good a drag is the initial start up force to get any drag slipping is slightly higher than the running force after the drag is slipping, so it's a form of insurance preventing break offs.

You will also see anglers pulling off line to get drag slipping with spinning reels for the same reason. A bait casting reel has a star drag to loosen away from the spool and easier to back off force when big bass are close to the boat to prevent hooks tearing out or breaking light line.

Tom

Saw that too. Ish isn't used to spinning reels Lol he was just trying to prevent a breakoff. He did say it was the worst fish landing ever. BTW, have you joined the Bass live chat?

Saw that too. Ish isn't used to spinning reels Lol he was just trying to prevent a breakoff. He did say it was the worst fish landing ever. BTW, have you joined the Bass live chat?

 

no, haven't looked into the chat.... just had a chance to watch it on the other screen while "working"

I'm too uncoordinated with my left hand to back reel.

 

Jimmy Houston will disengage his BC reel's spool to avoid a line-stretching surge at the boat. I had to do this once, but it was because the fish was taking too much drag and I needed to slow him down.

I don't think I could back reel but I have done the thumb bar thing with a baitcaster many times. I've never really given any thought as to why. I guess I feel like it gives me more control when I've got a good size fish that has a lot of attitude close to the boat.

Count me as one of those guys that back reels. I trust my own judgement more than I trust the drag. Plus I can adjust the amount of pressure accordingly to the situation at hand and I can keep the drag pretty tight for solid hooksets. 

I don't do it much, but sometimes I'll backreel instead of loosening the drag if the drag seems too tight for the fish, just momentary; I don't land them with the anti-reverse switched off, though.