Manually closing the bail and giving a tug on the line [like you are checking your drag setting] has become second nature. You definitely need to get rid of that first loose loop on the braid before starting to work your lure. I saw this years ago on the Florida Sportsman Forum. Man am I glad I found your channel! You are going to help a zillion newbies out there in RUclips land.
What's cool is that I trust what you say and so you are my go to site/guy for anything regarding the way a reel works... and it's performance . Took me almost a year to get used to closing the bail by hand rather than just cranking... also testing the drag with a short pull agains the drag. Life is better now thanks. Now back to my search for the bet $100.00 or less reel. Thanks
Always habitually manually tripped the bail but your insight has justified it as a good habit !.... thanks 👍🏼... we all need our reels to last longer no matter what the cost !!
He probably learned it from me :) I've been preaching it on message boards for 15 years... ;) and the wind knot fix is chapter one for all things surf casting
I have owned a Penn Spinfisher for 30 years and and never had a issue with the bail, pinion or main gear . My first years of fishing Pros have told me to remove the bail and use your finger to place line back on line roller for better casting and retrieve and it became second nature but all my other reels never had a issue. I am old school and use my conventional reels for bait only. Great video
Great video! I've always closed mine manually. Mostly because it felt like it was putting extra stress on the reel, plus it's always been just as easy to do it manually anyway. I love how analytical and in depth your videos are. I'd love to see one on cleaning and lubricating both baitcasters and spinning reels.
A little trick I use is white crest toothpaste and put it on the pinion and main gear I use it a few hours and take it apart and clean it and 90 percent it’s smooth again the toothpaste slowly sands the gears so they mesh smooth
Absolutely man . Heard Ike say this about 15 years ago and never closed the bail by reeling ever again. When Ike says something I believe and listen . Made sense then even tho I didn't know the specifics of it.
Been fishing since i was 8 years old was taught to always close the bail by hand to prolong the life on your reel you are right it dose help your reel last longer have seen some reels fail because the user didn't close the bail by hand.
just found this video :D and ive learned this on hard way. i broke my pinion after a year and a half... after changing that pinion that real has been serving me for 9 years since then without failure
Just found your channel and really appreciate your videos. As an engineering type of guy I found this particular video most informative. I've never really thought about the load on the pinion when using the auto trip for the bail, I've manually tripped the bail for 40 years. Ever since I had bail springs fail on a surf fishing trip so many years ago, it's just second nature now. Thanks very much for the tip. It really will extend the life of those gears.
Actually had an argument with my uncle about this on our last fishing trip, he was steadfastly of the opinion that it doesn't matter, but I always felt the resistance in the handle, so I was always of the opinion that manually closing the bail avoided that resistance and would prolong the life of the reel because it's not being put under unnecessary strain. Gonna send him this video now, glad to have some concrete evidence to back up my feeling.
Good video and advice, I always close my bail manually. I also believe that winching big fish in with heavy braid and a locked down drag bends the main shaft that in turn breaks the teeth on the pinion gear.
I've been manually closing my bail for decades and I've taught others to do so over the years. I honestly had no idea about the gears being harmed. I started doing it because I found I got less line twist with mono. I don't fish with mono anymore but still have the habit.
I fished for 30 years and always closed the bail manually. It made the real last longer. I got 5 reals that are more than 39 YO. It still work fine. Put all working parts with WD40. Even a jammed salt crystalline reel will work like new again when dismantling it and shoots lots of WD40 !
Great advice right there. I know for a fact it makes a difference because I read this tip in In-Fisherman magazine over 20 years ago, and before that I used the handle to close. Old habits die hard though, one of my old fishing buddy's say's "Why would they put it on there if your not supposed to use it?" 5 minutes later he's cranking it closed again.
That used to be my favorite mag! I remember a white sturgeon article they published back in the 90s like it was yesterday!! 100 years ago they used to use bent pitchforks, slabs of beef and horses to pull in the fish....sometimes they lost a horese!! The "why would they put it on there if you're not supposed to use it" is the response I would get too! Old habits do die hard!
i have a penn clash ive had for over 4 years and it is super heavily used mostly casting/retrieving lures. i almost never manually close the bail and its insanely geary now. I wish i seen this video years ago...
Thank you for this timely and excellent video. I’ve only recently subscribed to Tackle Advisors but it has already paid dividends and increased my love and enjoyment of fishing. I learned to fish for trout some fifty years ago and was taught to crank the bail closed! Indeed, most anglers who fished nearby also closed the bail by turning the handle. For these reasons, I never gave it a second thought for many years! This spring, I purchased two new Daiwa spinning reels and saw this video soon afterward. It makes perfect sense and is so simple, so I immediately decided to close the bails on all my reels manually. It honestly has not been difficult at all and has become second nature. The peace of mind that adherence to the basics brings is worth every effort! Thanks again for all you do to help us and make the sport so interesting.
Hey Thornton thanks for the kind words. Glad you are able to gain something from your time spent watching! This really makes a difference in the long run! Tight lines!
when i was watching bill dance one day over a decade ago and he said to close the bail manually, and i have done so thinking i was doing it right and i'm so glad someone who clearly has an understanding of fishing gear confirmed it.
oh its absolutely crazy how stuff like that can bury its self deep in to your memory. it helps that i learned it during my first 3 years of fishing when i was between 6 and 9 years old, and as soon as bill dance said that's what i should be doing that;s what i was doing.
Makes perfect sense !!! Please make a video on how you clean and lube bearings. Also how to clean an anti-reverse bearing and how to properly lubricate one. On a conventional reel. I mostly fish in salt water and my anti-reverse constantly fails or gets rusted up. I love what Shimano has done with the new TranX. I have to order one looks like they may have salved that problem with water getting into the reel. Keep the videos coming !!! 👍
Doesn't it? And I can't recall ever seeing it mentioned by anyone else before. I surely will. I'll do a vid covering spool, sideplate and ar. Shimano hit a 3 run home run with the new tranx. Grand slam would have been external braeke adustment and a clicker :)
If there's 2 things Ive never liked or used on a reel it's bail trips and anti-reverse switches. Now I've got even more reason to dislike bail trips, thanks for pointing this out.
Thanks for sharing. Been fishing with spinning reels past 20 years have no issues closing the bail arm manually. In fact I have the bail trip mechanism removed on almost all my reels.
I did that on a few reels. Never been a penn guy..but pulled trips from a bunch of them for friends. Last one i did that too was a quantum Cabo 50. Not because of premature bail trip...But the damn trip ramp was where I naturally closed the bail...And with that thin flexible bail wire...I'd bend the bail wire almost all the way to the closed postion..but it would be at the top of the ramp...so essentially I did nothing and it would spring open.....ARRGGGHHH drove me nuts. lol
Random thought, It should be possible to rotate the pinion 180*(assuming it is symmetrical) so the impact of the bail trip is on the opposite side of the pinion gear. Maybe flip the pinion every time you service the reel like rotating your tires to even out the wear and thus extend the life of the gears. that said I always manually close the bail and tell anyone I'm teaching to use a spinning reel to do the same. mostly because it is easier than cranking through the trip lever and helps keep the line neat and tight on the spool which is very important when using a spinning reel, duh.
Ahhhh....there's also the issue of indexing....and some believe it' s an issue...meaning. If you change where the teeth have meshed and run in....You'll accellerate the wear as a result of a mis matched mesh.
Im new to fishing, i target surf perch on the Oregon coast and it's constant cast and retrieve fishing. I'd heard others tell me about not auto closing bails but never understood why. Now i know why. Thanks for the video!
It kills me how many people don't do this. I saw it on Bill Dance when I first started fishing and started it then. I guess it was less muscle memory to overcome, but it worked so well on day 1, it was a no brainer.
Fantastic video man! Couldn't agree more! I've been manually closing my bails since I first started fishing. That's how a 20$ Reel has lasted me literally for 10 years. I'm barely using it these days but doing a few small things will make reels last soooooo so much longer.
When I was a kid I always depend on the automatic bail. Now days I just close it manually. Cast. Lower reel close bail hold handle without even looking.
I have been manually closing the bail for as long as I can remember I never crank on the handle to close the bail. Guess that's why my reels always worked never had any problems.
Only time I ruin my gears and opinion. Is on carbon frame. Max out my drag to 20lbs with 60lbs braid horsing bass or large pike through pads. That is also due to the carbon frame flexing causing the gear and pinion to miss aligned. Now I go all metal frame only to avoid the flex.
Thanks you so much tackle now I know what to spend my money on thanks again love ur videos tear down all part on reel love it learn more a more keep it up👍
As someone who started fishing back in the 70's this was pretty common knowledge back then. It was cringeworthy to hear the sound of someone using auto bail, CLANGGG!!.. it marked the transgressor as a newb amongst other fisho's - We'd only maybe do it if we lost balance after casting on rocks - then say sorry for it. Good to see some common sense advice getting out there.
I really enjoy your videos. Part of the enjoyment of fishing is using and appreciating quality equipment. You do a nice job of explaining the how and why of reel mechanisms which is both interesting and informative. Do you have any links to purchase lubrication products (Shimano reels). Thanks
yes finally someone else get's this other people see me doing this and shake there heads. Besides I had to learn the heard way brake parts mostly internals , loose line or brake off due to not manual flipping the bell
I'm one of those guys that with spinners I switch hands post cast prior to the retrieve. And it's now ingrained that during the switch. my finger slides up the handle behind the line roller arm. Pushes it and then tensions the line on the switch. For guys like me..it's more efficient than cranking it closed. Many the plug has been launched into orbit from premature bail trips and wind knots.
this is something i've never done. I always figured the entire reel has a pretty short life in peak condition anyways, so the whole thing is essentially a wear piece. I honestly cannot figure out how people say they have a favorite reel that is 14 years old and still feels like the day they bought it without ever replacing a single part.
It's usually 2 things....either they don't fish at all and are bs'ing. Or it's a penn Z. :) In all seriousness. I had the original magnesium shimnao stradics last that long and no parts were needed. And I've had the Stella FI wear out in under 2 years. It's the luck of the draw.
i purchased this small reel and at first the bail was stiff opening and would not close easily with the reel handle ,i loosened the screws on both ends of the bail arms and it was smoother but there was a play of gap between the arms and the body so i re tightened them and checked the bail wire to see if it was still in line and not bent out or nothing even though its a new reel,i kinda noticed a slight misalignment so i tried to bend it here and there but in the end i just ended up loosening the screw on the line roller and it seem to give the right amount of slack for it to work smoothly, i can see the bail wire moving up or down with the slightest adjustment on the screw and that is what made things too tight and not run smoothly and its closing nicely with the reel arm but after watching your vid i guess ill have to get used to the annoyance of doing it by hand, hope i did not mess my pinon so far,is there a way to tell from the feel ,performance or noises? the other thing i noticed is that at a certain point i am not able to flip open the bail all the way back and have to turn past this point to do so,is this some kind of design part of the trip system or any way to fix this? but it used to be real stiff opening and closing this thing and sometimes it would stay hanging in a position instead of opening or closing with the factory set screws so i do not want to re tighten that screw i loosened last
Great tip. Feel like I've always felt that pressure was no good for the reel, nor the hard slamming of the bail itself. Videos are amazing and please keep up the great work. So no Lews reels?,...ever? Am I missing something here?
I've never used the automatic bail functionality. Habits working for me this time. On a side note, speaking of you working on reels, have you ever done a tear down and tune up on an 80w? I just picked up a used Penn International 80w single speed that needs a little TLC. I'd be happy to send it to ya for a video as to retain your services.
Damn thanks again scoob! I always flipped my bail close since I was a kid. Never did like the feeling of turning the handle to close the bail. That's a lot of stress on that gear I never knew that wow. Keep these videos comin 💯
First off your avatar is brilliant. I thought it was an eyelash on my screen lmao... I gotta go with the steez sv tws and top end shimanos and Daiwa's. Nothing compares. The Torque 1 or van Staal and Zbaas reels may out last them in some applications but they aren't as refined in feel.
I’ve used my reels as wenches not expensive reels but I’ve done it on briges and tighten the drag way down and wenched striped bass onto bridges an I’m talking a high brige spot 15 to 20 feet down I do I straighten my rod so i don’t break it An crank the fish up short striped bass in the 20 in range will this wear down the gears in the reel?
I started bridge fishing for stripers about 20 years ago. I started using SHimano baitrunners and then went conventional....I put a hurtin on those reels in short order. Could only swing fish to around 10 lbs before the bridge gaff came out(bridges were about 20-30 feet...although the old highlands bridge was much higher 35 clearance plus whatever it took to the sidewalk) . Then upgraded to Morrum 6500 and 7000 reels. ((that was the bees knees for bridge fishing back in the day :) )) Still was only comfortable swinging fish up to 10 or 15lbs .......There is a retrieval tool that looks almost like the tab on a soda can...only larger. It slides over the line and has a notch that when you drop it past the leader swivel....when you pull it back up. The swivel will fit in the notch allowing you to pull it up with a rope....I forget what it's called but it works. Conventional reels will last longer than even the best spinners if you're winching fish up a bridge. More entry level spinners with cast zinc main gears won't perform like new for long even if winching up stripers in the 20" range And with striper pops in the dumpster....i wouldn't want to swing smaller fish....a when they hit the sidewalk it isn't good for em. I kinda gave up bridge fishing when I started really focusing on catch and release.
great videos..thank you for taking the time to do them. i bought a shimano Fk5000 not too long ago and after some months of use..i've noticed that the handle shaft (which goes into the reel and through main gear) has developed some excessive play. any idea what could cause this? i flip bail manually all the time. sometimes i have to crank down on drag and winch the fish in some circumstances..but almost always pump and reel.... i have a couple of penn slammer 3's and they are solid..
Stradic FK? One of my friends has one...I fished his and found the same thing...Lots of wiggle. He said it wasn't like that new. Oddly enough.. My stella fi 3k developed the same thing after a ton of use. I haven't looked into it much though. If it's a hex shaft handle vs screw in...I've had reels where slop develops in that joint. WHich is why i only recommend thread in handles.
its a thread in handle mate..."wiggle"...thats the perfect word to describe it...its a great reel for its size and superbly light. i really like using it...but that wiggle drives me nuts lol
Well I don't have a boat always fishing off the jetty and most I been catching is sea bass and some mackerel but those only been using a spinning reel but I want to use a baitcaster price about $200 to 300 so what u think a good baitcaster for saltwater thanks
If you don't need a ton of line. The Daiwa coastal or shimano curado are great reels. If you don't want a levelwind. Avets do well when casting over an ounce. As do the Abu same with the penn fathom. Large low pros...I love the lexa HD and new Tranx. (I did an indepth revew on them)
@Tackle Advisors you obviously know what your talking about so im ganna ask you, do you have and good recommendations for a midrange spinning reel for senkos wacky/weedless? i have a budget of about 100-175
![SHIMANO vs PENN vs DAIWA [$200 Inshore Spinning Reel Comparison]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/V0mQvgxaILM/mqdefault.jpg)
![SHIMANO vs PENN vs DAIWA [$200 Inshore Spinning Reel Comparison]](/img/tr.png)
Manually closing the bail and giving a tug on the line [like you are checking your drag setting] has become second nature. You definitely need to get rid of that first loose loop on the braid before starting to work your lure. I saw this years ago on the Florida Sportsman Forum. Man am I glad I found your channel! You are going to help a zillion newbies out there in RUclips land.
What's cool is that I trust what you say and so you are my go to site/guy for anything regarding the way a reel works... and it's performance . Took me almost a year to get used to closing the bail by hand rather than just cranking... also testing the drag with a short pull agains the drag. Life is better now thanks. Now back to my search for the bet $100.00 or less reel. Thanks
I've always closed a bail manually on a spinning reel. It was something my grandfather instilled in me when I first started fishing as a child.
Sounds like great teacher and a man who knows his stuff!!
Always habitually manually tripped the bail but your insight has justified it as a good habit !.... thanks 👍🏼... we all need our reels to last longer no matter what the cost !!
I thought this was a no brainer... surprised how many people don't know this!
Count me among the (now) informed. I didn't know this.
I learned this from a Mike Ickaneli video. He also said it helps with wind knots. Great tip
He probably learned it from me :) I've been preaching it on message boards for 15 years... ;) and the wind knot fix is chapter one for all things surf casting
I was taught to manually close the bail at least 30 years ago. I never knew why it was a good idea but did it anyway. Now I know. Thanks.
I have owned a Penn Spinfisher for 30 years and and never had a issue with the bail, pinion or main gear . My first years of fishing Pros have told me to remove the bail and use your finger to place line back on line roller for better casting and retrieve and it became second nature but all my other reels never had a issue. I am old school and use my conventional reels for bait only. Great video
Great video! I've always closed mine manually. Mostly because it felt like it was putting extra stress on the reel, plus it's always been just as easy to do it manually anyway.
I love how analytical and in depth your videos are. I'd love to see one on cleaning and lubricating both baitcasters and spinning reels.
100% RIGHT. I work on several hundred reels every year here on the gulf coast. This is the number one problem with spinning reels.
A little trick I use is white crest toothpaste and put it on the pinion and main gear I use it a few hours and take it apart and clean it and 90 percent it’s smooth again the toothpaste slowly sands the gears so they mesh smooth
I'm gonna have to try that..sounds like it's doing a light polishing job to the meshing gears..
Absolutely man . Heard Ike say this about 15 years ago and never closed the bail by reeling ever again. When Ike says something I believe and listen . Made sense then even tho I didn't know the specifics of it.
Been fishing since i was 8 years old was taught to always close the bail by hand to prolong the life on your reel you are right it dose help your reel last longer have seen some reels fail because the user didn't close the bail by hand.
I taught my son to fish when he was around 3 years old. By the time he was 14, he taught me to "always" manually close the bail on a spinning reel.
just found this video :D and ive learned this on hard way. i broke my pinion after a year and a half... after changing that pinion that real has been serving me for 9 years since then without failure
I'm glad I was taught to close it manually very young especially now that I have some expensive gear
I still use my 3 Abu Garcia reels they are over 20 yrs old every few years I give them a good cleaning and lube & still working great.
Just found your channel and really appreciate your videos. As an engineering type of guy I found this particular video most informative. I've never really thought about the load on the pinion when using the auto trip for the bail, I've manually tripped the bail for 40 years. Ever since I had bail springs fail on a surf fishing trip so many years ago, it's just second nature now. Thanks very much for the tip. It really will extend the life of those gears.
Thanks Jack! Glad ya enjoyed it!
Absolutely the best video... on why to manually throw the bail on any spinning reel! Fantastic video!
Great video, fishing for 30+ year and never took the information you explained into consideration. Excellent....
Glad you found it informative.
Actually had an argument with my uncle about this on our last fishing trip, he was steadfastly of the opinion that it doesn't matter, but I always felt the resistance in the handle, so I was always of the opinion that manually closing the bail avoided that resistance and would prolong the life of the reel because it's not being put under unnecessary strain. Gonna send him this video now, glad to have some concrete evidence to back up my feeling.
Good video and advice, I always close my bail manually. I also believe that winching big fish in with heavy braid and a locked down drag bends the main shaft that in turn breaks the teeth on the pinion gear.
I've been manually closing my bail for decades and I've taught others to do so over the years. I honestly had no idea about the gears being harmed. I started doing it because I found I got less line twist with mono. I don't fish with mono anymore but still have the habit.
Always knew to do it but never really knew why thanks
I fished for 30 years and always closed the bail manually. It made the real last longer. I got 5 reals that are more than 39 YO. It still work fine. Put all working parts with WD40. Even a jammed salt crystalline reel will work like new again when dismantling it and shoots lots of WD40 !
Great advice right there. I know for a fact it makes a difference because I read this tip in In-Fisherman magazine over 20 years ago, and before that I used the handle to close. Old habits die hard though, one of my old fishing buddy's say's "Why would they put it on there if your not supposed to use it?" 5 minutes later he's cranking it closed again.
That used to be my favorite mag! I remember a white sturgeon article they published back in the 90s like it was yesterday!! 100 years ago they used to use bent pitchforks, slabs of beef and horses to pull in the fish....sometimes they lost a horese!!
The "why would they put it on there if you're not supposed to use it" is the response I would get too!
Old habits do die hard!
Learn something new every day, thanks
Glad to have aided in adding a brain wrinkle
I have always tripped my bail manually, I am currently trying to get my brother in law to do it but old habits die hard
i have a penn clash ive had for over 4 years and it is super heavily used mostly casting/retrieving lures. i almost never manually close the bail and its insanely geary now. I wish i seen this video years ago...
Thank you for this timely and excellent video. I’ve only recently subscribed to Tackle Advisors but it has already paid dividends and increased my love and enjoyment of fishing. I learned to fish for trout some fifty years ago and was taught to crank the bail closed! Indeed, most anglers who fished nearby also closed the bail by turning the handle. For these reasons, I never gave it a second thought for many years!
This spring, I purchased two new Daiwa spinning reels and saw this video soon afterward. It makes perfect sense and is so simple, so I immediately decided to close the bails on all my reels manually. It honestly has not been difficult at all and has become second nature. The peace of mind that adherence to the basics brings is worth every effort! Thanks again for all you do to help us and make the sport so interesting.
Hey Thornton thanks for the kind words. Glad you are able to gain something from your time spent watching! This really makes a difference in the long run! Tight lines!
Have always been a "why would they put it there guy" until now. Finally, a logical explanation. Thanks.
when i was watching bill dance one day over a decade ago and he said to close the bail manually, and i have done so thinking i was doing it right and i'm so glad someone who clearly has an understanding of fishing gear confirmed it.
+Skidin Dingo isn't it amazing what things we pick up on from things we see years ago and remember verbatim!
oh its absolutely crazy how stuff like that can bury its self deep in to your memory. it helps that i learned it during my first 3 years of fishing when i was between 6 and 9 years old, and as soon as bill dance said that's what i should be doing that;s what i was doing.
For me it's an automatism to close bail manually with hand
Greetings from Italy
Automatism... I like that word... Lol.. Thanks for that :).. Salutations from Accross the pond
Makes perfect sense !!! Please make a video on how you clean and lube bearings. Also how to clean an anti-reverse bearing and how to properly lubricate one. On a conventional reel. I mostly fish in salt water and my anti-reverse constantly fails or gets rusted up. I love what Shimano has done with the new TranX. I have to order one looks like they may have salved that problem with water getting into the reel. Keep the videos coming !!! 👍
Doesn't it? And I can't recall ever seeing it mentioned by anyone else before.
I surely will. I'll do a vid covering spool, sideplate and ar. Shimano hit a 3 run home run with the new tranx. Grand slam would have been external braeke adustment and a clicker :)
If there's 2 things Ive never liked or used on a reel it's bail trips and anti-reverse switches. Now I've got even more reason to dislike bail trips, thanks for pointing this out.
Fortunately I have always closed my bail manually. Very informative video though. Ive really enjoyed all the information you have to share.
Thanks for sharing. Been fishing with spinning reels past 20 years have no issues closing the bail arm manually. In fact I have the bail trip mechanism removed on almost all my reels.
I did that on a few reels. Never been a penn guy..but pulled trips from a bunch of them for friends. Last one i did that too was a quantum Cabo 50. Not because of premature bail trip...But the damn trip ramp was where I naturally closed the bail...And with that thin flexible bail wire...I'd bend the bail wire almost all the way to the closed postion..but it would be at the top of the ramp...so essentially I did nothing and it would spring open.....ARRGGGHHH drove me nuts. lol
Random thought, It should be possible to rotate the pinion 180*(assuming it is symmetrical) so the impact of the bail trip is on the opposite side of the pinion gear. Maybe flip the pinion every time you service the reel like rotating your tires to even out the wear and thus extend the life of the gears. that said I always manually close the bail and tell anyone I'm teaching to use a spinning reel to do the same. mostly because it is easier than cranking through the trip lever and helps keep the line neat and tight on the spool which is very important when using a spinning reel, duh.
Ahhhh....there's also the issue of indexing....and some believe it' s an issue...meaning. If you change where the teeth have meshed and run in....You'll accellerate the wear as a result of a mis matched mesh.
I been doing the manual closing of the bail for years. After a while it just become second nature.
real talk! I have several old Penns. only 1 ever failed... and that was the mechanism to auto close the bail. Great info
I knew that you weren't supposed to close the real with the handle but, I never knew why. Thanks for explaining it!
Im new to fishing, i target surf perch on the Oregon coast and it's constant cast and retrieve fishing. I'd heard others tell me about not auto closing bails but never understood why. Now i know why. Thanks for the video!
It kills me how many people don't do this. I saw it on Bill Dance when I first started fishing and started it then. I guess it was less muscle memory to overcome, but it worked so well on day 1, it was a no brainer.
Manual trip for life.
I've flipped the bail manually my whole life. Had no idea it helped with the longevity of the reel though
ditto
Fantastic video man! Couldn't agree more!
I've been manually closing my bails since I first started fishing. That's how a 20$ Reel has lasted me literally for 10 years. I'm barely using it these days but doing a few small things will make reels last soooooo so much longer.
Never going fishing works pretty well
When I was a kid I always depend on the automatic bail. Now days I just close it manually. Cast. Lower reel close bail hold handle without even looking.
I have been manually closing the bail for as long as I can remember I never crank on the handle to close the bail. Guess that's why my reels always worked never had any problems.
Thank you for this information and advice...this certainly makes sense and I will start practicing this method.
Glad I saw this never knew the true appeal of manual close bails.
The Informative Fisherman actually says to close it manually. Formed the habit early on to tighten the line slightly and then close it manually.
Only time I ruin my gears and opinion. Is on carbon frame. Max out my drag to 20lbs with 60lbs braid horsing bass or large pike through pads. That is also due to the carbon frame flexing causing the gear and pinion to miss aligned. Now I go all metal frame only to avoid the flex.
Hey even if someone isn't smart enough to get it think of it this way it can only help it can't hurt
Great video! I totally agree. Nice to have it explained so clearly. Great work!
I already did this thing. Now I have another reason! Great demo
Patiently and thoroughly explained; persuasive! Very helpful to this newbie!
I got a finnor 950 surf reel I use 40 lb braid I close the bail arm by hand all my reels I close by hand
been working the bail manually since I was a kid, great video
Great job bud, learn more from your videos then any one else’s keep up the good work.
Thanks you so much tackle now I know what to spend my money on thanks again love ur videos tear down all part on reel love it learn more a more keep it up👍
Thanks for deep explanation
You should be thumbing the spool anyways , it’s all in 1 motion 😅😅😅 I never seen people who only overhead casts do this
@tackleadvisor can you perform the super tuning steps on your spinning gears just as you would the baitcaster?
I never trip my own bail I don’t keep them long enough I trade them in and keep upgrading or they go in the storage box
Great information I have a staal vm150 that the pinion is shot
Makes so much sense thank you for your time and dedication!
Awesome video. I've been doing it manually for a while now but had no idea about the pinion gear issue.
I’ve been telling my friends this for years
Outstanding Video!!!! Tackle Advisors have the best videos
I can't manually trip the bail on my Mitchell 300a. Good advice and video though. Thanks!
All the reel makers must hate you .. we all love it cheers 🍻
Big thanks fella 👍
Thanks for the heads up.Spreading the word.
As someone who started fishing back in the 70's this was pretty common knowledge back then. It was cringeworthy to hear the sound of someone using auto bail, CLANGGG!!.. it marked the transgressor as a newb amongst other fisho's - We'd only maybe do it if we lost balance after casting on rocks - then say sorry for it. Good to see some common sense advice getting out there.
How many times have you cast only to have the bail slam shut and rip the reel through the stripper guide and three others. 😄
I really enjoy your videos. Part of the enjoyment of fishing is using and appreciating quality equipment. You do a nice job of explaining the how and why of reel mechanisms which is both interesting and informative. Do you have any links to purchase lubrication products (Shimano reels).
Thanks
This video is brilliant. Thank you sir!
yes finally someone else get's this other people see me doing this and shake there heads. Besides I had to learn the heard way brake parts mostly internals , loose line or brake off due to not manual flipping the bell
I'm one of those guys that with spinners I switch hands post cast prior to the retrieve. And it's now ingrained that during the switch. my finger slides up the handle behind the line roller arm. Pushes it and then tensions the line on the switch. For guys like me..it's more efficient than cranking it closed.
Many the plug has been launched into orbit from premature bail trips and wind knots.
wait it's the same for me if you don't mind me asking are you lefty that can't throw with right hand for spinners only
great videos man. keep it up. some of the most informative videos I see on RUclips
Thank man!
this is something i've never done. I always figured the entire reel has a pretty short life in peak condition anyways, so the whole thing is essentially a wear piece. I honestly cannot figure out how people say they have a favorite reel that is 14 years old and still feels like the day they bought it without ever replacing a single part.
It's usually 2 things....either they don't fish at all and are bs'ing. Or it's a penn Z.
:)
In all seriousness. I had the original magnesium shimnao stradics last that long and no parts were needed. And I've had the Stella FI wear out in under 2 years. It's the luck of the draw.
i purchased this small reel and at first the bail was stiff opening and would not close easily with the reel handle ,i loosened the screws on both ends of the bail arms and it was smoother but there was a play of gap between the arms and the body so i re tightened them and checked the bail wire to see if it was still in line and not bent out or nothing even though its a new reel,i kinda noticed a slight misalignment so i tried to bend it here and there but in the end i just ended up loosening the screw on the line roller and it seem to give the right amount of slack for it to work smoothly,
i can see the bail wire moving up or down with the slightest adjustment on the screw and that is what made things too tight and not run smoothly and its closing nicely with the reel arm but after watching your vid i guess ill have to get used to the annoyance of doing it by hand, hope i did not mess my pinon so far,is there a way to tell from the feel ,performance or noises?
the other thing i noticed is that at a certain point i am not able to flip open the bail all the way back and have to turn past this point to do so,is this some kind of design part of the trip system or any way to fix this? but it used to be real stiff opening and closing this thing and sometimes it would stay hanging in a position instead of opening or closing with the factory set screws so i do not want to re tighten that screw i loosened last
Great tip. Feel like I've always felt that pressure was no good for the reel, nor the hard slamming of the bail itself. Videos are amazing and please keep up the great work. So no Lews reels?,...ever? Am I missing something here?
I've never used the automatic bail functionality. Habits working for me this time.
On a side note, speaking of you working on reels, have you ever done a tear down and tune up on an 80w? I just picked up a used Penn International 80w single speed that needs a little TLC. I'd be happy to send it to ya for a video as to retain your services.
Damn thanks again scoob! I always flipped my bail close since I was a kid. Never did like the feeling of turning the handle to close the bail. That's a lot of stress on that gear I never knew that wow. Keep these videos comin 💯
awesome tip that makes sense if you think about it.
Pretty clear. Bought. Thank you
Outstanding information! Thank You!
Given you vast majority of knowledge on fishing reels, which spinning and baitcasting reel you feel are the best that you have put your hands on?
First off your avatar is brilliant. I thought it was an eyelash on my screen lmao... I gotta go with the steez sv tws and top end shimanos and Daiwa's. Nothing compares. The Torque 1 or van Staal and Zbaas reels may out last them in some applications but they aren't as refined in feel.
Just found your channel. Great info. Thanks
I’m convinced.
What do u think of cabelas prestige round bsutcaster.Irs a few year old.It looks exactly like a souped up daiwa millionire s. ....
Who makes that reel? Taiwan? Defender? A JDM reel?
And here I thought by closing the bail manually, it helped prevent line twist.
Helps prevent some twist. Slack line loops. And wear and tear! WIN WIN WIN :)
Which is why I use a swivel for any wacky rigging or weightless hook rigs
excellent
I’ve used my reels as wenches not expensive reels but I’ve done it on briges and tighten the drag way down and wenched striped bass onto bridges an I’m talking a high brige spot 15 to 20 feet down I do I straighten my rod so i don’t break it An crank the fish up short striped bass in the 20 in range will this wear down the gears in the reel?
I started bridge fishing for stripers about 20 years ago. I started using SHimano baitrunners and then went conventional....I put a hurtin on those reels in short order. Could only swing fish to around 10 lbs before the bridge gaff came out(bridges were about 20-30 feet...although the old highlands bridge was much higher 35 clearance plus whatever it took to the sidewalk) . Then upgraded to Morrum 6500 and 7000 reels. ((that was the bees knees for bridge fishing back in the day :) )) Still was only comfortable swinging fish up to 10 or 15lbs .......There is a retrieval tool that looks almost like the tab on a soda can...only larger. It slides over the line and has a notch that when you drop it past the leader swivel....when you pull it back up. The swivel will fit in the notch allowing you to pull it up with a rope....I forget what it's called but it works.
Conventional reels will last longer than even the best spinners if you're winching fish up a bridge. More entry level spinners with cast zinc main gears won't perform like new for long even if winching up stripers in the 20" range
And with striper pops in the dumpster....i wouldn't want to swing smaller fish....a when they hit the sidewalk it isn't good for em. I kinda gave up bridge fishing when I started really focusing on catch and release.
You don't ice fish, we can't be friends anymore.
great videos..thank you for taking the time to do them. i bought a shimano Fk5000 not too long ago and after some months of use..i've noticed that the handle shaft (which goes into the reel and through main gear) has developed some excessive play. any idea what could cause this? i flip bail manually all the time. sometimes i have to crank down on drag and winch the fish in some circumstances..but almost always pump and reel.... i have a couple of penn slammer 3's and they are solid..
Stradic FK? One of my friends has one...I fished his and found the same thing...Lots of wiggle. He said it wasn't like that new. Oddly enough.. My stella fi 3k developed the same thing after a ton of use. I haven't looked into it much though. If it's a hex shaft handle vs screw in...I've had reels where slop develops in that joint. WHich is why i only recommend thread in handles.
its a thread in handle mate..."wiggle"...thats the perfect word to describe it...its a great reel for its size and superbly light. i really like using it...but that wiggle drives me nuts lol
it prob just need a extra shims.
Started using vintage reels and you are forced to close them automatically.
Well I don't have a boat always fishing off the jetty and most I been catching is sea bass and some mackerel but those only been using a spinning reel but I want to use a baitcaster price about $200 to 300 so what u think a good baitcaster for saltwater thanks
If you don't need a ton of line. The Daiwa coastal or shimano curado are great reels. If you don't want a levelwind. Avets do well when casting over an ounce. As do the Abu same with the penn fathom. Large low pros...I love the lexa HD and new Tranx. (I did an indepth revew on them)
@Tackle Advisors you obviously know what your talking about so im ganna ask you, do you have and good recommendations for a midrange spinning reel for senkos wacky/weedless? i have a budget of about 100-175
crap. Just saw this now. I'd go Shimano ultegra. Right now that's the best value going. If not a Stradic really wins out at that 200$ price point