Jack's Fork Trip

[TroutRinger]

I was told once to flip the spool every ten turns of the handle and then flip it back and so on. Even so, I almost always get some twist when spooling spinning rods. Usually don't have problems while fishing. Have fun and let us know how it goes.

[eric1978]

First time I tried spooling it got that line twist I followed direction and laid spool on floor for spinning reels. I might of reeled to fast I'm thinking. I caught it early at least. If any tips out there let me know?

Make sure the line is coming off the spool in the correct direction. Yes, lay it flat, but one way spools correctly and the other way twists. After I spool mono or fluoro, I'll go outside and let all the line out with nothing tied on. Then I'll pinch the line tight between my fingers and reel it in. That allows most of the twist to unwind. Of course you'll add more twist when you're out fishing, depending on which lures you're using. Some maintenance is ocassionally required. Good luck!

[KCRIVERRAT]

Using a swivel while trolling on a lake while using spinning gear helps prevent line twist, and I know practically all of you know that, but this thread ain't about lakes. For now while fishing rivers or streams I prefer 6# Vanish. Vanish replaced Berkely's Ultra Thin not too long ago. That's what I used before. Vanish IS expensive I realize, but I like it. I like a medium-light rod with a good backbone but a sensitive tip. Honestly though, like Gavin said, use what you like and use it well. It's all about confidence and experience with what you're using. Braid for me on an Ozark river, especially while casting from a moving canoe, I don't care to use. I can cast ok, but to throw braid into a tangled mess like I see a few of my river buddies do with success... well, it amazes me how they can work a spinnerbait and especially a cranbait out of it with very few hang-ups. But hey... I'm first and foremost just happy to be to be on the river!

[Al Agnew]

Do NOT flip the spool every few feet! As Eric said, make sure the line is coming off in the right direction. To figure out the right direction, hold your rod with butt facing you at eye level. Turn the reel handle. Look at which way the bail is turning from that vantage point (actually, with nearly all spinning reels the bail will be turning counter-clockwise, but on some old Garcia Mitchells it will be turning clockwise). Lay the line spool flat on the floor so that the line comes off it the same way (reel bail turns counter-clockwise, line comes off spool counter-clockwise).

This will not totally eliminate line twist while spooling, due to the difference in size between the line spool and the reel spool. You'll still get a little twist. That's just inherent in the design of spinning reels. It shouldn't be enough to affect line performance.

If you are on a river and want to get rid of twist that has built up in your line, stop at the top of a long riffle, take everything off the line, and pay it out in the current, letting the riffle take it downstream until you have a long cast-length of line out. Let it sit in the current for a minute or two, pulling backwards on the rod once in a while to get it going straight downstream. Then reel it in with the line pinched between your fingers. This does the same thing as letting it out behind a moving boat on a lake, gets the twist out.

Of course, I'm one of the guys that uses nothing but braided line on spinning reels, because although braid twists just as much as mono, the twist doesn't affect its performance nearly as much.

[BrianS]

I've been creek fishing all my life and I bet I can catch just as many smallmouoth and goggle eye on my UL as you do on heavier equipment. I often use 1/16 and even 1/32 oz heads and I have to use 4 lb to cast light lures

[Al Agnew]

I've been creek fishing all my life and I bet I can catch just as many smallmouoth and goggle eye on my UL as you do on heavier equipment. I often use 1/16 and even 1/32 oz heads and I have to use 4 lb to cast light lures

Maybe so...good point about needing the light line to cast very light lures. I think I said somewhere that you should match your line to the lures you are using.

And no doubt you'll probably catch more goggle-eye, and just as many smallmouth, as the guy with heavier tackle. But that guy is not going for goggle-eye and small bass.

And here's the thing...if you are fishing a larger stream, especially one that has some color and is not extremely clear, you will probably catch fewer fish and definitely smaller fish with those very light heads. I've had quite a few UL anglers in the canoe with me over the years, and on rivers like middle Big River, Meramec, Bourbeuse, Gasconade, etc. you simply won't catch as many fish or as many good fish on very small lures...at least that's been my experience while informally guiding for those guys.

But like I said before...to each his own. If you're perfectly happy with what you're using, there is no reason for you to change. We ain't fishing tournaments here.

[jdmidwest]

I like the finesse of the Light rod for fishing 1/8 th ounce lures and 4 lb test. For heavier plugs and lures, I use heavier lines and rods.

[Ham]

Use the right tool for the job.

UL set ups can catch a lot of fish. They do tend to limit the lure size and the types of lures that can be used. The majority of the baits I choose to use for river smallies can NOT be fished effectively on UL outfits. You can not work the baits properly and can't set the hook when you get a bite.

I would think for most situations a Med Light spinning rod with 8 pound line would be a better choice.

Depending on what creek/river and seasonal conditions, I use everything from light spinning with 6 lb to medium spinning with 10 lb. I also tend to have a baitcaster along that has 12 to 14 pound line on it.

[jason v]

Saturday can't come soon enough! I had a buddy tell me to pick up some strike king bitsy bugs(brown and orange 1/4 oz) and zoom super chunk jr. in pumpkin. I think I'm up got alot of other soft plastics a few rebel crawdads crankbaits and few small top water . My kids want to have a fish fry is there any certain regulations on goggle eye?

[eric1978]

Statewide limit on goggle-eye is 15 daily, no length limit. Remember JF is a smallmouth management area, where you can only keep one smallmouth per day, and it must be over 18". Of course you should let all the smallies go anyway, and chow down on the goggles. Have fun!