[Fish Bones]

Reel Compulsion

Everyone, it seems, has a compulsion to spin the spool on a fly reel when looking at it. No harm done when the spool is empty . . . but put flyline on the reel and a few quick spins can spell disaster next time you’re fishing. It doesn't take much for loose line to become underwrapped. Then when you catch a fish your line won't run free off of the spool. If that happens, it is almost impossible to correct without taking all the line off of the spool.
If someone asks to look at your reel, here’s how to avoid what we call a deep spool tangle:
Put the butt section loop around the reel foot so that you have locked the spool from turning. Or wrap a few turns of line around the foot. Do everything to avoid having the spool wildly spun and causing a crossed-line to underwrapped.

-Steve Abel

Courtesy of Steve Abel at Abel Reels www.abelreels.com