I was using a old squidder today and had a difficult time getting enough tension on the spool with the clicker on and the free spool open.
All the other reels had enough resistance to keep the wave action from pulling line out. On the reel, I cranked so hard on the tensioner that it seemed to make the reel bind when I was reeling in...
Lost on this one
Maybe the clicker itself wearing out?
It well could be that the clicker is on its way out. But I don't believe the spool end cap is really designed to slow the spool and reduce backlashes. In fact, if you crank down hard on the spool end cap, you may damage the end bearings. If the clicker doesn't exert enough pressure, you might put a clothes pin on the rod and run the line under it. When a fish strikes, you can remove the clothes pin but if you set it up correctly, the line will pull free and you can leave the clothes pin on the rod.
Quote from: akfish on July 14, 2019, 12:53:34 AM
It well could be that the clicker is on its way out. But I don't believe the spool end cap is really designed to slow the spool and reduce backlashes. In fact, if you crank down hard on the spool end cap, you may damage the end bearings. If the clicker doesn't exert enough pressure, you might put a clothes pin on the rod and run the line under it. When a fish strikes, you can remove the clothes pin but if you set it up correctly, the line will pull free and you can leave the clothes pin on the rod.
Interesting, I have always used that tension adjustment when chunking or live lining baits... I guess I just assumed that's exactly what it was for.
Be better to loosen your drag with the clicker on and leave it in gear.
On a reel with bearings, like a squidder, that isn't a tension adjustment. Cranking too tight is a good way to mess up some bearings. It, along with shims, is for centering the spool, among other things.
Listen to Sheridan (Swami). Leave it in gear and back the drag off. It is possible to backlash a reel in freespool with the clicker on. It is also possible to blow out the tailplate using the spool tension knob.
-steve
the only real backlash adjustment on a Squidder is your thumb. The bearing adjustment should be adjusted so you can feel just a teeny bit of side to side play on the spool. Tighter than that is mashing the bearing.
Quote from: oc1 on July 14, 2019, 08:07:47 AM
Listen to Sheridan (Swami). Leave it in gear and back the drag off. It is possible to backlash a reel in freespool with the clicker on. It is also possible to blow out the tailplate using the spool tension knob.
-steve+
Yes this is it. I deal with current fishing rivers & this is the only way I've found to reasonably deal with this issue. Mark one of the arms on the star some how so you know how much drag you have based on where it lines up with the side plate. So when a fish is hooked you can return the drag to level you had it set prior... Jeff