Switching between reel and breakaway float line

[Bill McIntyre]

Since some people switch back and forth- maybe using a float line in the kelp and a reel for paddy hopping, I thought this way of rigging might be of interest. Its so obvious that I maybe I'm the last one to discover it, but maybe not quite the last.

When I use a reel, the shooting line is cut a bit shorter so that the loop in the end is a few inches in front of the reel. Then if I use a float line, I need to change to mono that is longer so it is close to the line release. Or I need separate shafts rigged each way.

Last week I re rigged my neighbor's Riffe Euro with some green mono, and it was rigged so that it was easy to go either way. I think he said that Riffe rigged it for him.

The mono was cut to the correct length for breakaway, but he was using a reel. The reel line snap swivel was attached to the loop in the shooting line where the float line clip would have been attached if he was using a float line. It worked at least once, since he shot his first wsb, a 50 pounder.

In the middle of writing this, I got a call from a friend, and I told him what I was posting. He said he had been doing this for at least three years and thought he got it from me. I told him he must have got it from someone else. I sure hope so anyway.

[bward]

Which handle is that? Looks comfy.

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by bward

Which handle is that? Looks comfy.

Its the Tin Man frame with the A2 grip. The frame costs $55, but then there is a wide choice of handles at widely varying prices. This A2 is the cheapest at $6, and I think its probably the best.

[Viking_Doc]

Thank you Mr. McIntyre, I was actually going to ask how to do this at some point.

[bward]

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

Its the Tin Man frame with the A2 grip.

Does the Tin Man frame screw holes line up with the Wong screw holes or did you have to drill the holes yourself?

[John Hughes]

I think it's great as long as you don't get into any of the band tangling issues we've discussed in the past. We're talking about shooting a big fish up close when all your shooting line fluffs forward onto the bands and it gets all tangled up.

I remember discussing that's one of the reasons you put the snap swivel close to the reel as it's less likely to get caught up in the mess. I changed mine shortly thereafter and have never had the band tangling problem since.

I guess having the snap swivel even further back with this new method would accomplish the same thing, but there's something about it that just doesn't look right to me. Of course, I'm no expert that's for sure. Maybe it's just the bungee in there that's throwing me off. Regardless, it does solve the problem of having to have two separately rigged shafts which is what I do. Fairly simple solution I must say.

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by bward

Does the Tin Man frame screw holes line up with the Wong screw holes or did you have to drill the holes yourself?

The holes line up, but with minor differences. Wong uses #6 screws, and the two rear screws angle forward. Tin Man's frame is countersunk for the heads of #8 screws, and the rear ones go in perpendicular to the wood instead of at an angle.

So you may need to enlarge the pilot hole for the front screw a bit, although as I recall, the #8 screw went in without any enlargement of the hole.

Then you need to drill straight pilot holes for the rear screws. I'm not sure its necessary, but I cut toothpicks the correct length to fill the old angled holes and put them in with super glue.

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by John Hughes

I guess having the snap swivel even further back with this new method would accomplish the same thing, but there's something about it that just doesn't look right to me.

It doesn't look quite right to me either John, and that is one reason I'm showing it. I want people to tell me why it might not work.

But FWIW, the friend who said he has been doing it that way at least three years shoots a lot of wsb, and he said he hasn't had any problems. He does do it with one difference though. His reel line goes through the line guide under the muzzle, and then comes back to the loop in the shooting line.

When my neighbor shot his 50 pounder rigged that way last week, he was so close that he strung the fish on the shooting line, so I guess that would solve any problem of the line bunching up.

[Bob P]

I’ve been wondering about this option myself. I do notice that the reel line doesn’t seem to be strung through the line guide at the end of the gun. Wouldn’t that still be possible? Either way it looks like I’ll be wasting a lot less mono in the future.

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by Bob P

I’ve been wondering about this option myself. I do notice that the reel line doesn’t seem to be strung through the line guide at the end of the gun. Wouldn’t that still be possible? Either way it looks like I’ll be wasting a lot less mono in the future.

Yes, that's what I tried to say in my previous post. My friend who said he has been doing this at least three years runs his reel line through the line guide and then back down to the loop in the end of the shooting line.

[Bob P]

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

Yes, that's what I tried to say in my previous post. My friend who said he has been doing this at least three years runs his reel line through the line guide and then back down to the loop in the end of the shooting line.

Sorry, I didn't notice. You did say it, I jumped the gun with the question. I'll slow down and read.

[dmay]

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

Yes, that's what I tried to say in my previous post. My friend who said he has been doing this at least three years runs his reel line through the line guide and then back down to the loop in the end of the shooting line.

This brings up a separate issue of why/why not use the line guide at the end of the gun.

Bill - I believe you brought this point up years ago. By using the line guide, if you were to lose grip on your gun after shooting a fish, the gun will end up being pulled by the muzzle and not provide any resistance when being pulled through the kelp. By not using the line guide, your gun would be pulled sideways and have a better chance of getting caught on something. Of course, you would need to be damn sure that your reel is secured to the stock with some deep, strong screws so it doesn't get ripped off.

[Smash]

I've been rigging my long guns that way for several years, so far I have not had any problems. It certainly makes switching back and forth very easy.

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by dmay

This brings up a separate issue of why/why not use the line guide at the end of the gun.

Bill - I believe you brought this point up years ago. By using the line guide, if you were to lose grip on your gun after shooting a fish, the gun will end up being pulled by the muzzle and not provide any resistance when being pulled through the kelp. By not using the line guide, your gun would be pulled sideways and have a better chance of getting caught on something. Of course, you would need to be damn sure that your reel is secured to the stock with some deep, strong screws so it doesn't get ripped off.

Now we are really covering everything.

I agree with what you said Dennis, but then there is another thing to think about. A friend of mine who was not running the line through the guide had his reel torn off of his gun and it was never seen again. If he had been running the line through the guide, then presumably the reel would have been stopped when it hit the line guide. Of course your suggestion about deep strong screws might help. He had stainless inserts in the gun to hold the reel, and they were ripped out of the gun.

After that happened to him, I hedged by bets by screwing eyestraps to the gun in front of the reel. That way the line is being pulled off the reel perpendicular to the fasteners, at least until the screws holding the eye are pulled out of the wood. And if that happened, hopefully the force would pull the muzzle down so that the line was still coming off the reel perpendicular to the fasteners.

[John Hughes]

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

Now we are really covering everything.

He had stainless inserts in the gun hold the reel, and they were ripped out of the gun.

Not to sidetrack, but when I had my current gun made from Mori, I told him to put inserts in like the ones Darryl uses just for the reason of switching from floatline to reel. I want to take the reel off when I switch over. Mori gave me such a hard time about those inserts and insisted on making his own because he said they were weak because they were only so long. The ones he made me have to be at least an inch deep, they litterally go all the way through the gun.

I guess I won't have to worry about my reel ripping off

As far as your buddy running his reel line through the line guide, it seems to me that it would make it more streamline and we probably wouldn't be looking at it like it looked strange. I think that's what's looking weird to me is the reel line running back towards the butt of the gun.