I play golf and fish on the ponds on golf courses. I have to be swift about throwing a bait out and getting out quick if I see a marshall. I have a cheap shimano reel, like 12 dollars, and it kept strangling my 15lb braid. so, I bought a pflueger president reel, and it does the same thing. it also doesn't allow me to back it up in the vertical position like the shimano. the shimano has the quick release function, and even though the trigger broke on mine a while back, when I back up the reel I can still get the line in a position to grab with my index finger to feel a bite. I cannot do that on the expensive pflueger. so, question, am I doing something wrong with reeling and adding line to my reel? i'm really confused. I don't see the advantage of the $60 pflueger at this point...

First off, if your trying to fish golf courses I wouldn't go public. Second I don't think shimano makes a 12 dollar reel. Third sounds like you need to dial your reels... Your $12 shimano/$60 pflueger may cast better if it's set right. Also the castability of braid is decreased. May try fluro or mono. I'm also confused about your vertical backup thing.... Actually heck I'm all confused

I think I understand... Are you changing hands to cast/reel? You line up the spools at the top on your reeling side before changing hands to cast on the opposite side and want to rotate 1/2 turn to line up the spool before the motion? If that is the case, open the bale with the spool on the bottom rather than the top.

If you're trying to back-reel, then check for a switch on the base of the the reel.

i think he is talking about a spinning reel.and how to get the bail vertical.just take off the anti reverse switch.

And in true Bazz section honor...

Wait, what golf course?

sorry if I was confusing. by the vertical backing-up thing, I mean that instead of reeling in the line, I can go backwards with the spinning reel and it will stop where the line is at the top of the reel closest to the pole. so I can easily put my index finger over the line. shimano does make ~$12 reels and they have the easy cast thing, although I don't know exactly what that function is called.

http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Spin-Reel-...ds=shimano+reel

the shimano "backs up" even with anti-reverse on/off, however the pflueger does not do it in the off position. maybe I am weird for even wanting to put my index finger on the line to feel for a bite? thanks for the suggestion about fluoro or mono...I have some very cheap 6lb mono, and it just kept breaking any time a fish would get on, so I bought the braid and have never had it snap. I don't know if I need to buy better mono or go to fluoro? i see fluoro is super expensive.

also, I don't know why I can't say I fish on golf courses? there are no courses in particular, I just have a telescoping rod that I pack in my bag. if I am waiting to tee off and by a pond, i'll throw a bait out for a few casts. I do catch fish, although it's not really "fishing" in that I don't put a ton of effort in it, but it is fun for me.