Does anyone use the reel and sweep method so you have better feel on the bottom?

nope, unheard of, best to forget that idea

I would say if you don't have a good feel of the bottom and what your bait is doing you need to get a more sensitive rod.

It's not necessarily to get a better feel of the bottom but to put a different action on your bait than just straight reeling it back. And it doesn't need to be limited to deep cranking either.

its not unheard of because I have read multiple sources who use it, I was just going to check here on the forum to see who utilizes this method.

I am talking about cranking it down to the bottom and then sweeping it across the bottom, then reeling in the slack keeping the slack controlled, and then doing it again.

There's only so much you're going to be able to collect from what you're feeling from the rod on a normal retrieve; rocks, mud, sand, grass, etc. And pretty much any decent rod will tell you this when you figure out what the rod's response to that substrate is. (Unless the reel you're using is not very smooth)

But, I use the reel & sweep motion on occasion when I'm trying to determine if I'm bumping into rocks or wood when I'm using deep divers. It's usually not my standard retrieval style though.

I think he was trying to throw you a curve ball

And you swung at it.

I never could hit the duece very well...damn.

Ha

The reel and sweep method can be killer in the winter with a suspending bait like a suspending dd22 or a poes 4500. Its almost like a deep jerkbait and sometimes they will bite it when they wouldn't if it was going fast.