"The easiest way is on the 1st fish pull your line under the keeper tab on your spool spinning reels only sorry"

Dang I am going to have to remember that, didn't know that little tab would be so useful.

Another technique is to flip the reel out of antireverse and count the number of revolutions of the handle. Most of my crappie reels are about 12" per turn.

hold the phone! This keeper tab idea i seen a fella using once..and my question is....what about drag? Aint it out the window with the keeper?

you can also put a rubber band around the line on the spinning reel to mark depth, it will let line come out if u get a big fish, but will keep it at a constant depth the rest of the time. when you get a strike, set the hook, pull the line in by hand, then once fish is in the boat, wrap the rubber band around the line on the spool twice, then throw the line back in the water. when you reel back up, and let it back down, it will at almost exactly the same depth u caught your fish at.

I do the same thing and I use spinning reels. It's nice when fishing docks and brushpiles too. If you know the depth of the pile I always start about 4 to 6 feet from bottom and work my way down. If you are pitching over a pile I start about 2 feet from bottom and pitch. It works perfect in depths from 6 to 18 feet.

hmmm...I think I like it, i.e. the rubber band on the spool trick.

If you spool 15' of line....you can fish 15' deep....sorry. That's the only trick I know...great post though...I've been curious myself.

rubber band on the spool works, I typically have some handy on the rod handle.... The keeper tab will work, but can cut/nick your line if your using mono...

the simpler the better, especially when I have the wife and young'un
On rods where I have flourescent line, I might try the sharpie, but I've been hanging up and envision break off, remeasure, remark, repeat ...LoL!

never thought of that!