4. Push-Button Fishing

Push-button spinning or spin casting, which combines the major advantages of both bait casting and conventional spinning, is the newest method of presenting your lure to the fish. Spin-cast or push-button reels are a variation on the conventional closed-face spinning reel, retaining the fixed-spool principle of spinning for effortless, backlash-free casting. The push-button does the work of the bail in the standard opened-face spinning reels. These reels also have a smooth drag which permits use of light line even on heavy fish. The reel is placed on top of the rod in a regu­lar bait-casting reel position which permits more accuracy than the conventional spinning rig.

In recent years, push-button tackle has become the favorite of fishermen in average fresh-water angling for fish under 3 pounds. By this I don't mean to imply that the tackle can't be used to take bigger fish. Some of the newer reels are capable of handling lines of 15-pound test and up, and the outfits are being used for bigger game fish. But the popularity of this gear can be traced directly to the average fresh-water angler who goes after bass and panfish.

Almost anyone can learn to use push-button tackle ef­ficiently in a few minutes. Of all the methods of casting, it is the easiest to learn, and you can employ almost all the popular lures up to 5/8 ounce in weight, as well as live bait. In other words, push-buttons are the ticket to a great deal of trouble-free fishing for both novice and expert.

PUSH-BUTTON TACKLE

When the push-button reel first made its appearance on the market, the rods and lines employed were those de­signed specifically for either conventional spinning or bait casting. While this tackle was relatively satisfactory, it was not the final answer. Today, thanks to the research of tackle manufacturers, push-button tackle has been de­veloped that is properly, accurately balanced.

rods When you first look at a push-button rod, it looks the same as those used in bait casting. The reel is placed in the same type of reel seat and in the same position as that of a bait-casting reel. (The fact is that push-button reels will fit regular bait-casting rods as well as push-button rods.) But if you examine a push-button rod—one designed es­pecially for perfect balance with the new reels—you will notice several important differences.

The push-button rods are generally longer (6-, 61/2, or 7-feet) than the bait-casting rods. As was stated earlier in this book, you'll usually find that unless a rod is specifi­cally designed for heavier action, the longer the rod, the lighter the action it will have. Thus, with most push-button rods you cast a lighter lure—or live bait—better than you can with a shorter rod. Also, the action and the fast, re­sponsive tips of these rods wear down the fish, minimizing the direct line-breaking pull. Guides are generally of the larger spin variety. Longer rods are two-piece, ferrule-jointed for easy carrying and storage. Aside from these dif­ferences, push-button and bait-casting rods are the same.

lines The lines almost exclusively used in push-button casting are monofilament of the type used for conventional spinning. While braided nylon lines have been used with these reels, better casts are usually obtained with monofila­ment. The weight of the lure determines the pound test of the line employed. A light lure requires a light line for proper casting. Follow the recommendations in the chart which appears on page 63.

It should be kept in mind that even though a heavy lure will cast much better on a light line, the breaking strength of the line should be suited to the size of the fish you are after.

reels As I stated earlier in this chapter, push-button reels are equipped with the best features of both the con­ventional spinning and the bait-casting types. They have the no-backlash feature and operate on the same principle as the standard spinning reels. They have the additional advantage of the accuracy, and the feel, of baiting-casting reels. The caster uses the push-button device on the reel to free the line for making the cast, then employs the thumb button to stop the line from coming out of the reel. Most reels are equipped with non-reversible controls for trolling or for fighting a fish. Because of its position, the push-button reel helps to balance the rod in much the same manner as does the bait-casting reel.

When selecting a push-button reel, here are the features to look for:

1. Make sure the reel is of sturdy construction and is made of corrosion-resistant material. Check to make certain that the reel is easy to take apart, care for, and clean.
2. Check the reel spool. Look for a solidly machined aluminum one, that will not distort under pressure. (Many cheap reels use plastic spools which distort easily.) Also be sure that extra spools are available. You'll find that it's handy to have at least one extra spool, filled preferably with a heavier line than is installed on your reel. Then in seconds you can switch to a heavier line for bigger fish. (A spool filled with a lighter test line may also come in handy for panfishing with unweighted live bait.)
3. Be certain that the spool can be changed easily. Also determine if there is ample line capacity for the type of fishing you wish to do.

Push-Button Fishing

PUSH-BUTTON REEL

THUMB LEVER

DRAG CONTROL

NON-REVERSE LEVER

CONE

•LINE OUTLET

CRANK

DRAG ADJUSTMENT SPRING

FRAME (FOOT)

PICK-UP

SPOOL SUB-ASSEMBLY

COVER PLATE

4. Look for a non-reverse clutch control. This keeps the handle from flying backward when a large fish is hooked or when trolling. The control is generally set in "non-reverse" after the strike of a fish.
5. Check for easily operated drag. I think the micrometer-type, in which the turning of the outer cone ring regulates the tension, is the easiest to operate, because you can change the drag easily when fighting a fish. The drag is set tightly enough to overcome the weight of the lure on the retrieve. When you feel a strike, set the hook, and the drag will take over. It may be adjusted by turning the cone as needed while playing your fish. Some of the heavy-duty push-button reels feature a star drag. See Chapter 8 for operating instructions.
6. Try the handle or crank to be certain it operates easily and smoothly. Some reels feature a brake device that works in conjunction with the handle. When the fish is running, the crank turns backward, against the built-in brake pressure. A forward turn of the handle immediately engages the direct retrieve. With this type of arrangement, no power is lost.
7. Check the line pick-up to see that there is no possi­bility of line-pinching; that the pick-up pin is made of a long-lasting material such as Carboloy, and that the fric­tion or wear rings rotate with a minimum of wear.

lures While push-button rods will cast lures up to 1 ounce, they will operate most efficiently with ones weigh­ing from 8 to sounce. They will cast any of the bait-casting or spinning lures.

PUSH-BUTTON CASTING TECHNIQUES

Basically, the push-button casting procedure is the same as that used for bait casting with an exception: you don't have to control a revolving spool—the most difficult part for bait-casting beginners. Just as in bait casting, the wrist plays the star role. The forearm has a secondary part, and the upper arm is hardly used at all.

rigging your tackle To rig your push-button outfit for use, mount the reel securely in the reel seat of the rod handle. After assembling the rod, thread the line from the cone opening through the rod line guides and attach the lure or practice plug.

Most manufacturers furnish their reels with monofila-ment line already installed on the reel spool. But there are times when you may wish to replace the line on the spool. To refill your reel, remove the outer cone and the old line, pass the new line through the cone opening and tie it with a slip knot to the spool. Then replace the outer cone, mak­ing certain that the line isn't pinched in the threads. When filling the spool, follow the same procedure as for the en­closed spinning reels detailed on page 49. Remember that the line is picked up by the reel in a counter-clockwise direction; therefore, line should go on the reel from the spool in the opposite direction.

making the cast Hold the rod in a natural position so that your forefinger curls around the finger hook and your thumb rests on the push-button. Turn your wrist so that the crank side (opposite side for left-handers) is up. While this may seem a little awkward at first, you'll find that it permits more freedom of wrist action, making for greater power and accuracy. The non-reverse lever, if the reel has one, should be in the off position.

PUSH-BUTTON TACKLE ASSEMBLY GUIDE

TYPE OF

FISHING         REEL   ROD    LINE   LURES

                                    (Lb. Test) (Ounces)

Crappie, perch,            Light     Extra-light         4, 6      1/4best
bluegill, sun-                 6', 6'6", 7                     1/8 to 1/2
fish, trout,                                             good
bass-, sporty
casting
Big bass,          Medium            Light     8 to 12 3/8-best
pickerel, wall-               6',6'6",7"                      1/4 to 5/8·
eye, northern                                        good
pike, muskie;
fresh-water
trolling
Snook, bone-   Medium-          Medium            12, 15, 20        5/8-best
fish, Atlantic heavy  6' or 6'6"                      3/8 to l·
salmon, wall-                                        good

eye, northern pike, muskie; fresh-water trolling, salt­water casting

With the lure hanging three to six inches from the rod tip, press the push button and hold it down. This auto­matically retracts the pick-up pin which leaves the line free to spool off; it also traps the line until you are ready to release it on the forward movement of the cast. With the rod tip in a 2 or 2:30 o'clock position, aim for the target spot and then, with a brisk upward movement of the wrist, start the rod back toward the 12 o'clock position. Check the rod in a nearly vertical position and let the weight of the lure bend the rod back its full limit. Without a pause, begin the forward movement of the cast by bringing your wrist forward and downward.

STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL PUSH-BUTTON CASTING

When the rod tip starts its forward motion and reaches the 1 o'clock position, remove your thumb from the push­button. This will permit the lure to shoot forward in the direction of your target. Continue the forward motion of the rod until you reach the 2:30 or 3 o'clock position. As soon as the lure lands—or before, if you want to shorten the cast—press the push-button down again to engage the line. This gives immediate control of the line should a fish strike quickly. Transfer the rod to your left hand at once and begin the retrieve.

When you are fishing, once the lure has hit the water and the slack line is reeled in, keep the rod tip up in a 1 or 1:30 o'clock position while retrieving the lure. Adjust the drag just tight enough to overcome the weight of the lure. On most reels this can be accomplished by turning the outer cone or the star drag control. Loosen the cone to decrease the drag; tighten to increase it. When you feel a fish strike, set the hook by a slight upward movement of the rod tip. Bring the non-reverse control into play and let the drag take over. It is better to use drag pressure to control the run of a fish than to crank against it with a lightly set drag. When drag is properly set—this you can do while playing the fish—it will slow him down without putting undue strain on the line and, at the same time, tire him quickly. When playing a fish, don't press down on the thumb control since it will trap the line and nullify the advantage of the drag. To prevent line-twisting, don't crank when placing a severe load on the line or when a fish is taking out line. Further details on fighting a fish can be found in Chapters 6 and 7.

You will use the overhead cast just described most of the time for push-button fishing. But the variations de­scribed previously—the sidearm, the backhand, the flip— will be useful in many situations you'll encounter in stream and lake fishing. Remember that it is the spring of the rod not the caster's arm that targets the lure.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...