Mike, for this there is no safety net.
The eels will become your Gorgon sisters.
Only Perseus can help you then.

I use an old glass lami rod for my conventional gear and have no problem.I put the same reel on a 1266c loomis and I didn't enjoy casting it as much.Not that I couldn't cast it but I saw no advantage using that rod at my experience level.This year I may step up to one of those Mojo rods.Too bad I don't see one in 9ft.

That trick might work with mono but on braid I don't think it'll be so receptive.Mono has a lot of fluff and there might be some dug in areas on the spool,but braid is allot thinner and seems to dig in deeper.

could say the same for you up until fall!
sooner or later everyone comes to their senses.

He always scoffed whenever I asked if he wanted me to pick up a few extra eels for him.

It works pretty well with 20lb fireline most of the time.

That would be great if it works with thicker braid,I have had a couple really nice tangles that took more time than expected,but if this trick works, one could de tangle with there eye's closed:musc:

Mister Goat, That's what I was going to try(got some hints last fall). Islander cheats and uses a levelwind(a really really fast reel though). I've gotten by this far without pencils, now I'm going to need a bigger bag.

And more rods , Stewie

Hey my Abu and saltist are not that fast:rollem: And yea I use a LW.. ok Stewie I like my fingers and thumbs to not be cut to bone with braid from fish runnin.. Now on the boat all bout non levelwinds untill vertical jiggin... The lw/ non lw argument dont affect me seein as I still say you dont need to throw 200 yards.. seein as most the time the fish are hiding around shore structure 30 feet in front of you or under you depending on where your standin... But havin cast your saltist non level I will say its still a fast reel.. also if your usin your thumb to wind on line your all ready half way to the pinch method i mentioned..

I blame you for sending me down that dark road. Remember the night when I was fishing eels on your boat while you and Spence were gazing into the sky looking for shooting stars? :love: That was the first time I had fished eels in years. Then I used them one more time that fall and a lot last fall. I still use plugs probably 75 percent of the time, though.