On a conventional , I control my spool with my thuimb , adding to a drag which is set at the max it will handle without sticking. I never lock down a drag on any reel. I can't control the spool on a spinner with my thumb that way so (maybe some people can) although I do admit that for just a drag alone , the spiiner drags have more area and are better.
The next thing I prefer about conventional when fighting a fish is that the line does not have to make a right turn at the roller guide. Maybe its just my perception based on using a Penn 850 SS for 16 years before I went conventional but that point where the line turns the right angle corner is something I want to keep out of the line that runs to my 80 pound fish (someday)
