Thumbing Conventionals

[gadabout]

I'm used to casting squidders. When I fish my Penn 965, it seems I hardly have to thumb at all, just stop the spool at the end of the cast as soon as it hits the water. I have the blocks set to the middle position. With a reel like the squidder, you have to apply light but steady thumb pressure to the spool flange throughout the whole cast.

[snake slinger]

thum it at the start and stop the spool the instant your eel gets wet.