Article & Images by Graham Weakley
One could write a thesis on this technique but back to the reason I bring him up when talking ultra light; he developed a specific rod for applying his technique which was a very limber 8.6ft fibreglass rod, with 6 eyes and a cork grip without a reel seat. To this short (30cm) cork grip (Tennessee handle was the name coined) he would tape on his reel using electrical tape. This assisted significantly in reducing weight and creating perfect balance for both casting long distances as well as creating more direct contact with the fighting fish.
The reel of choice was a Mitchell 305, which was probably one of the smallest reels of its period, he would spool this with line in the 6-8lb range, usually Stren. The main point being that his entire success relied on the perfect striking action. He pioneered the consistent sweep, which was more a bending into the fish using the action of the rod curve,
than an actual pig sticking jerk. The
later is very akin to Bassmaster
tournament highlights’ packages,
which us amateurs so love to emulate.
Technical stuff aside though , nothing comes close to the buzzing tick of a smooth drag system on a tiny spinning reel when the wiry rod tip has even bowed beneath the water’s surface to keep up with the first run of a decent smallmouth bass!
Finally, a friend of mine was totally judged by his wife recently when he told her he wanted an ultra light spinning outfit for Christmas. She irately pointed out that he did neither gym nor cycling and that quite honestly he would look ridiculous in Lycra.....!
So ignore the strange looks from the pistol grippers, ultra light is alive and well, irrespective of whether or not you think size counts!
He was also a proponent of leading the fish, which is a technique of guiding the fish as opposed to reeling hard against its runs. This was far more easily achieved using the light gear and bend of the rod as a cushion against any sudden runs by the fish. The best way to understand this technique is to apply the very basics of playing a fish on a fly rod versus the same on a stiff casting rod. The former relies heavily on the rod doing the work and tiring the fish out, with the fish’s runs countered by the rod bending and slowly straightening as the fish runs out of gas. Here the fish is fighting against the rod. The casting rod acts more as a conduit for the winch which is essentially the role of the high gear ratio’d baitcaster. The fish actually has more chance of snapping the taught line or tearing the hook loose, if it makes a sudden dash as the stiffer rod and line offer far less cushion than the faster tip would. Here the fish is fighting against the reel.
Bass Digest/February, 2014