what kind of reel

[fear_no_fish]

john your one to talk, ive never seen a single person get so many backlashes before :safe:

[curado]

hey now, but i get them out quick

[fear_no_fish]

You still get one like every 5 casts

[flinginpooh]

It also helps to keep your reel oiled. I was gettin pissed at mine this last weekend. I even spooled new line on it thinking that might help. Nope dirty reel was the problem. Its been a lil over 2 months since I took it apart and cleaned and oiled it.

[akochman09]

Id go with a baitcaster. I use an abu garcia ambassedeur model 5600 c4. The high speed retrieve is great. I go with a left handed model because then i can cast with my right hand alone and reel almost instantaneously after setting the hook on a fish. I would make sure to buy a reel that doesn't have you switching over. For me that would be casting with my right hand, then having to switch the rod over to my left. the pole should be in the same hand the whole time. Ive never caught a salmon or steelhead in a river on a spinning reel in a river. I don't really trust spinning reels enough. With my baitcaster i spool it with 12lb test izorline. The abus like mine are anywhere from 80 to 120 or so which isn't bad when compared to other reels. I own two of these reels, and have caught two steelhead on the left handed one i just got, it worked great.

[G-Man]

Get a bait caster and spool it with 12lb mono. Use this to practice with and learn to adjust your spool tension to match the weight you are casting. If you have the spool tension adjusted properly, the anti backlash feature that most reels have will be your backup. I also suggest getting a small crochet hook to help unsnarl a backlash, if you are using mono, it should not take more than a minute or two. Lat thing to remember, your thumb should be ready to stop the spool from spinning at all times. The instant you feel anything out of the ordinary when casting, put your thumb on the reel. I see folks casting spinners against the wind with their thumbs up like they're hitchhiking, bad form and just begging for a major backlash. Once you have gotten the feel of casting, you can spool up with a lighter mono or try braided line. I'm still not sold on braided line for drift fishing, but that's just me.

Seriously though, with a baitcaster and a nice sensitive drift rod, you will become one with the river bottom. It is something that you'll want to experience first hand, I find it very relaxing and therapeutic.