Flyfisherman strip line in and let it float in the water, or gather at their feet, in their hands, or in a stripping basket. If I had to reel the line in with every cast I would have given up the method. Sometimes there can be 10s of yards of slack line just stacked up waiting to be tangled or cast.

When a small fish strikes we can usually just work the line back in with our fingers and bring the fish to hand. A big fish, however, is likely to just strip the line right through your fingers until all the slack is gone and you are on the reel, and on the drag, with it singing ... clicking, actually. Most of the time you just have to know when to just let the line slip through your fingers to keep from breaking off. When you start cranking to get the fish on the reel you risk creating slack or sudden drag when the slack runs out. Both are bad.

"I don't know where that started... probably with some reel maker."

hahahahahahaha

yrs-
Evan!

"bunch of slack line is that it tends to flop around, and can get wrapped around the reel seat or reel handle"

This is one reason i don't understand the almost universal love of uplocking reel seats, those stubs out the back of the reel of a tendency to grab all sorts of things.

I agree completely about line and the reel, and also why i don't understand everything moving to complex disc drag setups. Sorry, but my 4 weight rod does not need a disc drag reel. Love the old click n pawls.

Let them take you to reel.

I think it goes along with the minimalist attitude of fishing on the fly. No unnecessary gear, no unnecessary movement, keeping it as simple as possible.

Oops! that's much fly fishing. heh,heh.

I completely agree Deeter. But the one downside with fish pulling out a bunch of slack line is that it tends to flop around, and can get wrapped around the reel seat or reel handle. I lost a big 'bow to this mistake last week. Especially Rio lines - I love them, but they are so supple they knot really easily.

So, what I think your saying is that instead of reeling in all the slack line right away you should keep your hand on the line and feed it out instead of right away starting to reel in the slack and the fish.

Imtheredguy, just like Kirk said, fight the fish with the rod not the reel, keep enough tension on the line to keep the fight on instead of doing the "stylish" thing(borderline eleitist) where you put the fish on the reel. I only use the reel if the fish takes what line I have out, even if it's one yard of slack line, I'll just fight the fish, let the line pile up in front of me or on the water and just deal with it if it becomes an issue.

Deter, You nailed it. Many years ago I fell for "get it on the reel" more than once. And I still hear from time to time today when I'm fortunate to have a fish on.

Its kind of silly to say stuff like that. I taught my wife to fish last year and i asked her what she was going to do when she hooked a fish. Her response "get the slack in". i don't know any angler who would not instinctively "get em' on the reel"