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cchinook45

Steelhead
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I watch various fishing shows. Why do the Canadians use those knuckle buster reels ? Freaks me out watching them use those things when a good level wind would seem to be a lot easier.
 
I'm sure a fly line could be spooled onto a level wind (just kidding); Like Sam and Paige suggest - fun. I had the opportunity to fish out of Port Hardy a number of years ago. We had the choice of rods with level wind (star drag) or the direct knuckle busters. I chose the knuckle busters which to me are just big fly reels.
 
The handles on my level winds spin backwards just the same. I have a couple but never got the hang of 1:1 when they come at you. If you're trolling and reeling them in while in gear it wouldn't be an issue.
 
My guess is it’s because they’re more challenging, a bit more sporting, and more fun to those that use them.
 
Tradition. Before level winds, single action center pin reels were the only alternative. Some Canucks have some British, stiff upper lip and all that in them, and they couldn't change if they tried. And they won't try. Because that wouldn't be traditional.
 
they just pair perfectly with long, limber mooching rods. Was first introduced to them fishing the Campbell River salt in the early 80's mooching for 'black' Chinooks, hella fun rigs especially when paired with center drag mooching reels that avoid knuckle busting, had several over the years for mooching and trolling in my HMB salt boats.
One of my go to OR tidewater King outfits was an Okuma Sheffield paired with a 10' mooching rod to drift jig tied Clousers under floats at slack tides, which is when the swing bites dies out and jigs can still induce takes.
 
i realized this was about actual knucklebusters after I wrote something about centerpins.
 
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