Harness for a spinning outfit

[Brandon Khoo]

Do any of you guys use a harness for a spinning outfit? I've really only seen them used in DVDs. Wondering if they're practical or really useful. They do seem a bit fussy to get on which doesn't seem easy to me when you're fighting a fish.

[Che Carson]

Brandon,
No offence here but I think harnesses are cheating.

If you are fishing stand-up 37 with an 80w and a mini bent butt fair enough. But if you are follwing the way of a Jedi knight then it is strictly hand to hand or hand to rod combat. To be truly worthy of the battle you must feel the wrath.

[Jon Li]

Brandon ,

It does not work , Pat Victorino broke the foot of his Saltiga using harness wrapped around the stem of the reel when fishing Sumba Is. late last year , later he realised it was a mistake to do so . For details I suggest you ask him yourself at the other forum . 

Jon .

[Brandon Khoo]

Che, no offense taken. I was just curious because while I have seen some people take them on trips before, I can't ever remember someone actually putting one on to fight a fish. By the time you hook up, it's too late and you then actually need someone esle to put it onto you. It just looks really fussy and I didn't know whether it provided much benefit when fighting a fish. It's ahrd enough trying to get a gimbal on when you are hooked up.

The fact that it broke a reel stem is enough reason to give them a miss.

I love this sport but I had never thought of it in terms of the jedi arts. - love it!!   

[Greg Burt]

Here is a Multi Rod Harness Clip put out by Fly and Lure maker 'The Frozen Tree Co', just for interest sake as I don't know any body that's used one.

[George Pang]

Brandon, I have a black magic light tackle harness and its pretty much a waste of time (unlike the 24 standup system which is excellent).

They are not easy to put onto the rod when your fighting the fish, and you cant leave it on and cast or jig because it flaps around to much. A couple of other things are that it doesn't have the directional stability of an overhead which has seperated lugs, and the harness system is not much good for up and down fights (excellent though on horizontal fights).
 

[Russ Roberts]

Gentlemen:

Hope I am not resurrecting too old a thread.  All of my popping rods have graphite seats, so when I use a harness, I do one of two things:

(1) I use the Smith Smitty's shoulder harness.  this goes to a strap with two D-rings that wraps around the reel seat jut forward of the reel stem.

(2) Superior to this (in terms of fighting ability) is a product made by Braid called either the "reel rest" or the "rod rest".  This too is a short strap with two D rings, but there is a slot on one side of the strap through which you put the other D ring.  Then you hook it up to your butt harness for standup.  It is wonderful.

Russ

When you get to be 62 years old, you no longer want to feel the wrath!