if you ever bass fished you more than likely "thumbed" a baitcaster reel. The same tech is used when landing a fish on a long pole and fishing shallow. Often we fish with 6 foot of line or less out from the tip on the pole, when you set the hook on a 16 foot pole with a spinning reel you end up shucking the pole back and often into the water while netting and landing the fish. With a baitcaster I just thumb the spool and let out the amount of line I need to make landing easier, often place the rod back in the rod holder so it will be out of the way while tending to the fish once netted and in the boat. I use spinning reals for cranking and longlining but by far prefer baitcasters for spiderrigging.