A control system for a fishing line for use during casting and during reeling in a fish. A line-gripper member can either pinch the line to terminate casting or can apply a drag to assist in landing a fish. The control system is intended to be mounted on a fishing rod and is particularly useful in combination with a spinning reel but also is useful with a drum or rotating, spool-type reel. An operating member is mounted adjacent a handle of a fishing rod to be actuated, usually, by a user's thumb for pulling a control line for actuating a pivoted line-gripper member and provide contact with a fishing line to provide a brake action or drag thereto.