How To Spool A Baitcasting Reel On A Budget: 9 Tips From The Great Depression

The worst nightmares for any fisherman when fishing is experiencing line troubles. Twisting of lines, backlash, and other issues that affect the fishing line can interrupt and slow down the flow of fishing. These issues can be prevented by having the knowledge of how to spool a baitcasting reel properly. Spooling a baitcasting reel is crucial in preventing line twists and maintenance of the line from other issues that might arise. Spooling a baitcasting reel can be daunting at first, but a little bit of learning how to spool can make the process easier. This article will give you a step-by-step procedure on how to spool a baitcasting reel like a pro. So, if wondering how you should go about it, look no further.

Equipment needed

To successfully add a new line to the baitcasting reel, you will need to collect the following gears:

• Reel

• line

• Rod

• A cutting tool like nail clippers

• A hook, lures, or weight that you will use to tie at the end of the line when done so as to prevent it from retreating from the tip guide.

Also, before spooling a baitcasting reel, the following should be put into consideration:

• Be aware of which direction your reel will turn.

• Be aware of the type of reel that you have, and in this case, it is a baitcaster. There are other types like the spinning cast, spinning, fly, among others. This particular article focuses on a bait caster reel. This is important because even though the spooling concept is the same among reels, there are minor differences.

Unlike the others, a bait caster reel needs to be fed the line using the line guide before the line is tied around the reel spool.

• Maintaining tension is also very important when spooling a reel in a new line. If lines are not put correctly, it can lead to somehow loose loops around the spool, which can result in several issues when fishing. These problems can be things like loss of control on how far you can cast, accuracy loss, inconsistent casts, and worse, the fishing line can get kinks or bindings. This weakens the line and causes it to be more prone to breaking, which can cost you lures and fish.

Step by step procedure on How to spool a baitcasting reel.

1. Locating the line correctly line is located and fed through the line guide on a bait caster reel. This should be done before so as to enable the reel to distribute the line evenly. It can be done manually, though; it is time-consuming and quite difficult. Using a line spooler makes it easier; though it is not necessary as the same result can be achieved using a rod.

2. Looping of the line throughout the reel spool

The second step can be the hardest step to do on a baitcaster. If the reel used has holes in the spool, the line should be threaded through the holes, and then the handle should be twisted to get the line around the spool.

The reel doesn’t have holes; you will have to work on it to fully line around it.

With a bait caster, there is a need for the new spool of line to feed into the reel directly. This can be done by pushing something like a pencil through the reel’s center and then holding it upright. If working with someone, let them have the pencil on each of the spool sides in order for the line to come off straight from the spool.

3. Tieng the line all over the spool

The third step is to tie the line over the spool; two overhand knots are available for this. This step is simple; ensure that the knots are tightening well enough to enable them to generate the friction that is normally required to begin spooling.

4. Pinching the line to maintain tension when reeling

It is important to maintain tension to be sure that your reel is spooling correctly. To do this, pinch the line that is in the reel’s front and start reeling. The line should be pinched well to keep the line tight but not too close, making reeling impossible. Care should be taken in this step, especially if using fluorocarbon and monofilament lines because they stretch under tension. The stretch should be minimum but tight to prevent loose loops.

5. Reeling the line in

In this step, the line is reeled while maintaining tension as required; the line should be reeled until there is an eighth left outside the spool and the line.

6. Feeding the line into the rod guides

The lines are fed through the guides in this step; several feet for an extra line should be left beyond the last guide at its tip.

7. Tieng off a hook or lure at the line end.

This step’s primary purpose is to ensure that a little bit of tension is maintained on the line while ensuring the line does not back up on the reel. Trim spooled line when done.

Spooling a braided line

• The above process applies typically to fluorocarbon and monofilament, which is normally fed directly to the spool before reeling starts. This is not the case with braided lines, as they slip too much when tied directly to the spool. Some backing is needed first to prevent the slippage hence the difference between braided line and fluorocarbon and monofilament materials.

• So, to spool a braided line first begins by backing, a monofilament is normally fed on the fishing lines using a worm guide and tying it to the spool. A couple of layers should be turned around the spool to create a clean layer.

• Backing up with the monofilament first helps create friction on the braided line, thus allowing for better performance when reeling.

• After layering the monofilament, the braid is connected to the monofilament using a knot. After the monofilament and the braided line have been conjoined, start spooling the braided line into the reel using the above steps.

• Most fishermen prefer braided fishing lines due to their stretch-free nature and impressive strength.

 

Advantages of baitcasting reels

Baitcast reels have some advantages which may make them be preferred over the others. So, let’s take a look at what you should expect from them.

• Casting distance

Baitcast reels enable far casting distance; this is due to the style in which the line comes off from the spool, and the spool sits. A casting reel is therefore preferred for distance as compared to a spinning reel. The only disadvantage is that they are not the best option for windy fishing days and light lures, but the casting distance is unrivaled.

• Accuracy in casting

The baitcasting reel does not have bail and therefore is free; it requires the user to use a thumb to control the speed at which the line will come off from the spool. Thus, it allows for a lot of casting accuracy. It makes it possible for an angler to control the direction and speed at which their lure and line will fly after casting. The casting accuracy is the reason why most seasoned anglers prefer it over spinning reels.

• Line Variety

The advantage of using a baitcasting reel is that it can be used with all fishing lines. They can work with Fluorocarbon, monofilament, and braided lines.

The baitcasting reels work best with heavy lines and lures, which can double if an angler wants to get a distance casting with them. Many people prefer baitcasting reels because they are versatile when it comes to the types of lines that can be used on them.

They are also designed to handle large and heavy fish lines and ideal for anglers who deal with large and heavy fishing.

• Drag Systems

Baitcast reels have very nice drag systems and high gear ratios. The drag system can be adjusted and can also be set pretty high. This drag system is ideal for heavy lines and large-scale fishing. The baitcasting reel’s high gear ratio allows for fast retrievals, which can have a definite advantage in most fishing situations.

Disadvantages of Baitcast Reels

Even though the Baitcast Reels stun with their benefits, some of their drawbacks are worth noting.

• Backlash

One of the most prevalent downsides of Baitcast Reels is that they are hard to use during casting and can be exposed to backlash and wind complications. An angler needs to use their thumb in controlling the speed at which the line is let from the spool makes it hard.

• Finesse Fishing

Even though baitcasting reels are perfect for heavy lures and lines and their retrieval speed, they are not suited for lighter lures and finesse fishing tactics. Thus, anglers may prefer other spinning casts for finesse fishing.

Knowing how to spool a baitcasting reel properly is imperative for fishing enthusiasts to avoid equipment worries while in the water. Ineffective lines can slow down the water’s action; thus, the knowledge of these spooling tricks can come in handy big time if you can’t do this by yourself, no need to worry, as you can always employ a fishing line spooler to do it for you. This eliminates doubts, and thus a full baitcasting reel can be achieved without straining, especially for beginners who are not familiar with the procedure. But if you want to do it yourself, this article provides an excellent guide for you.