How to Spool a Fishing Line onto a Reel

Often one question that a saltwater angler contemplates is whether to purchase a filler spool or purchase a pre-wrapped spool at a tackle shop. The answer is actually simple - whenever possible, it should always be purchased from a professional.

The reason for this is as easy as understanding the difference between a hand-wrapped line and a line that is wrapped on a winding machine. Clearly the risk of line twist, bad tension and too much or too little line is minimized with a professionally wrapped spool.

Filler spools normally contain preset amounts - they vary from 125 to 300 yards. Each reel is unique with varying capacity depending on the diameter of the line. This means that when you purchase a filler spool, you will either have some leftover which is nearly impossible to use - or your reel will be under-filled and will not perform as well.

No matter how well you plan, it’s inevitable - at one time or another, you’ll have to fill your reel with fresh line on your own. If this happens, there are some things that you should be aware of.

Line Twist - nothing is more frustrating than a twisted line. When line is rolled professionally, it comes off a bulk spool exactly as it went on it. This means that because of the horizontal axis spinning, no twist occurs during spooling. If you are attempting to spool at home, you’re often forced to take your line off the spool in a circular loop. This means that you are more prone to twisting. You can easily avoid twisting by placing a pencil or other object through the holes at the end of the spool. Having a second person on hand can help this process. If you’re stuck on your own, you can create a spool holder from an old can and a pencil. Simply drill holes into the side of the can, insert an appropriate rod, and put the spool inside the can. This process will allow the spool to spin freely.

Line Tension - consider what would happen if your line didn’t have the proper tension when you were fishing. Having your line professionally spooled means this is not something you normally have to concern yourself with. When a reel is being filled in a professional shop, measures are taken to ensure that something is acting as a brake. This guarantees that the line lays down in the reel and that a when a large catch pulls on your tight drag the line doesn’t get pulled through and cause a tangled mess. Applying tension when you’re doing it yourself isn’t that difficult – simply use the pages of a telephone book to run the line between and place a couple of books on top of it. This creates just enough drag. This drag or tension ensures that your reel is loaded snugly.

How much line do you buy is the final consideration and much of this depends on the reel manufacturer. Generally quality manufacturers (including Daiwa, Avet, Van Staal and Shimano) advise you of the weight and recommended amounts of line. Unfortunately, there are a variety of diameters for each pound of line. As a general rule buying too much line is preferable – this prevents under-spooling. If you’re casting, you’ll have far less problems if you’re using a full spool. Regardless of the type of reel you’re using, your retrieval rate is compromised if your reel is not properly loaded. Tackle shops almost all carry bulk spools of line which is about 1500 yards.

Professionally spooled reel are preferable. However, if you’re forced to do it yourself, you can use these handy tips to help ensure you successfully load your reel and get the most out of your fishing experience.

James Swift is an avid outdoorsman who enjoys writing informative and educational articles on fishing. He has writen a variety of articles including information on fishing supplies such as Shimano Reels, Daiwa Reels, and Shimano Spinning Reels.