putting a new line on a reel

[Simon Thomson]

When I put a new line on a reel I put enough on to fill the reel. Then when I am fishing with a weight on it the line tightens and the reel is only half full. Can you help me with a method of putting a new line on quickly with enough tension to fill the reel.

[argyll]

braid or mono ?

[Simon Thomson]

mono.

[argyll]

There are all sorts of ways to do this, but this is what I used to do to do to load mono on a fixed spool reel (I now use braid for everything) A flat piece of acrap wood with a 3-4 inch nail banged in put the spool flat (label side up) on the nail so the spool sits on the wood and can turn around the nail, that should eliminate most of the twists. After a few yards are on your reel, slacken off a bit and see if your line is twisting. If so, just flip the line spool over to untwist and continue loading the line. Whilst loading the mono on the reel, keep it under even pressure, I used to run the line through a towel or rag in my free hand. DONT stretch the line, if it compacts to much on the reel, there's a danger that it will crack or warp the reel spool. You could get the same effect by laying a weight on the line spool whilst it turns, something like a sea fishing watch weight with a hole in the middle. Load right to the top then cast with a little weight and then retrieve. That should result in the line level dropping by 2-3 mmm below the lip ie where it should be. If its still too close to the edge of the lip then strip a few yards of line off until it reaches

2-3mm below the lip. If you've put the line on under a reasonable amount of pressure you should not see the level drop too far after retrieving a long cast.

[Lid]

Welcome to AN Simon.

 

I've never heard that before!! It sounds like you are not tensioning the line as you wind it on. You should hold the line between your first and second finger a few inches in front of the reel and tension it lightly. Not too tight mind.

 

You should also make sure the line is wound onto the spool the same way as on the spool like so

 

http://www.maggotdrowning.com/myphoto/Datafile4.asp?FileID=2145

 

I then pre-stretch about 40 metres of the new line after winding it on the reel. This is done by tying off to a post, walking back 40 paces and then tighten up the clutch to max. Bend the rod into full curve for 10 secs (to get it slightly stretched), then straighten the rod and walk backward against the tight line stretching it to what you feel is about half it's breaking strain for another 10 secs. Finally wind the line back on the spool as normal, applying tension as described earlier.

 

[ 22. June 2004, 12:03 PM: Message edited by: Lid ]

[paul whiteing]

I ensure the new line is coming off the spool in the same rotation as it will go on to the reel's spool - see the diagram in Lid's post. Now, sitting down, I hold the new spool between my knees (with jeans on and not shorts) and hold the reel upside down above it, and turning the handle carefully at first. You can tension the line by squeezing/relaxing your knees.

 

Don't do it too quickly 'cos it gets a bit hot.

 

paul

[Rockling]

I have had this problem with certain mono lines, eventual underloaded spool; I think some brands, e.g. Ron Thompson, are more 'springy' than others and need stretched before they are loaded on to the reel spool, or certainly wound on under a degree of pressure. Turning over the line spool every 20 to 30 turns while loading the reel spool helps reduce line twist problems and memory effects. However despite these precautions you will still get the odd occasion when your fixed spool seemingly magically empties itself of copious coils of line simply because you are slow to get the tension restored to the line after casting!

Braid is the opposite (on multipliers) - it digs in after prolonged use and the line needs carefully taken off and relaid to ensure smooth reel operation. This can be hidden, I recently had problems fishing in deeper water at sea - I found the underlying braid, viz the stuff normally hidden and deep to the working line, was deeply fangled and tangled through this digging in phenomenon, I had to abandon fishing with that reel and spend a considerable time sorting it out ashore.

I have a friend who swears that braid has a life of its own and cannot but tangle other lines as it yearns for company and friendship, since it suffers nothing but abuse from anglers! He swears he saw loose coils lying on the water beside the boat purposefully move across to entangle the lines of other rods. Whatever the attraction braid can cause some memorable fankles!

Rocky