Have you ever wondered how to spool a baitcasting reel? It’s a process that’s not complicated. Among those fishing methods that appear difficult at first, it’s pretty simple if you learn how to do it right, and you can do it in minutes.
Anyone who fished with an exposed spool reel knows how frustrating it is when the line tangles upon itself. What’s worse is that the line tangles can even occur without a fish on your line, which wastes enormous amounts of time. This can lead to you missing opportunities to catch fish and cause problems when you’re trying to land a big one later in the day.
This is a simplified yet informative guide to spooling a bait caster. Included are basic directions on doing it correctly.
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Spooling a baitcasting reel
The baitcasting reel is the favored option for experienced fishers, but novice anglers don’t generally understand the device’s usefulness. Many think it’s just another way to spend money without getting much efficiency, especially since they can make do with a spinning rod and reel.
Using a bait-caster often doesn’t seem as easy or natural as working a spinning reel; anglers have a tough time keeping the bait on the spool and keeping the line where it should be. However, if you’re interested in getting into casting and want to know how to spool a baitcasting reel, read on.
Spooling your reel correctly can be daunting if you’ve never done it before, but I’ll walk you through the steps to get it right.
Step 1:- Put the line properly.
Setting the line to your bait caster reel takes a lot of skill and practice. If you set it wrong, you will most likely have difficulty getting a good take from the fish and will probably break a lot of guides.
The first step to spooling your reels should be placing your line through the guide. This ensures that your line will be evenly distributed on the reel, which is incredibly important for accuracy and fish-catching ability.
Step 2:- Wrap the line.
The next step is to wrap the line around the spool clockwise. You need to adjust the amount of line you are wrapping depending on the size of your spool.
The most important part of this step is to get the line threaded on correctly. You don’t want the leader hanging too low or too high, the cast will be off, and you won’t catch anything.
Always make sure the line is not tangled. If there is a large knot, open it up and gently place it back together, pulling the rest of the line through.
The way you thread the line on a bait caster reel depends on whether or not it has holes to help you get the line started. If there are holes in your reel, take one end of the line and skewer the end through a hole. Then, pull the line to the other side of the spool and tie it with a secure knot over a knot.
Step 3:- Pull the line to keep it tight.
Reeling can be challenging if you’ve found yourself on a tangled fishing trip. If the line stretches too much, you’ll have to use one hand for reeling and the other for cutting off loops. This arrhythmic motion often creates tangles when the line reaches the reel. To avoid tangles, tighten the line in front of the reel before casting and keep it taut during your journey.
To reel in a fish effectively, you must be able to pull in the fish line and have it stay taut. This is where line guides come in. Line guides originate from the spool of your fishing rod and help the line stay taut as you reel it in.
Make sure that the line on your reel is under tension while you reel. This helps prevent loose loops and keeps the line from being pinched.
Step 4:- Start spooling.
When you first wind up the spool of line, keep tension on the handle like in step 3. After that, start winding slowly until you feel tension from the line being pulled from the spool. When you finally get your bait caster, it may take a few times to feel comfortable.
It’s essential to maintain some tension during this process, so you don’t wear out your casting mechanism. You should keep tension on the line during this process to adjust as necessary.
Step 6:- Continue spooling close to the brim.
Keeping the line from piling up on the spool is crucial when spooling a bait caster. This pileup leaves a 1/8th inch gap between the spool’s edge and the line. This technique prevents line buildup and helps to prevent backlash when casting.
Also Check: What are the best baitcasting reels for beginners?
Best line for baitcaster
One of the main issues for fish is the right lines for the bait-caster. You can have trouble setting and managing your hook if you take the wrong one. You will spend a lot of energy on fishing and, in the end, waste your time. If you choose the right fishing line for bait-caster, everything will be easy for you. The lines can be-
Braid line:
Braid lines are among the types of lines used in fishing. They are fragile but solid and don’t stretch out when you cast a bait with them. Typically, these lines are much more expensive than mono lines; however, the braided line gives you more strength and less visibility than other fishing line types. Because it is so thin and spooled tightly, it is usually twice as strong as monolines even though it weighs much less. we have reviewed the top 10 best braided lines for baitcasting reel to choose from.
Braid lines are manufactured from a continuous blend of fibers that give them abrasion resistance and stiffness. They are preferable over monofilament lines because it does not absorb moisture or stretch. Aside from those features, braid lines also come with a fine diameter, creating a rounded profile to the cast.
Monofilament line:
Monofilament is another type of baitcasting line. It’s cheaper and easier to use than braid and has lower visibility. It is also simple to use on your bait-caster due to the minimal wind knots formed and lower blowback when you cast it.
It is low visibility, although it has more flexibility than braided lines. The advantage of it is that it floats on top of the water. It is composed of a single fiber strand, making it flexible but less resistant to cutting. Monofilament is helpful for fishing lures that fall on top of the water because they are buoyant, such as topwater.
Fluorocarbon line:
Fluorocarbon is another fishing line different from mono, nearly undetectable in pure water. It sinks and is the most expensive line. However, if you’re using a bait caster with a fluoro-coated spool or live in deep water and want to avoid the problem of sudden wind changes, it’s useful.
Fluorocarbon is different from monofilament in that it has a fluorine molecule in its structure. This fluorine molecule makes the line incredibly resistant to water and abrasion! This type of fishing line is used by bait casting anglers looking for a thinner line that is super sensitive but still strong under a heavy load.
See Also: Fishing Reels Types – With Pictures
Frequently asked questions
Is it hard to spool a bait caster?
Spooling a baitcasting reel is among the challenging tasks for a novice angler to master. The baitcaster has more running less than a spinning or spin-cast reel, making it crucial to line up each turn correctly without leaving any slack in the mainline.
Once the proper amount of running line has been added, run the line through the primary anti-backlash mechanism and gather it onto the spool at different points. With careful attention to winding, you will find that you can cast your line correctly every time.
Which side of the spool should the line exit?
The bail arm or clicker is one of the essential parts of a fishing reel. While many anglers do not realize it, the direction a bail arm rotates can make a difference in how a reel performs.
The correct rotation will allow the line to feed on a spool evenly onto your fishing rod. On the other hand, if the bail arm is turned in the wrong direction, line tension will increase and prevent you from getting any more line onto your reel.
How to spool a braided baitcaster?
If you’ve ever tried to string a baitcaster with braid and wondered how others achieved this seemingly-mighty task, let me tell you how: they started with monofilament! The process is straightforward. Some experienced anglers swear that braid is the best line to use with a baitcaster, while others think monofilament is best.
If you want to do so, repeat the procedure already discussed above, but rather than the braided line, begin with monofilament backing on the baitcaster spool. Braid is harder to work with, and it will be great for making knots.
The final verdict
Many people are scared of baitcasters because they don’t know how to use them. Anyone can learn, and once you do, it opens up a whole new world of fishing. Here’s everything you need to know about spooling a baitcasting reel – including different types of lines that you can use. Also If you’re looking for a new baitcasting reel, then check out our review on the best baitcasters under $100.
Once you understand how to spool a baitcaster correctly and have the necessary equipment, anyone can do the job at home. The best thing about doing it manually is that you won’t have to wait for someone else to assist you, allowing you to go fishing right away!