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Filling a spool with braid

T

Trevor Davies

Guest
How do you guys go about gauging how much backing line to put on a spool to ensure that you get the full 300 yards of braid on up to the rim?

The only way i can think of doing it is to have an identical spare spool, wind the braid on first, tie on you backing line and fill to the rim then wind this onto a spool so it is then the correct way round. just seems very fiddly and time consuming!

Trevor
 
That works for me Trevor; I generally wind on braid in 150yd spools or measure a bulk spool. This may seem long winded, but i have a big field next to my house and i use this space to aid in winding on my braid in measured sections of 150yds. Also you can wind on here knowing your spools are winded at at the correct tension. I use 150yd spools for the sole reason that i can go a full season without changing the braid and having an option to just flip the braid over for the next season, if i see fit. For anyone interested i use 30lb Power Pro exclusively, i have tried lots of others and i havent come across another line that has come close to matching it.

Hope this helps
 
Good to know i do it the same as everyone else, does just seem a ball ache!

Edit:

Jon

Have you ever used one of those line length counters? Just wondered how accurate they are? I know they wouldn't give you the desired tension to stop the braid bedding in but if you've not got a field spare to walk it all out etc i thought it might be a good alternative.

Trevor
 
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Jon Frisby said:
That works for me Trevor; I generally wind on braid in 150yd spools or measure a bulk spool. This may seem long winded, but i have a big field next to my house and i use this space to aid in winding on my braid in measured sections of 150yds.
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Also his neighbours are used to seeing a bloke with a rod and reel in a seemingly empty field. They don't even give him a second glance ;)

Conrad
 
Trevor, I have a shakespeare line counter designed for sea fishing, doesn't seem to work with powerpro though for some reason, it slips....
 
Hi Ian

I thought that might be the case, won't bother buying one then

Cheers

Trevor
 
Conrad Farlow said:
Also his neighbours are used to seeing a bloke with a rod and reel in a seemingly empty field. They don't even give him a second glance ;)

Conrad
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I thought i may get a humorous response there, Cheers Conrad. On the humour side, whilst winding on some line on my local field, my 30lb power pro aided in the felling of one of my terriers, but still falls short of conrads rod caught Swan.... I hope its not around today for you....
 
There was 9 swans today Johnny but they seemed to prefer Richard for a change. They also must remember me because they were doing a good job of avoiding the line. Fortunately they found a new home as well - in a lake that had formed in the field behind me. Wasn't there when I arrived at 9:30 am but I had to wade through a foot of water with the barrow at the end of the day. The water was within 1/2 inch of my wellie tops!

Conrad
 
Trevor Davies said:
Good to know i do it the same as everyone else, does just seem a ball ache!

Edit:

Jon

Have you ever used one of those line length counters? Just wondered how accurate they are? I know they wouldn't give you the desired tension to stop the braid bedding in but if you've not got a field spare to walk it all out etc i thought it might be a good alternative.

Trevor
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I don't think you need great accuracy. Nor do you reely ( sorry) need a line counter. Some simple maths and counting how many reel turns you make will give you a length within a few percent accuracy.

Can't help but wonder why anyone need 300 yards of braid. If I start using it I doubt that I would put more than 100 yards of it on. Back the rest up with some fairly cheap bulk spool mono. Cannot understand having 200 yards of expensive braid on the reel which will never be used. But maybe I miss something.
 
Can't help but wonder why anyone need 300 yards of braid. If I start using it I doubt that I would put more than 100 yards of it on. Back the rest up with some fairly cheap bulk spool mono. Cannot understand having 200 yards of expensive braid on the reel which will never be used. But maybe I miss something.[/QUOTE]

Good question John, My reasoning for 150yds, is on the Trent i regularly fish the far bank, which needs a good 50-65 yd throw, i also pay out a good 5 - 10 yds of a bow out aswell when fishing at this distance. Also every month i strip back a couple of yds when i see fit, which can be classed as natural wastage. At the end of each season i will then flip my lines over and get another season out of them, all being well.

Hope this answers your question.

Jon
 
John

I've not got a field like Jon, that's why i thought about the line counter. I've also got 2 young children that have a habit of interupting you when you're in the middle of something so counting reel handle turns is a no goer.

Trevor
 
Trevor, if you want some space i have 2 trees perfectly spaced, at 150yds.
 
Braid

Hi Guys,

Personally, i wouldn't fill the spool up to the lip when using braid, in fact, i would and do leave a couple of mm in order to avoid tangles and wind knots.

I also find that damping the line down before making the first cast of the day also helps to avoid tangles.

I would put 300 yds on the spool but i always remove the first 3-5 yards of line before starting a days fishing. With the amount of fishing i do, i only need to change the braid once at the start of the season. I use 20lb berkeley whiplash pro.

Regards,
Jeff
 
Might just take you up on that Jon. Have you got your dogs to run the braid up to the tree for you or are you still working on that one?

Trevor
 
Trevor Davies said:
Might just take you up on that Jon. Have you got your dogs to run the braid up to the tree for you or are you still working on that one?

Trevor
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LOL, thats my secret, i tie the dogs to the end of the braid, thus giving me perfect tension. Also it works well to set your clutch, if you throw them the ball, when you have them close in.
 
Jon Frisby said:
Good question John, My reasoning for 150yds, is on the Trent i regularly fish the far bank, which needs a good 50-65 yd throw, i also pay out a good 5 - 10 yds of a bow out aswell when fishing at this distance. Also every month i strip back a couple of yds when i see fit, which can be classed as natural wastage. At the end of each season i will then flip my lines over and get another season out of them, all being well.

Hope this answers your question.

Jon
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Thanks Jon: a big wide river. Makes sense. I shall assume there is some special feature to which you are casting, and that the far bank is in some way inaccessible to you.

I like the idea of reversing the braid at season end. I have always used mono, relatively cheap of course, and I just throw away the 100 yards or so (not onto the riverbank!) whenever I become suspicious it might be flawed. But with expensive braid I like your thinking...although once you get most of that line out, having hooked a powerful fish near that far bank and which is heading downriver fast, then might that old worn-out line might just come back into play?
 
John Spilsbury said:
I like the idea of reversing the braid at season end. I have always used mono, relatively cheap of course, and I just throw away the 100 yards or so (not onto the riverbank!) whenever I become suspicious it might be flawed. But with expensive braid I like your thinking...although once you get most of that line out, having hooked a powerful fish near that far bank and which is heading downriver fast, then might that old worn-out line just come back into play?
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At the moment the jury is still out on that one, but 30lb power pro which has a tested BS of 34lb, should be ok. Will update next year.
 
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