One of the most important skills to learn before you ever even step foot onto the water is spooling a reel. Learning how to properly spool line on to your spinning reel is one of the most important yet frequently overlooked steps. Proper fishing line is one of the most important items between you and the fish, so spooling it on properly is going to be extremely important.
I’m going to show you exactly how you need to spool line onto a spinning reel. You’ll also learn a few tips and tricks that will help you a ton along the way.
How To Spool a Spinning Reel
What You Need
There’s really not all that much that you’re going to need to spool your line. With a few simple tools you should be able to spool your spinning reel.
Rod and Reel: Before spoiling your reel make sure it’s properly installed on your rod. It’s possible to spool it without attaching it to the rod, but that’s going to be much harder.
Line: You need to figure out what kind of line matches your fishing style.
Line Spooler or Screwdriver: For years I bypassed using a line spooler in favor of a screwdriver. I don’t know if I was just lazy or cheap, but after years of fishing I finally picked one up out of a free box at a yard sale and I wish I had sooner. There are a couple different types of line spooler’s on the market that you can choose from.
Different Types of Line Spoolers
There are quitea few different types of line spooler’s on the market to choose from. They all work basically the same way and the one you choose will largely come down to a matter of personal preference. Personally I like the type that is a self-contained unit that works as a replacement to your rod like this Piscifun Line Spooler.
Rod Replacements: My favorite type of line spooler is used without the need for a rod. I tend to have a lot of reels setup for various applications that I swap into different rods. These are extremely easy to use and guarantee a perfect spool, but they’re a little bit more expensive. This Piscifun Line Spooler is my favorite unit on the market.
Clamps To Rod: You can also get a spooler that clamps to the rod itself. Piscifun makes another great spooler that can be attached directly to your rod or your workbench.
Cheap Table Top Models: If you want to save some cash you can try a cheap table top model like this Booms Fishing Line Spooler. It works just like the screwdriver method and easily attaches to most countertops.
Parts of a Reel
Before we start talking about putting line on your reel you need to get a basic understanding of the main parts of your reel that you’ll be dealing with.Most of the parts are self-explanatory, but I’d rather explain them than leave people lost and confused.
Spool: The spool is where the line is actually going to wrap around and go on to the reel. It’s very simple to see and you’ve probably already had to deal with the spool a time or two.
Handle: The handle is what you’re going to be turning to allow the reel to engage. It will allow the reel to spin putting the line on and drawing it in.
Bail: The bail is the piece that most people probably don’t have a name for. It’s the piece that you flip open and allows you to cast the spinning reel. Flipping it back allows you to crank the line onto the spool.
Spooling Your Reel
Special Note: Before you start spoiling your reel it’s important to take note that the bail moves around the spinning reel in a clockwise manner. For that reason you’re going to want your line to come off your spool in the same direction. That way it will lay on your spinning reel evenly with fewer line twists.
Setup Your Line On The Spooler or Table
Set Your Reel on Your Spooler or Table Top: Before you start spooling your reel you need to set up your line on your spooler/screwdriver or table top. To avoid line twists make sure your line comes off your spool in a clockwise motion.
Run Your Line Through The Rod or Spooler Guide
Run The Line Through Your Guides: Once you have the line setup on your spooler run your line through the guide closest to your reel. It’s not necessary to run your line through every guide, but you can do that if you please. Going through the guide allows it to come through the rod instead of directly on the reel. This simulates a more natural reel pattern that will help reduce line twists.
Open Up Your Bail and Tie Your Knot
Before you tie your line to the spool make sure that you open up your reel. It’s embarrassing how many times I’ve tied my line to the spool with my bail engaged. If you accidentally tie the knot before opening the bail just cut your line and retie with the bail open. Just like tying your shoes a simple overhand knot will work perfectly. Once you have the line tied to the spool flip your bail and start the spooling process.
Keep Tension on Your Line
The most important part of the entire spooling process is keeping constant tension on the line. You can achieve this by holding the line tightly to your rod using two fingers as you reel. Reel in your line slow and steady while avoiding putting to much line on your reel.
Don’t Put Too Much Line On Your Reel
The number one cause of problems with inexperienced fisherman is putting too much line on your reel. It will cause all kinds of coils and issues as you cast. With extra line on your reel it will jump up when you cast causing knots and irregular spooling. I’ve found that you should leave about an 1/8 of an inch of space between your line and the edge of the reel.
Now that I’ve shown you guys how to properly spool a spinning reel you should be able to head to the lake and catch a ton of great fish.
