The Best Method to Spool a Big Game Reel

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For big game over say 50lbs reel rating you want to start to move away from just monofilament line and start to consider modern Spectra Braided lines. These special lines are usually much thinner than mono in a lb to lb comparison allowing you to say spool 100lbs Spectra with an equivalent diameter of say 40lb mono.

Furthermore these Specta lines don't strech like mono does, and therefore they don't suffer from line memory effect. This makes them great workhorses with long durability and therefore we use Spectra lines as backing for the reel where possible.

In actual terms that would mean taking say a 50lb reel, rated for 600 yards of 0.70mm mono (50lbs) and being able to spool a min of 500 yards of 80-100lbs spectra backing, with 100 yards of 50-80lbs monofilament top shot. It's important to have the mono top shot to get some shock absorbtion in the line. Finally you'll finish the top shot either terminated directly onto a ball bearing snap swivel or perhaps using a wind on leader.

Try and match the rating of the wind on leader with any pre-rigged artificial lures for example which may be rigged between 200-300lbs usually depending on the lure size. Pre-rigged wind on leaders are available either as mono or the newer fluorocarbon based mono lines for example, and give the advantage of not having to crimp your own lines.

In terms of the actual line loading on to the reel:

Start off with a piece of duct tape on the bare reel roller, to give the spectra line some cushioning and stop it eating in to itself.

Next wind on the spectra line with the reel set on full drag, allowing you to wind on as tight as possible to pack correctly. Spool the line left to right over the reel with occasional erratic moves.

Finally add the mono top shot in the same manner and finally the leaders if used.

Line connections of the above will be covered elsewhere.

Tip: Mark the first 100 yards of backing with red marker and after the next 100 yards with say black marker, both around 1 foot long. This will let you see when you are down to your last 200 yards or last 100 yards and you can start yelling at the skipper to back down on the fish!

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(Acknowledgements: Dennis Braid, Capt. Mike Fisher et al)

[AJAX]

Hmm not sure the tackle shops here would cater for that, or would they?

AJ

[fin]

No they do not know unfortunately but we shall teach if necessary, nothing better than sharing ones knopwledge!

We do this all ourselves.

YOURS FIN

[Fishmagician]

Hello there in Malta, Spooling those reels is a real chore when you switch to the spectra stuff. I'd go to the spectra if your into large fish and need to increase your line capacity, otherwise...mono and or dacron will do.

When I spool up I do it myselt. I start with a tight spooling of mono, as a cushion. Then I loop to loop the braid to the cushion. I use bimini's twists to make the loops. I use 40 turns in the spectra, so I it will hold, this stuff is slippery and your knots need attention. I wind the spectra on with a lot of tension, to make sure it's tight. Two guys are can team up here.  Keep it even on the spool. Once I get the spectra on the spool I put a bimini twist in it giving me a good loop and I do the same with a mono top shot and join them loop to loop. It's very strong. When I make the loop to loop, I pass the line through at least three times that way I spread out the tention in the joint and it hold well. Not too difficult. Other's have fancy knots and glues and what not, me, I like the old expression, "KISS" Keep It Simple Stupid.....and that's just what I do.

Best regards,
Capt. Mike Fisher

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Mike,

What about the large knot size that comes from doing a bimini twist in mono? It won't pass through most rollers, only the big ones??

[fin]

Hey mike,

any good links where we can learn these special knots with diagrams preferably with spectra line .

FIN

[fin]

hey mike,

any news on those knots?

FIN