A common question asked by people just learning to fish is how to put line on a reel. Here we will cover some of the basic ways to get you off to a good start.
Spooling a fishing reel correctly is essential to prevent line twists and maintenance issues along the way. Today, we’re sharing a step-by-step guide on how to put a line on a reel, be it a spinning reel, a spin cast reel, a baitcasting reel, or a fly reel.
Choosing the Right Line
No matter the type of reel you’re looking to spool, you should always start the process by making sure you’re working with the proper type of line. Each type of line may have a slightly different way when we are looking at how to put line on a reel. Here’s a simple guide on how to choose the right line for the job:
Monofilament Line
If you’re planning to fish with floating baits, use monofilament lines (or just “Mono Line” for short). These are single-strand lines equipped with a decent stretch.
The stretch makes the line somewhat flexible, allowing the hook to stay secured in the fish’s mouth. These lines are also a good choice you’re using a jig or live bait.
Monofilament line is the most common line on the market and, if you are looking for a cheaper option, less pricey tham other types of fishing lines. When looking at how to put line on a reel, mono is also the easiest and most forgiving to work with.
Fluorocarbon Lines
If you’re going to fish in calm, shallow waters, it’s best to use fluorocarbon lines because they’re harder for fish to see underwater. These lines are similar to monofilament lines but they have less stretch and more abrasion resistance, so can handle underwater snags a bit better.
Fluorocarbon lines are also more sensitive to light bites and bottom contact. As they’re technically a variation of monofilament line, fluorocarbon lines are great for fishing with a jig or live bait, as well as in crystal clear waters.
Braided Lines
If you’re set on bottom fishing, then use braided lines. These lines consist of multiple lengths of braided synthetic material combined to make one line, which allows for creating a larger casting distance.
Braided lines are quite resistant to breaking and non-stretching. They’re visible and float well, so know when to use them. They also sink slowly, making them ideal for using top-water baits.
How to Put Line on a Reel for a Spinning Reel
Step 1: Determine whether the reel turns clockwise or counterclockwise to help work out how to put line on a reel
The simplest way to do this is to hold the reel as if you were actually fishing. Now, spin the wheel a few times to determine if the reel turns clockwise or counterclockwise.
The turning direction is the way you’ll spool the line onto the reel, while the opposite direction is the way the line will come off the spool when you cast. Unlike spin-casting and baitcasting reels, spinning reels are designed to hang down from the rod, not rest above it.
Step 2: Open the bail by flipping the small handle up
The bail is a small wire handle that opens and closes by flipping it up and down.
Flip the bail up to open it and start the spooling process. This is also where you would remove any old line you have on your reel.
Step 3: String your line straight through the guides and secure it
The guides are a series of small circles running along the bottom of the rod to secure the line in place. Use an arbor knot to tie the line to the spool, then cut any extra line with line cutters or scissors, leaving at least a 1/4 inch (0.64 cm) additional line from where you tied the knot.
Step 4: Close the bail and place the spool on the floor
Lay the spool flat on the floor with the label facing up to ensure that the line enters the reel properly. Your spool should line up correctly so that the line peels off of the spool the same way it goes into the spinning reel.
If your line is twisted or if it doesn’t line up when the label side of the spool is facing up, flip it over.
Step 5: How to put line on a reel, pinch the line and slowly crank the reel
Lightly pinch the line about 12 inches (30 cm) above the reel and pull it tight. Then, crank the reel slowly about 20 times, letting the line slide through your pinched fingers. You need to have a least a little bit of pressure on the line, or you will wind up with a tangled mess.
Every so often stop cranking and allow your line some slack to see if there are twists. If the line is twisting, strip some of it back off of your reel and realign the spool and fishing line.
Step 6: Continue to crank the reel to load the line
Once you’re sure that the line isn’t twisting, continue loading it. Keep adding the line slowly and steadily, pausing every 20 to 30 cranks to examine it for twists.
If you find a line twist, you may need to redo the whole process. If you’ve already flipped your spool after the first inspection, straighten out the twist and proceed slowly. Getting this right at this stage will save you a lot of headaches in the future. Nothing is worse than casting out to where you know a fish is and your line tangling into a birds nest on your fishing reel.
Step 7: Fill the spool until it is 1⁄8 in (0.32 cm) away from the rim
This way, you’ll have more than enough line to use without overloading your reel. It’ll still be plenty even if you need to cut off a large piece of the line while changing lures or clearing snags.
Overloading or underfilling the spool will lead to tangling and casting issues.
Step 8: Use line cutters or scissors to cut the line close to the supply spool
Make sure you leave a little bit of extra line to secure its free end with a lure. After cutting the line, you’re free to put a small piece of tape over the free end on the spool so that it doesn’t unravel. Many reels also have a
Step 9: Secure the line on the spool
To secure the free end of your line, use a lure, swivel, or a clip. This will keep the line from slipping through the guides.
Most reels also have a line catch, which is a small tab on the spool that you can clip your line into. The line catch is a great way to keep you line from coming off the reel when you are packing up and storing your gear.
Alternatively, you can wrap a rubber band around the spool.
How to Put Line on a Reel for a Spincasting Reel
Step 1: Determine the line capacity of the reel
Check the line capacity of the reel and make sure you’re putting the proper line on the reel. This information can easily be found in the instruction manual (or though a quick online search).
Step 2: Lay your rod flat and open the cover of the reel
To open the cover, some reels require unscrewing while others have a pin and a notch that you separate, or a push button that you simply press. Once you have opened the cover, take any old line off the reel.
Step 3: Tie the new line to the spool
Run the line from the end of the rod through the hole or eyelets in the cover, then tie it up to the spool of the reel.
You can also run the line from the tip to the handle, using the rod guides if necessary. Pull the line tightly after making an arbor knot.
Step 4: Cover the reel back
Make sure that the line doesn’t get pinched by the cover of the reel when putting it back.
Step 5: Follow steps 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the spinning reel guide above
How to Put Line on a Baitcasting Reel
While it’s true that the process of how to put line on a reel is pretty the same across many types of reel, there’s a minor difference when working with a baitcasting reel.
Unlike a spinning reel where you have to make sure that the line is on the correct side of the bail, if you have a baitcasting reel, you’ll need to feed the line through the line guide before you tie the line around the reel spool.
Here, the line guide is a tiny hole located at the front of the reel. The line guide moved from side to side to spread the line evenly across the spool.
Other than this, the process for putting line on a baitcasting reel is the same as for a spinning reel.
How to Put Line on a Fly Reel
Before learning how to put line on a reel for a fly reel, here are some tips to avoid line twists and casting complications:
- Leave the fly line on its original spool. Don’t take it off as it will easily tangle.
- Don’t wind the line off the side of the spool as you would with a spinning reel.
- Make sure that the line comes off the bottom of the spool rather than the top.
Here are the steps to put a line on a fly reel:
- Determine your retrieval style; left-hand reel or right-hand reel.
- Thread your fly line backing through the reel arbor.
- Make a UNI-Knot and tightly cinch the backing to the reel arbor.
- Load on a suitable amount of fly line backing to your reel.
- Attach the line to the backing using a simple nail-knot.
- Attach the leader to the end of your fly line.
- Tie on a fly and you’re ready for action.
Wrap Up
There you have it, a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to put line on a reel no matter its type. Of course there are many other ways to spool line onto a reel, some say to place the line in a bucket of water to give the right resistance when spooling, but this is a good guide to get you started. Once you have a bit of experience you can tweak the process to suit you, just make sure there are no twists in the line coming on and you will be fine.