Loading braid

[BassTracker]

Hi Guys,

I've been using braid for the past year or so, usualy with mono leader, I've loved the change, especialy in my new found love of deep water jigging, but also for casting soft plastics for snapper and kingfish. I was just wondering if any of you could tell me if you have a preference for how you load a new spool of braid, Ive been told by some people to do it wet by putting the new spool in a bucket of water and winding it onto the reel, others say to just put a screwdriver or similor into the spool and wind it on as loose as posible, Im thinking there must be a "right way" and that it may reduce things like air knots if done properly.

Any help would be appreciated.

By the way, been getting onto some cracker 70cm plus kingfish in the bay on plastics, anyone else?

[kriso]

i load it onto a spare reel and set a bit if drag on it then use that to load the braid up as i put it on the desired reel, nice and tight equals no knots!

[bootyinblue]

Screwdriver in the spool and wind it on that way as thats the way I was told it was loaded on the spool during manufacture. So basically you are reversing the motion.

Once spooled on to a spool, tie on your backing and fill the spool up. Then you spool it onto your 'proper' spool so you have the correct amount of backing on followed by your mainline.

And I think I will ignore the 70cm Kingie comment altogether! Nah... good fishing mate!

[BassTracker]

Thanks guys, thats all I needed, haha the kingfish seem to be on fire at the moment, I just berley up just off the reefs.. (patches around mud and green) let the smaller stuff go at it and cast soft plastics out wide and bring them back through the trail, every time it seems you'll catch two one after the other, then it will be an hour and the same again.. not sure why..

[benno573]

definately under tension onto the spool mate. i stick a screwdriver in the ground outside until you get the desired tension on the line with the friction between the ground and the handle. the heavier the line, the more tension is required. i usually go with a metric guess on the backing, haven't been far wrong as yet. but that is way more arse than class. :laugh:

[BassTracker]

Haha, thats exactly what my old man said, Id been telling him about the kingfish, so last week he came out, about an hour and a half into our fishing with a couple of decent squire under our belt I started trying for the kingfish (We could see some smaller models smashing some bait in the berley trail) within 40 minutes I'd landed two and withing 2 hours 4. 2 were very close to 70cms, one 72 and the other just under 74. The other 2 were 79 and 76 respectivly. I like to think Ive just got the technique down pat, dad likes to think im just and arsey bastard.. oh well..

[namyau]

sometimes i use the bucket of water trick other times i use a very damp cloth hold onto the new line and just a slow steady wind onto the reel. but if i can be bothered ill stick the new line onto an alvey and then tigheten it to desiered amount then wind onto the reel.

[noname]

as tight as you possibly can.

[adri4n]

I find that i start off as tight as I can after putting on some mono backing to prevent slipping, but as i go on towards the end of the braid I gradually decrease the tension, I find that decreases the line digging in and gives me smoother casting... I suppose it doesn't matter as much for heavier line but i find it makes a big difference casting lighter lures or with no sinker...

[BassTracker]

thanks guys

[TUR82]

as someone above me has said nice and tight is the way to go. lately i've been getting my reels spooled by the guys at the tackle shop on the machine they have. packs it on evenly and very nicely. hope this helps

brock

[BassTracker]

yeah thanks bock, I just loaded it onto another spool and then set the drag on that spool while I put it on the one I wanted it seemed to go on nicly I didnt know you could get the tackle shop guys to do it, good tip thanks for that:cheer:

[Funfisher]

I put in on with the spooling machine at work;) but i have heard that in threadline reels to put it on with a bit of resistance but not too much and with overhead type reels to keep it very tight.

[planetfonz]

yeah i just did 3 of my reels after winding it onto an eggbeater first. awesome method that, and it worked damn damn good. thanks for the idea!

[kriso]

no worries, i found it the easiest way hey , i tried to do it buy just holding the line when loading it onto my bait caster and it was terrible so loaded it onto my old big egg beater and set some drag and then wound it on to my bait caster and it was awesome, another thing is i havent had any dramas with fireline and that only more expensive/ true braids! any one else found that?

[Cowfish13]

Yeap, I've had more problems with the expensive braids than the fireline, however, the true braids last longer (ie don't fray heaps like fireline) and cast better

I've had one reel spooled by the tackle store guys, and although he did do it well (i watched, went on as evenly as possible), I've found that it still isn't as good as when you do it yourself, so I put it on from now on

[jeff f]

you can buy a spool tensioner that clamps on or sticks to a table with a suction cup

i got mine on ebay for under $10 delivered

they let you set the perfect tension every time

[planetfonz]

my old abu 6500c has been spooled with the same 6kg fireline since 1999 (first go at braid) and its showing no issues what so ever. barr the one horrible cut deep in my finger courtesy of a tarpon eating a chunk of herring i had dangling its been perfect.

on the other end of the scale i'm currently using cheap braid from ebay which is also proving itself to be very worthy. giving it a true test in the whitsundays in 14 days and counting