Spinning rods are the most common fishing rods used in freshwater and saltwater. Dealing with a spinning rod is difficult, and spooling is a big task for beginners. Our vision is to teach you how to spool a spinning rod in just a few minutes.
It is quite an interesting process that helps you in your better casting performance. So if you are searching for the easiest steps, then you are at the right source page.
So, in this article, you will find some steps for spooling a spinning rod more efficiently and accurately.
How to spool a spinning rod?
Some key areas need your attention if you want to spool a spinning rod. By following some of the crucial steps, you can enhance the reel’s performance. Steps to spool a spinning rod are as follows:
- Put the reel on the rod and bring the fishing line
- Open the bail
- Tighten the line
- Handle the line
- Move the reel handle
- Put the average line on the reel
- Untwist the drag for maximum line winding
- Put line conditioner
- Tie the end of the spinning rod
1. Put the reel on the rod and bring the fishing line
Once you start to spool a spinning rod, you need the proper equipment. So, bring the spinning rod and spinning reel first.
Start by putting the reel on the rod and matching the fishing line with the spinning reel. It will be an easy task if you are correctly holding the spinning rod.
The correct position and small detailings are very helpful in making spooling successful. The weight of the fishing line must be relevant to the spinning reel’s weight.
Otherwise, the imbalance or disproportion will lead the reel non-functionable. Take care of the position and holding power of the spinning rod for proper spooling.
2. Open the bail
The second step in spooling a spinning rod is to make a move to open the bail. It is used to wind the fishing line.
For this process, you have to make a line loop over the spool and double twist the knot like you would make a shoelace.
The example of a shoelace is easily understood and helps you make the loop free of stress. Now you can clinch or tighten the line on the spool by using your dominant hand.
The main purpose of opening the bail is to prevent you from tying the line tightly. So cut the other end of the line with scissors to prevent it from impeding the line.
It is a crucial step in performing, but the practice of it also helps you in fly fishing with a spinning rod.
3. Tighten the line
When you open the bail, the next thing is to tighten the line. The tightening of the fishing line helps you in preventing your line from extra loops and tangles.
This step is very easy and requires just a piece of paper or tape. So put the paper tape or sticker on the top end of the line.
The paper tape will tighten the line on the spool and prevent the reel from becoming an issue while winding the line for the rest of the time.
It helps in clinching the line tightly and nicely. After that, close the bail and move forward to the next step.
Related: A complete guide on the length of a spinning rod.
4. Handle the line
Fishing line in fishing activity is the most attention seeking thing for successful results. When you carefully control the line by giving steps, the fishing will be fun for your next tour.
So the next step in spooling a spinning rod is to handle the line, while winding is another important step. Here are some tips from our experience to help beginners handle the line correctly.
- Use a piece of cloth or towel to grip the line while spooling.
- Use line conditioner on the line to make it safe for stretching.
- Pinch the line tightly around your fingers to prevent scratches.
Remember that handling the line is very crucial. Therefore we put together all data to make it easy for your spooling.
Remember that If you manage to handle the line perfectly, you can cast a spinning rod with accuracy and proper control.
5. Move the reel handle
After successfully managing the fishing line, moving the reel handle is next. The movement of the reel handles while spooling a spinning rod has a substantial impact.
Because the fishing line will twist, make loops and tangle, that creates problems in the rotation of the bail.
So, make your dominant hand on working mode and move the reel handle counterclockwise to prevent loops or tangles.
The single or counterclockwise direction helps maintain the focus while moving the reel along with various steps. This one direction movement creates a line free of extra tensions and strings.
6. Put the average line on the reel
As mentioned, every reel specifies a standard amount for the line since too much or too little will create problems.
Various reasons spoil the line, but some are discussed for your convenience. The line is spoiled for two reasons basically:
- Putting too much line on the spool causes the reel to fasten when the line is released. It will result in a bang or jump off.
- If you put a line too little on the spool, it creates a distinction in the line. And thin lines will create problems while casting long distances.
Therefore, set the line just slightly below the average of the reel. Put just below the reel’s edges and then cut the line.
So every reel has a maximum capacity for winding the line, 100 yards to 175 yards. It depends on the weight of the rod. But for maximum line winding, put the spool off from the rod.
7. Untwist the drag for maximum line winding
Maximization of line winding is the popular technique for long distance casting. To do this, you have to untwist the drag to spool off from the rod and tighten the end of the line by wrapping it around the line tie. It will secure the end of the line, and you can easily put it off.
Then bring hot water into the glass or any container. Then put the spool in it for almost 10 minutes. The hot water will reduce the size of the nylon line and make the capacity to wind more lines on it.
The nylon line fully fits into the spool of the reel. Then put the spool back and rewind the line on it. It helps you make the balanced and smooth spooling of the line on the reel.
8. Put line conditioner
During spooling of a spinning rod, the fly line may loosen from the tip or the reel. Therefore we used the line conditioner for some relevant cases.
Line conditioner is a spray that helps clamp the line from the spool. It tightens the line and prevents it from dropping out of the spool. Line conditioner is not mandatory but will help you tighten the line nicely.
The use of conditioner for some imperative fishing styles gives you remarkable results. Because sometimes the line got slippery, non sticky or sharp enough to perform frictionlessly.
Related: Learn where to use a spinning rod?
9. Tie the end of the spinning rod
After perfectly holding and tightly packing the line, you must put the spool back. The main aim of your spooling is to tie the end of the spinning rod. For this purpose, a few tips help you tirelessly tie the end of the rod.
These are:
- Untie the end of the line from the line tie.
- Put the end into the guides or holes along the rod.
- Tie a lure, weight or hook by making knots.
And thus, you spool a spinning rod in very simple steps and are ready to cast a fish. You grab good results fishing after following all the 9 steps of spooling a spinning rod.
How to select the fishing line for spooling a spinning rod?
The selection of the fishing line is critical when using the spinning rod. The material used in making fishing lines is nylon, mono fluorocarbon, fluorocarbon, and copolymer.
A high-quality fishing line is durable, strong and consistent. It is necessary to check the line capacity for your spinning reel.
The reel diameter and line weights also differ depending on the nature of the fishing rod. So the best way is to match the fishing line with the reel before selecting it.
Find useful blogs on fishingarc.com to learn about ultra, heavy and medium spinning rods and their features and specifications.
Conclusion
Spinning rods are quite famous among anglers and fishermen. They already know how to prepare their rods before going fishing. But beginners face difficulty in learning how to spool a spinning rod.
Many things are necessary to keep in mind before spooling a spinning rod. It includes the line extension, movement of the line, the average capacity of the line, and winding state.
It has various problems, including twisting lines, tangles, jumping off, loops slack, and detaching.
There are minor differences in balancing the line along with holding the reel. You have to practice to become a master in making the best spool and holding the perfect spinning rod in the right direction.
We hope this article will help you learn how to spool a spinning rod step by step and quickly learn from it. We aim to provide you with great assistance regarding spooling a spinning rod and hope it will work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to put a line on a spinning rod?
To put a line on a spinning rod, you must make a loop of the line for impactful results. For this method, you have to pinch the line so tightly. You can relate it just like making the shoelaces for your daily routine. It will help you make the perfect loop and easily put the line on a spinning rod.
How to spool a spinning reel with a braid?
There is a tip that helps you spool a spinning reel with braid, and that is,
When you close the bail, make tension on a reel and wind the line. The monofilament backing grips the reel and prevents the braid from slipping. Then tie a leader or hook on the edge of the line, which will help you spool a reel with a braid.
How to spool a spinning reel without line twists or tangles?
When you spool a spinning rod, you must make a slow pressure on the spool side. Make the line tight and close the bail appropriately or timely. Maximize the line by putting it into the water and making extensive tension between the line and the rod. It will help you in making a reel without line twists or tangles.
How to re-spool a spinning reel?
To re-spool a spinning reel, you must take care of the tangles, extra loops or winged lines. For this method, you must use the thumb to tightly grip the line and prevent the reel from tangling. When the reel is filled accurately, press the thumb and check the tension of the line.
How can you easily spool a spinning rod?
You can easily spool a spinning rod without any discomfort or line tangling. You have to confidently hold the line, tight the line, put the average line, move the reel handle and tie the end of the spinning rod. By doing these steps, you successfully and easily spool a spinning rod.