It is in your best interest to learn the correct way to spool your spinning reel since it can lead to line twists and short casts when you string the reel incorrectly. Many beginner fishermen struggle with the spools and find spooling an open-faced spinning reel tricky and almost undoable.
The first step in spooling a spinning reel is to gather the necessary materials. You can then open the bail to attach the line to the spool. After you’ve spooled the line, close the bail to ensure it’s secure. After that, you must fill the spool and cut the line.
No matter how great the spinning outfit is, it will not work well if the line is not spooled correctly onto the reel. Anything can go wrong during a fishing trip, so it’s best to prepare your equipment accurately.
How To Spool An Open-Face Spinning Reel
You must follow the correct steps when spooling an open-face spinning reel. While the process is relatively easy, it can be difficult when you are doing it for the first time. You must ensure your line is loaded onto the reel properly and avoid getting any knots or tangles in the fishing line.
Step 1: Gather The Correct Materials
Gathering the correct materials is the first step to spooling your open-face spinning reel. You will need the open-face spinning reel you want to spool, a pair of scissors, and a spool of fishing line. Make sure you use the correct fishing line to suit your next trip.
Step 2: Open The Bail Of Your Reel
You must flip the bail of the reel open before you start spooling. The bail is a metal arm on the spinning reel that opens and closes. The arm will hold and release the fishing line. Opening the bail will allow you to quickly wind the line onto the reel and come off the spool more freely.
Step 3: Attach Your Line To The Spool
Next, you need to take the end of your fishing line and thread it through the first line guide on the rod. Then, you must tie the line to the reel spool using an arbor or another knot. Make sure that the knot doesn’t slip.
To tie an arbor knot, make a loop at the end of the line, pass the loop around the spool, and tie a simple overhand knot with the loop at the tag end of the line. Next, tie an overhand knot in the tag end of the line to prevent it from slipping through the first knot. Make sure you trim any excess line from the tag end.
Step 4: Close The Bail
After securely attaching the line to the spool, you can flip the metal arm and close the bail. After this, your line will be securely in place. Your line won’t unwind as you wind it onto the spool this way when you cast it during a fishing trip.
Step 5: Apply Tension To Your Line
After you have closed the bail, you should apply pressure to your line. You can hold the spool of the fishing line in one hand while adding light tension to the line with your fingers. Rotate the reel handle to wind the line onto the spool as you do so. You should maintain consistent tension on your line as you wind it onto the spool.
You can prevent tangles and knots when the pressure remains the same while you wind. The tension will also help the line lay evenly on your spool. This step is essential to ensure the line will be perfect in the final result.
Step 6: Fill The Spool
You should continue winding the line onto the spool until it’s filled to the desired level. Overfilling the spool can cause problems when you cast your line, so don’t overfill it. The golden rule is to fill your spool up to 1/8 inch from the top lip of the spool.
Step 7: Cut The Line
Once you fill the spool to the desired level, you can cut the line with scissors, only leaving a few inches of line to tie on your lure or bait. After this step, you are finished and can pack up and enjoy your next fishing trip with a perfectly spooled open-face fishing reel.
Tips For Spooling An Open-Face Spinning Reel
You must know how to spool your open-faced spinning reel to cast evenly and retrieve your line correctly. You can use many tips and tricks to help you do the task correctly. Here are a few tips you can use to spool your reel:
Choose the right line – Choose a fishing line appropriate for the fishing style and species you want to catch. You should also make sure the line weight matches the recommended weight for your reel
Check the line condition – Before spooling, make sure the line is in perfect condition. Any damage, kinks, and frays can cause problems
Line up the spool and reel – Ensure the line comes off the spool in the same direction as you wind it onto the reel. It will help prevent any line twists and tangles
Wind line evenly – Guide the line evenly across the spool when you wind it by moving the rod tip back and forth. It will help prevent the line from piling up in a spot
Avoid overfilling the spool – You should avoid excessively filling the spool since it can cause your line to come off the spool during casting
Test the drag – After you have spooled, you should set the drag on your reel to the appropriate settings. You should set the drag so that it takes a moderate amount of force to pull off the line
Conclusion
The first step to spool a spinning reel is gathering the needed material. You can then open the bail to attach the line to the spool. After you have spooled the line, you can close the bail to make sure the line is secure. The last steps are applying tension to test the line and filling the spool. Finally, you must cut the remaining line and only leave a few inches for a leader or bait.
Frank was born in Zimbabwe and developed a love for the outdoors in this wild African country. His interest in fishing began fishing for various bass species in the waters surrounding his hometown.
After moving to South Africa, his fishing interests broadened to include surf angling, and fishing for bass, perch, carp, catfish and others in the many fishing spots around the country. Trout fishing in the highland streams is a seasonal favorite. Fishing gear and trying new techniques is a particular interest for this angling enthusiast.
