How Much Backing

[hooah212002]

How do you guys measure when to stop filling with backing on a spinning reel and when to stop filling the main line? I have noticed that a large part of my woes with my spinning reels is I don't have the sense to stop filling and ALWAYS over fill my reels. I am going to re-spool tonight and I have an outing this weekend so I want to do it right. I do not have a yard or garage as I live in an apartment, so space is limited.

 

Note that I am trying to use as little main line as possible so as to save money. I know some only use backing for braid to stop it from slipping on the reel.

[Marty]

I've always used backing, whether years back when I was using mono or in the last 7-8 years since I've used braid. I've done it enough so that I can eyeball it and spool on enough backing to leave room for the 50-60 yards of braid that I fish with.

 

You can start by measuring the amount of braid you want and spooling it and then fill the rest of the spool with backing, and then reverse it. Or you could just fill the spool with backing to within about 1/4" of the lip and then add the braid to within 1/8" of the lip.

 

You can get a rough measurement of line by knowing how many inches of line your reel retrieves with each turn of the handle and then multiply by the number of turns.

 

Regardless, I buy a 300-yard spool of braid and get 5-6 respoolings out of it.

[hooah212002]

That's basically what I already do, but apparently my eyeball measurements need adjusting lol. I thought there was some trick to measuring it out. Oh well, I'll figure something out.

[derekxec]

line counter? i use full braid but when i have to fill a real that holds 800 yards ill put backing and i usually fill till i think its good and then fill rest with braid....but then i dont have a problem if i have to waste 25 yards or so of braid or if i come up a tiny bit short

[retiredbosn]

What's the ipt (inches per turn) of your reel? Spinning reel I'll assume for now roughly 24" ipt when full, ipt ratings are normally (always) based on a full spool. Then what's the capacity of your spool, ie 120 yds of 8lb, 100 yds 10 lb. For the sake of easy math assume 24 inches per turn and 300 feet of line total, that's 150 revolutions of the handle to fill the reel with 10lb test. Just look up the specs of your reel and figure like that if you're eyeballing is a pain, Although it seems to me that this way would be a much larger pain

[rockchalk06]

Fill the spoon with your backing. Fill it to your desired capacity. Take a plug or your preferred weighted lure and make a good hard cast. Pull out about 20-30 more yards of backing off and cut the line.

Now tie your knot and spool with your braid or fluoro. You now have 20-30 yards more line that you can throw on your above average cast. After a couple times of doing this, you will know just how much to put on.

[SirSnookalot]

I never use backing, putting tape on the spool will eliminate any slippage.  True, initially loading up with braid is a bit more expensive, bass sized reels don't hold that much line. When I need to add line I'm using the braid that's already there as my "backing" and I'll add 75 yds or so, the alberto knot works well.  Some people will just reverse the braid and that works good too.  I prefer about a 1/4" from the lip.

My higher capacity reels also get straight braid, but I do not join lines if I'm running low, I don't take a chance with a joining knot, it's a fresh respool.  I don't throw the good braid away that's left on the reel, if it's 20 or 30# I'll probably use it on an inshore reel, I'm not really wasting too much.

[ww2farmer]

Eyeball system. Like Marty, I have done it long enough now that it works out about the same every time, give or take a few feet. I go 1/3 backing 2/3 braid. With 150 yards of Power Pro on a new spool, I usually get two fill ups to a spool. I re-spool , when on an average cast I am down to the backing, but the backing is not yet "out" in the rod, if you know what I mean. 

[Lazz]

 

You can get a rough measurement of line by knowing how many inches of line your reel retrieves with each turn of the handle and then multiply by the number of turns.

 

Regardless, I buy a 300-yard spool of braid and get 5-6 respoolings out of it.

This is what I do, pretty easy an you end up knowing pretty much exactly what you got on there. That being said...you guys think this over filled...

 

 

[slonezp]

No backing, no problems. 

[aquaholic]

I usually fill the spool with mono backing so that there is at least one full layer of it, then i fill it with braid.

[Marty]

No backing, no problems. 

 

I obviously don't know your experience, but I've never had a problem attributable to using backing.

[ec1]

First off, what size of spinning reel are you trying to fill? And second, what kind of line are you trying to spool up?

 

For bigger sized reels (Shimano 2500+ sizes, Daiwa 2000+, Pflueger 35+ sizes) do not worry about putting up to about 1/4 or even more into the reel as backing. Reasons are, by the time you get down to that spot, your casting distances are greatly reduced to the point you'll feel like respooling anyways.

 

And if you use any braid 20# or less, keep in mind they are really quite thin. I rather respool again half way through the season than putting a ton of line on in the first place. When you put too much braid on, you put yourself in a spot sometimes where there's plenty of braid left, but casting distance is hindered and you need to take off the braid, add more backing and then put the braid back on. It happens to me once in a while, and I much rather just spool some fresh braid on than bother with all these extra steps.

 

And my optimal amount filling seems to be about 1/8" to 3/16" away from the lip. Any more and I find I usually find some way to knot up the first little bit and waste that line within the first few trips of using it. This is also why I am beginning to truly believe that the Japanese people have it done right with shallow spool options.

[Bankbeater]

Another eyeballer here.  I go about 1/2 way up the spool with backing.  I like to have a little extra usable line on the reel just in case.

[retiredbosn]

This is what I do, pretty easy an you end up knowing pretty much exactly what you got on there. That being said...you guys think this over filled...

Under filled, line should go up to the spot where the spool goes from silver to gold. IMO