Bad Line Or User Error?

[TheycallmeBob]

I bought some Suffix Elite 14# Hi-Vis at Cabela's a few weeks ago on sale for $4.99.  I have used their line before on a smaller test and had no problems.  I went to put the line on my reel today and noticed it was twisting up while I was putting it on the reel, and as soon as I let it go, it started jumping off of the spool and coiling up like a Slinky.  I'm still pretty new at this, but I have loaded a few reels and never had this issue.  The reel rotates clockwise, I made sure it was coming off of the spool clockwise.  Do you think it's user error somehow, or the "sale" was actually a clearance to get rid of really old line?  The pic below is how it looked after it removed itself from my reel.

[Marty]

 

The reel rotates clockwise, I made sure it was coming off of the spool clockwise.  Do you think it's user error somehow,

 

Sorry, but if I am interpreting your post correctly, it's user error. The line should come off the supply spool counterclockwise. The basic theory is that when line goes on your reel, it makes a clockwise twist. So you have the line coming off the supply spool counterclockwise to offset the twist on the reel so the line goes on the reel straight (it's not fully straight because of differences in spool sizes and the like). I'm assuming that you're looking at the front of the reel when you say it goes on clockwise. On the other hand, I've never seen a reel which rotates any other way.

 

You didn't ask, but 14# is pretty big line for a spinning reel. If the line is pretty limp and your reel has a large spool you might get away with it; otherwise you could run into some problems.

[Tuckahoe Joe]

I just bought some Suffix Siege on clearance and it spooled up fine.  Maybe you over-filled your spool?  I've had this problem before and I can sympathize with you that its a real pain in the ass.

 

Here's a good video for putting line on a spinning reel and it offers a helpful tip or 2 that some people may not have heard.

 

 

 

 

And btw, awesome avatar pic...Homer fighting General Sherman...classic!

[TheycallmeBob]

Sorry, but if I am interpreting your post correctly, it's user error. The line should come off the supply spool counterclockwise. The basic theory is that when line goes on your reel, it makes a clockwise twist. So you have the line coming off the supply spool counterclockwise to offset the twist on the reel so the line goes on the reel straight (it's not fully straight because of differences in spool sizes and the like). I'm assuming that you're looking at the front of the reel when you say it goes on clockwise. On the other hand, I've never seen a reel which rotates any other way.

 

You didn't ask, but 14# is pretty big line for a spinning reel. If the line is pretty limp and your reel has a large spool you might get away with it; otherwise you could run into some problems.

I have watched some videos (including here) on spooling, and they all say to make sure that the line needs to come off the spool the same way it comes off the reel. So holding my rod as if I am casting (like in the video), it spins clockwise, so I make sure it is coming off the spool clockwise. I even double checked the video to make sure that is what they did. I may honestly be misunderstanding it, because what you are saying always seemed to make more sense to me, but I trusted the videos.

 

As for the line weight, my rod says between 10 and 20# test, so I figured 14 would be a good size to go.  20# seemed way to big.

 

Thanks for the help, being a noob can be tough, and this site has given me a lot of great information.

[frogflogger]

Unless you're using a saltwater size spinning reel - 14 is pushing the limit for a spinning reel - if you still want to try it, throw the spool in a bucket of water and wind it on and see if that makes it better. But you're gonna have some issues no matter how you wind it on.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

When they say the line comes off the filler spool the same way, they mean the line is coiled the same way it will go onto the reel spool. 14# mono on a spinning reel smaller than a 4000 size will be a handful too. The alternative spooling method is to put the filler on a spindle with some pressure to take slack out and make sure the line is coming off the bottom of the filler spool (top for baitcasters). 

[Marty]

 

I have watched some videos (including here) on spooling, and they all say to make sure that the line needs to come off the spool the same way it comes off the reel. So holding my rod as if I am casting (like in the video), it spins clockwise, so I make sure it is coming off the spool clockwise

 

Saying the line needs to come off the supply spool the same way it goes on the reel is correct as long as it is understood that you are looking from the rod butt, i.e., the back of the reel. When you say you're holding the rod as if you were casting, it sounds like you're looking at the back of the reel, in which case the bail would be spinning counterclockwise.

 

I hate to sound arrogant, but I stand 100% by my original post.

[Blues19]

shouldnt the line come off the bottom of the spool when putting it on  a spinning reel?  i think i heard that somewhere. honestly, over the past 5-6 years I tie the line on the spool and just let the spool run wherever it wants, cause normally I am alone and dont have a place to put the spool.  I have only had something like that happen once, and I believe it was a bad spool cause my cousin tried it a few weeks later on the same spool and it was junked.  Anyway, at least it was cheap line, right?  You will get better as you get into it more

[Tywithay]

shouldnt the line come off the bottom of the spool when putting it on  a spinning reel?  i think i heard that somewhere. honestly, over the past 5-6 years I tie the line on the spool and just let the spool run wherever it wants, cause normally I am alone and dont have a place to put the spool.  I have only had something like that happen once, and I believe it was a bad spool cause my cousin tried it a few weeks later on the same spool and it was junked.  Anyway, at least it was cheap line, right?  You will get better as you get into it more

Depends on the manufacturer and how they put it on the spool. You can't just make a blanket statement like "off the bottom," because it could be top or bottom.

 

If you put the line on the spool the same way it comes off the spool, it's going to fly off the spool. You want it to come off the filler spool the same way it goes on the reel, that way the line kind of hugs the spool.

[SirSnookalot]

Sounds like the issue is coiling and not whether the line is loaded onto the reel correctly.  On bass size spinning reel 14# is pretty heavy, I would probably go with 8#.  Soaking the filler spool in warm water before you spool up will reduce or eliminate coiling.  Once the line is spooled up I make a point of trolling the line out before I fish with it. Coiling and twist are 2 different issues, twist will happen with spinning gear as the line is being wrapped around a fixed spool every time you reel in.

[ww2farmer]

Hey..........I give you credit for at least thinking it could be user error (which IMHO, it is) far too many people in this day and age have somethng go wrong and blame everything else. About 80% of the "experts" on here after something like that happens would start a post saying how the reel or the line is junk. BTW, I agree with the above posters, 14lb is a little much for a bass size spinning reel, I run braid, but when I did use Mono and/or Fluoro. 10lb was as big of line as I would use. With braid, I have used up to 30lb with no issues.

[Tim Kelly]

Over the years I've tried to get the spooling spinning reels thing right many times. Tried letting the line come off the side of the spool in both directions and it still ends up twisted. I find that putting a pencil through the center of the spool and loading it like you would a baitcaster is by far the best way. I think lines are spooled better now and are less springy generally, so that, combined with the twistbuster type line rollers makes spooling directly the best option.

 

14lb on a spinning reel is going to be a challenge in other ways though.