First Time Baitcaster...how Much Line Do I Put On?

[bucketmouthbeatdown]

Bought a BPS Pro Qualifier 4.7:1 baitcaster and the spool is listed it can hold 12lb@150 yards...I am in Ultra Clear water and was going to use 8lb mono.

 

How much do I put on so I do not have issues?

[bassin is addicting]

this is what i found to help me the most..when 1st learning a BC.....concerning backlashes/birdnests..

 

this i would definitely recommend...at least  IMO...

i would spool it full as you would normally.  and then walk out about 50 yards of line, put a small piece of white medical tape across the spool, then reel in the 50 yards....that way the backlash will only go that deep.

 

i own 2 BP PQ's...since the PQ has 2 sets of brakes, i would put 1/2 of the brakes on the inside set and then put the outside brakes at 8 to start.  that is just to get you started on the brake setting.....work from there....

 

others may have a better way for them....that worked for me

[Missourifishin]

I've heard to fill the spool until it's about 1/16 of an inch from the outer edge of the spool. But I think most people will advise you to go heavier than 8 pound mono.

[The Pennsylvania Kid]

Fill the spool as fully as you could roughly 1/8 of an inch from the top of the spool......When I first learned a baitcaster I practiced in a parking lot for a couple hours a day....you really have to develop a feel for it and its all about the thumb...and what I mean by that you gotta develop a good thumb to feather the spool on every cast and stop it once it hits the water.....You could use the tape method but this is just my opinion that method is not going to make you any better because you'll never develop the coordination with your thumb....Your first time using it use cheaper mono because your going to backlash it...and its all part of learning everyone has it happen to them at one time or another. Another suggestion I can give you is throw a lure that weighs at least 3/8 oz the lighter you go and weightless soft plastics can be difficult to cast if your just starting out. Lastly you cant whip it like you would a spinning setup your cast has to be a fluid motion allowing the rod to throw the bait and do most of the work. Practice Practice Practice and you'll love your baitcaster, don't get frustrated with it and be patient with time you'll be just as good as the next person... I put a link at the bottom of this page that will help you get a backlash out its a really good easy method that works majority of the time.

 

[motodmast]

8lb line might be a bit small for a BC reel. i would bump up to 10-12lb fluorocarbon. the line is almost invisible underwater

[Mike2841]

8lb line might be a bit small for a BC reel. i would bump up to 10-12lb fluorocarbon. the line is almost invisible underwater

That's some expensive line to learn on, I'd stick with mono for now. When I was learning I was cutting out backlashes left and right

[bassin is addicting]

i started wih 12lb Berkley big game mono.  i found a 1lb spool on sale for $12.  i definitley wouldn't recommend learning with FC.

[frantzracing0]

Fill the spool as fully as you could roughly 1/8 of an inch from the top of the spool......When I first learned a baitcaster I practiced in a parking lot for a couple hours a day....you really have to develop a feel for it and its all about the thumb...and what I mean by that you gotta develop a good thumb to feather the spool on every cast and stop it once it hits the water.....You could use the tape method but this is just my opinion that method is not going to make you any better because you'll never develop the coordination with your thumb....Your first time using it use cheaper mono because your going to backlash it...and its all part of learning everyone has it happen to them at one time or another. Another suggestion I can give you is throw a lure that weighs at least 3/8 oz the lighter you go and weightless soft plastics can be difficult to cast if your just starting out. Lastly you cant whip it like you would a spinning setup your cast has to be a fluid motion allowing the rod to throw the bait and do most of the work. Practice Practice Practice and you'll love your baitcaster, don't get frustrated with it and be patient with time you'll be just as good as the next person... I put a link at the bottom of this page that will help you get a backlash out its a really good easy method that works majority of the time.

 

 

 

The advice that was given about using the tape is not so you dont have to feather and stop the spool, its so that when you do birdnest as a beginer (and trust me, you will lol) the birdsnest will only be so deep. No beginer is going to be throwing a lure out there 50 yards to where the tape stops the line going out for them.

[Raul]

I´d start with the cheapest nylon you can get, fill until you have reached 1/8 of an inch of the spool top, set your brakes and ..... pretty son you´ll learn why I recomended the cheapest nylon you could get.

 

It took me 4 or 5 spools of line to start casting without backlashing, nowdays I still have some really good backlashes but that´s because I´m soo good that I have the cast control and the braking system down to a mínimum.

[Fishes in trees]

To echo the other posters, there is a learning curve to bait casting reels.  I'd lead off mono for a while, until I got the hang of it.  I don't know if I'd go with the cheapest though, cheap mono is gnarly and often difficult to work with.

As far as how far do you fill it, that is up to you.   Me, I fill mine up to the top for reels that I'm using reaction baits on, (cranks, chatter baits, spinnerbaits)

 

When I do this I'm looking for as much distance as possible and I know I'm taking the chance that a back lash will happen.  For  "feel" baits like jigs & soft plastics I don't go quite a full, I leave between 1/8 and 1/16 of an inch below being completely full.

 

Have fun figuring it out.

[tholmes]

i started wih 12lb Berkley big game mono.  i found a 1lb spool on sale for $12.  i definitley wouldn't recommend learning with FC.

 

^ This is what I would do also. Normal price on Trilne Big Game is <$10.00 for a 1/4 lb. spool. That's way better than cutting through $$ worth of flouro line while you're learning.

 

Tom

[The Pennsylvania Kid]

 

Fill the spool as fully as you could roughly 1/8 of an inch from the top of the spool......When I first learned a baitcaster I practiced in a parking lot for a couple hours a day....you really have to develop a feel for it and its all about the thumb...and what I mean by that you gotta develop a good thumb to feather the spool on every cast and stop it once it hits the water.....You could use the tape method but this is just my opinion that method is not going to make you any better because you'll never develop the coordination with your thumb....Your first time using it use cheaper mono because your going to backlash it...and its all part of learning everyone has it happen to them at one time or another. Another suggestion I can give you is throw a lure that weighs at least 3/8 oz the lighter you go and weightless soft plastics can be difficult to cast if your just starting out. Lastly you cant whip it like you would a spinning setup your cast has to be a fluid motion allowing the rod to throw the bait and do most of the work. Practice Practice Practice and you'll love your baitcaster, don't get frustrated with it and be patient with time you'll be just as good as the next person... I put a link at the bottom of this page that will help you get a backlash out its a really good easy method that works majority of the time.

 

 

 

The advice that was given about using the tape is not so you dont have to feather and stop the spool, its so that when you do birdnest as a beginer (and trust me, you will lol) the birdsnest will only be so deep. No beginer is going to be throwing a lure out there 50 yards to where the tape stops the line going out for them.

 I'm not saying using tape is wrong or your wrong in any way......also again as I stated in my post it is simply my opinion about putting tape on.

[Hattrick7]

I think you're gonna be getting frustrated with 8# on a BC.I think that # test is better suited for a spinning reel. I would recommend starting with 12# mono like sufix elite.

When I first started on a BC I went to about 1/16 full and found that the more its spooled the easier to backlash. So I would go 1/8 tops and maybe a little less just to get the hang of it.

I hear fluoro is almost invisible in the water and you can always just tie on a leader if the bass are line shy with mono.

[hatrix]

I think pretty much all reels have a mark on them for max fill line. It is usually a different color and is about 1/16" from the top. The only issue with a full spool if it makes it heavier so it is easier to backlash in my experience.

[new2BC4bass]

I've got 6# mono on at least 2 reels.  Many of my reels that go on Medium power rods carry 8# mono.  I don't think pound test is critical to learn on although I wouldn't start with something like 20#.  12# is a good place to start.  Use a soft mono.  I like Sufix Elite, but Trilene XL is another soft line as is Sunline Super Natural.  Big Game is alright as long as it doesn't sit too long.  I personally think it has too much memory when not used on a regular basis.

 

Most all instructions that come with new reels tell you to fill either 1/16 or 1/8 inch from the spool lip.  It probably does help with backlashes.  All my reels get filled to the lip.  It will increase casting distance and IPT on the retrieve.

 

150 yards of 12# translates to a lot of #8 line.  Personally when in the same situation I will fill part way with a heavier line so I don't  use up a 300 yd. spool on one reel.  I'd rather spool 2 reels with that 300 yd. filler spool.    150 yards is probably twice what you need for bass fishing.

 

Good luck with your new baitcaster.  They are a lot of fun to use.  So much so that I seldom use a spinning reel any more.

 

EDIT: When I say to the lip, I mean to where the bevel starts.

[RipSomeLips]

I have always read 1/8 inch and 10lb minimum for a baitcaster. This has worked well for me in the past.

[Choporoz]

... I put a link at the bottom of this page that will help you get a backlash out its a really good easy method that works majority of the time.

Great video.  Thank you.  Educational.  And entertaining.  I learned something valuable.  The ducks and spitting were a bonus!  still lol