Spooling Braid On Baitcaster

[JDJ]

I haven't used braid yet, but I'm about to give it a try on a baitcaster.  I hear from others that the braid needs to be spooled on as tight as possible to help avoid digging in.  My question is, on the first cast isn't the braid going to get re-spooled less tightly with "normal" line tension?  How does the initial tight spooling help if the line loosens on the spool at the first cast?

[TorqueConverter]

That braid spool advice given to you sounds like hogwash.  If you're trying to mitigate line dig in then a good 8 carrier #30 or in the case of 4 carrier braids, a #50, is as small as you want to go.   

 

 

[gulfcaptain]

You want it tight yes.  You will want to put a backing on it....fill it up a quarter of the way with some 12 or 15lb mono for it to ride on and grip.  Put the spool on the floor with a screwdriver through the middle and between your feet, make sure you put a cheap rag or towel....area rug for the spool to ride on.  use the pressure of holding it between your feet and pushing down on the floor to give you tension. If it feels too hard to reel, let up a bit and fill.  Once full, add a couple squirts of KVD line conditioner and you're good to go.  When you fish, say you flip or pitch a lot, every so often make a longer cast to straighten up the braid.  It's not that big a deal to put it on.  And the line size is your choice, I've fished 15lb pp on casting rods.  But then I've been comfortable using 6lb on them for quite a long time so the smaller dia doesn't bother me as most ( I did a pole) fish braid in the size dia they are used to in Mono or FC.  Oh, and back your drag off a bit to substitue the lack of line stretch.

[papajoe222]

spooling it tight will help to elininate the line digging in.  Yes, it may respool looser while fishing, but that first good sized fish or a snag will be the only reminder you need that the tighter the line is on the spool, the less chance it has of digging in.   My first cast after either of those scenarios almost always results in a backlash due to this happening. Then again, I only use 30lb. with a diameter of .010 in. do that is also a possible contributor.

[JDJ]

You want it tight yes.  You will want to put a backing on it....fill it up a quarter of the way with some 12 or 15lb mono for it to ride on and grip.  Put the spool on the floor with a screwdriver through the middle and between your feet, make sure you put a cheap rag or towel....area rug for the spool to ride on.  use the pressure of holding it between your feet and pushing down on the floor to give you tension. If it feels too hard to reel, let up a bit and fill.  Once full, add a couple squirts of KVD line conditioner and you're good to go.  When you fish, say you flip or pitch a lot, every so often make a longer cast to straighten up the braid.  It's not that big a deal to put it on.  And the line size is your choice, I've fished 15lb pp on casting rods.  But then I've been comfortable using 6lb on them for quite a long time so the smaller dia doesn't bother me as most ( I did a pole) fish braid in the size dia they are used to in Mono or FC.  Oh, and back your drag off a bit to substitue the lack of line stretch.

Thanks for the good info gulfcaptain, but my question relates to your first statement about a tight line.  Why spool the line initially any tighter than it would re-spool after a cast?  Aaron Martens claims in a BR video that it should be spooled tight enough so that you can't get a fingernail between the line coils.

[rippin-lips]

My guess is to keep it from digging in while you are spooling it. Dig in have cost me a few lost lures. Especially after pulling a snag free and forgetting to make an easy cast first. Now I just wrap the braid around my pliers a few times.

[gulfcaptain]

My guess is to keep it from digging in while you are spooling it. Dig in have cost me a few lost lures. Especially after pulling a snag free and forgetting to make an easy cast first. Now I just wrap the braid around my pliers a few times.

Bingo.....that's why right there.  If you're winding it on and you can barely turn the handle it's really tight, if you have a good bend in the rod and can feel a good bit of resistance it's still tight.  You don't want it digging in on the first hook up or snag....then go to cast and you and your bait part ways.

[Overrun]

I think your intuition that spooling "as tight as possible" is unnecessary would be correct. You want to apply some tension to the braid when spooling, but this is true with any line type. Unless you reel in every time with this same high tension, I can't see how any benefit would be preserved past the first cast.

[roadwarrior]

Let's get together, I have some braided line you can try.

I really don't think spooling should be all that technical.

Fill half the spool with cheap mono, the rest with braid.

If the reel has a shallow spool put on less backing.

 

 

 

[BrianinMD]

The idea of spooling tight is to keep it from digging in, yes the line that goes out in the cast will loosen up. However, its the line which is not out in the cast which remains tight making it harder for the irritating digging in. Larger, round (not flat), braid will also reduce this occurrence.

[JDJ]

Let's get together, I have some braided line you can try.

I really don't think spooling should be all that technical.

Fill half the spool with cheap mono, the rest with braid.

If the reel has a shallow spool put on less backing.

 

Thanks much Kent.  I have some Suffix 832 40 lb that I'm going to play around with (which is on clearance at the Collierville Wally-World btw).  I agree with you - was just wondering why some argue that braid should be spooled with a torque wrench.  Thanks!

 

 

[JDJ]

The idea of spooling tight is to keep it from digging in, yes the line that goes out in the cast will loosen up. However, its the line which is not out in the cast which remains tight making it harder for the irritating digging in. Larger, round (not flat), braid will also reduce this occurrence.

 

That makes sense -- thank you.

[WIGuide]

The idea of spooling tight is to keep it from digging in, yes the line that goes out in the cast will loosen up. However, its the line which is not out in the cast which remains tight making it harder for the irritating digging in. Larger, round (not flat), braid will also reduce this occurrence.

this x2 you can think of it sort of like a foundation, If you don't spool the bottom part of your spool tight enough the line will almost collapse down farther making the line dig deeper into the spool. If you do spool it tighter it won't deform when the line hits it and allows it to lay on top. You don't have to have it ridiculously tight but don't just free spool it on there otherwise you're asking for trouble. 

[gulfcaptain]

Why do some think it's complicated when it's really not.

[roadwarrior]

 

Thanks much Kent.  I have some Suffix 832 40 lb that I'm going to play around with (which is on clearance at the Collierville Wally-World btw).  I agree with you - was just wondering why some argue that braid should be spooled with a torque wrench.  Thanks!

 

 

The Sufix 832 is a fine braid, I am sure you will like the line. Oddly, that was exactly waht I was going to give you!

[JDJ]

Why do some think it's complicated when it's really not.

Hence my question. Thank you and all for your responses!