Joining Braided Lines....

[Bass newb]

I probably didn't put enough of the braid spool on my baitcaster and now when I cast it goes to the end of the spool on my reel. How should this be fixed? Should I remove all remaining line and start over or should I just add some more with a double fishermans knot? 30 lb braided on my 7'med heavy carbonlite/pro qualifier set up fyi. Very happy with it all so far.

Thanks.

-it took several weeks of use before the line got this short.

[ABW]

You could take it all off, add mono backing, and then spool the braid back on.

[Bass newb]

You could take it all off, add mono backing, and then spool the braid back on.

Then when I cast far, some of the line lying on the water would be mono and other braided. Is that alright? What test strength mono should I use? 30 or higher?

[flyfisher]

if you are casting out all the braid, adding more backer or braid isn't going to solve your problem.  Sounds like you put too much backing on or didn't fill out the spool with braid enough.  If it was me i would take off a good 20 yards of the backing and respool with braid.  Now if your spool wasn't full then you could just leave the backing you had and put some new braid on there and fill it up more.  

 

No matter what the situation is, i wouldn't add more braid via a knot connection.   Just chalk it up as a learning opportunity and go from there.

[hatrix]

If you filled the spool from what it is at now would you hit the connection knot? If so then just strip off some of the braid on there and add more. There is nothing wrong with using braid for backing. I have a few reels with braod backing and it has advantages over mono ect with it being lighter. You spool starts up with less effort and makes casting lighter stuff easier.

[Bass newb]

I never used backing to begin with. I used part of a 150 yard spool. I would guess that I initially put on 70 to 90 yards of braid to start with. I still have a bit left on the original spider wire spool. I put as much on as the "old pro" that i know recommended.

[rippin-lips]

If you are reaching your spool connecting knot on a cast then you don't have nearly enough line on the reel.

[Bass newb]

If you are reaching your spool connecting knot on a cast then you don't have nearly enough line on the reel.

No kidding, ya don't say?

That's the question that I am asking what the best solution is.

[deaknh03]

2 solutions..#1.take the braid off, put backing on, tie backing to braid you took off,respool old braid..full spool. #2. Take old braid off,refill with new braid.

[MickD]

This doesn't seem all that complicated.  Casting the knot through the guides is not going to work.  Therefore, the solution is to get that knot deeper into the spool so it doesn't go through the guides on casting..  Most of the solutions proposed do this in one way or another.

[OkobojiEagle]

"Penny wise, pound foolish"...

 

Buy another spool of line and put it all on your reel. 

 

 

oe

[Choporoz]

90 yards should be plenty.  If 90, I suggest backing and you'll be fine.  70 yards might be pushing it.

Do you actually cast to all the way to your knot at the spool?  Or can you just see the spool...or maybe feel like there's not enough line?  I'm curious as to what pound test your braid is.

 

To those above that said he can't just add braid...I'm curious as to why not?....With the 'appropriate' knot....shouldn't be too big for guides....and there are knots that shouldn't slip even braid to braid.

[poisonokie]

No kidding, ya don't say?

That's the question that I am asking what the best solution is.

 

what I find best is to use just enough of a mono backing equal in diameter to my braid to just cover the arbor of the spool. Then double uni knot to the braid and pack it on tightly all the way to the lip of the spool.

 

If you need to spool on more braid do this:

Figure out which part of the line is going to be shorter and tie that one to your backing. That way you're less likely to cast down to your connection to the rest of the braid. Then double uni knot, 8 turns each side, and spool the rest on.

 

The reel on my jig combo is set up like that and I've had zero issues.

[WIGuide]

Just pull it off and put a normal amount of line on your reel. 70-90 yards would be plenty if you didn't retie very often but after your "few weeks of fishing" you've shortened it up enough you're hitting the end. Adding backing in't going to help anything since your main line is too short. Best option put new braid on and fill it just shy of the bevel on the spool. If you don't want to use that much braid, put on some cheap mono backing, but realize eventually you'll run into this problem sooner or later, if you don't use much backing it will be slightly later than earlier, but that's your call. 

[lmbfisherman]

Respool but dont throw away the braid. Put it on your pitching setup. No wasting line.

[WRB]

Just reading this thread and trying to comprehend the problem.

Baitcasting reel, unknown make & model, the rod was identified. We know you have 30 lb braid, about .011 diameter that equal the average 10 lb mono or FC. Most 100 size baitcasting reels hold 120 yards of .011D line and means your reel has less than 50 yards of braid or less than 1/2 full, if no backing line was on the spool.

Solution based on the above;

Pull off all the line until you hit the spool knot, assuming you don't have any backing line.

Re spool about 30 yards of your braid ( about 45 reel handle turns) and cut off the remaining line.

Tie the new braid to the backing braid using a uni to uni knot and trim the ends.

Spool on the new 30 lbs braid until it fills the spool about 1/8" below the spool rim, you should have about 75 yards of new braid or 1/2 of a 150 yd spool.

Tom

[buzzed bait]

agree with Tom's answer in full....

i did basically the exact same thing here recently because i couldn't bring myself to just "throw away" about 60 yards of braid.

[BassThumb]

No kidding, ya don't say?

That's the question that I am asking what the best solution is.

Cut your losses. Respool the reel.

[Acerty]

Another option would be to use the braid as backing and tie on mono. This depends on the total size of the spool capacity actually, plus using braid backing can lighten the spool as well compared to all mono. Easiest fix imo, and results in no lost line until the mono is trash and you decide whether you want to maintain the braid as backing. 

[BassinLou]

Just re-spool with fresh braid. Problem solved. Trying to save the little braid you have left on your spool is futile. Its going to lead to problems especially if the joining knot is hitting those guides. Your asking for break off down the line. Just my .02

[BobP]

If the braid is now too short, how much unused braid remains in the box?  Most braid comes in 150 or 200 yd spools so maybe the best thing to do is take the braid off your reel, put on the correct amount of backing and then spool on a new, longer length of braid from the box.  Duh