Electrical Tape For Backing?

[Smokinal]

Anyone else do this? It sounds kinda ghetto but I've been doing it for 20 years and it works great. The width is perfect for almost all spools; spinning and baitcasting. Then I only have to put on maybe 75 yds of braid and it lasts forever. I've tried mono backing etc... and see no weight or casting difference between the two. Just wondering why there are so many threads about backing; what to use, how much, why this, why that. Just use tape and tie right around it.

Thoughts?

[RyanFishing]

I use something like that. I fill a reel all the way with one type of line and I make as far of a cast that I can with the heaviest thing I will be using on that rod. Then I put a strip of electrical tape where the cast ended on the spool. Then when I need to replace the line I just go a few feet under the tape and retire to there and put the tape back on to know where I need to respool the next time. It works great and I'm only switching the line I need for making casts.

[Josh Smith]

That much electrical tape will make the spool pretty heavy. I used to use it to start the line, but then I took some years off fishing. When I came back and went to re-spool, I found that the electrician's tape had reacted with the mono I'd put on there and became goo.

Now, it did take a number of years for this reaction to take place, but it still happened. Now I tie mono directly to the spool and use it to back braid.

Josh

[Darren.]

I used a tiny piece, only about ¼ of an inch

wide, on one of my reels to have something

for braid to spool on. Other reels I have mono

backing, or straight braid.

 

But I agree with Josh, too much weight to use

a few wraps as backing. At least for me it would

be.

 

Obviously it works for you, so why not use what

works, eh? It's all good.

[Big C]

I never use backing, I have never felt the need to.  Electrical tape is a good idea, but why do people use backing in the first place?  I just grab the line I want to use, spool it on, and call it a day.  What are the benefits to using it?

[Darren.]

I never use backing, I have never felt the need to.  Electrical tape is a good idea, but why do people use backing in the first place?  I just grab the line I want to use, spool it on, and call it a day.  What are the benefits to using it?

 

 

For me, it's a money saver.

 

By adding backing, I save on how much

braid I put on - like leaving enough for another

spool, or something like that.

 

That's my usual M.O. but since I bought a

1500 yard spool of PP SS8 over the summer

I've spooled my 1000 Stradics with straight

braid (or with a tiny piece of tape).

[PourMyOwn]

I never use backing, I have never felt the need to.  Electrical tape is a good idea, but why do people use backing in the first place?  I just grab the line I want to use, spool it on, and call it a day.  What are the benefits to using it?

I have had braid not "bite" into the spool before. Mono backing fixed that issue, and I used a half as much braid.

[Raul]

I hate glue, electrician´s tape has glue, therefore I hate electrician´s tape.

[rippin-lips]

I never use backing, I have never felt the need to. Electrical tape is a good idea, but why do people use backing in the first place? I just grab the line I want to use, spool it on, and call it a day. What are the benefits to using it?

When you buy a $40 spool of fluoro it's nice to be able to spool more than 1 reel with it. A 200 yard spool of line will do 3 reels for me. You aren't making casts over 50 yards. So the rest is just wasted good line. Also braid is known to slip on the spool. Backing solves that issue too. I use 2 wraps of electrical tape on my spools that don't hold much line. It lets the braid bite in so you don't have to worry about any backing or slipping.

[S Hovanec]

What are the benefits to using it?

Cause 300 yds of braid on a reel is a waste when 50 yards will do the trick. I can spool 6 reels with a spool of Powerpro by using mono backing.

[desmobob]

When you buy a $40 spool of fluoro it's nice to be able to spool more than 1 reel with it. A 200 yard spool of line will do 3 reels for me. You aren't making casts over 50 yards. So the rest is just wasted good line. Also braid is known to slip on the spool. Backing solves that issue too. I use 2 wraps of electrical tape on my spools that don't hold much line. It lets the braid bite in so you don't have to worry about any backing or slipping.

 

+1 ^

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[FryDog62]

I bought a Lew's spinning reel a few years back and it came with a thick rubber band that serves like backing.  Its a slick idea, anyone else have one of these?  Would be great to put on all my other reels but how would you find the right rubber band to fit snug on different spool sizes various manufacturers make?  

[J Francho]

Ghetto?  I call it "an elegant solution."

[Troutline]

On 11/9/2015 at 10:17 AM, FryDog62 said:

I bought a Lew's spinning reel a few years back and it came with a thick rubber band that serves like backing.  Its a slick idea, anyone else have one of these?  Would be great to put on all my other reels but how would you find the right rubber band to fit snug on different spool sizes various manufacturers make?  

Maybe a crosscut piece from a bicycle tire tube would work.  

[MidwestBassAttack]

I use plain old masking tape. Tie my knot to the spool, tuck the knot into one of the spool holes, tape over, keep tension on the tape while winding, strip of tape goes one revolution around, then tight tension on my line. Never had an issue with slippage or uneven line spooling. Do this on all my bait casters.

 

Spinning reel gets mono-backing though.

[QED]

Cork bicycle handlebar tape might work well in this application.

[DINK WHISPERER]

Mono backing only for me. 

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, DINK WHISPERER said:

Mono backing only for me. 

Same here - spinning or casting, I use cheap mono to back my main line.

[gim]

I took 6 reels into Cabelas last week to be respooled on their electric tornado line winder. They were done in 25 minutes, no charge for backing or respooling, no line twist.

[IneedAnewScreenName-98161861]

I do one lap on the spool with electrical tape, tie my line to the spool then one small piece of tape over the knot and then spool it all the way up. 

 

I totally get why people put mono backings on I'm just too lazy. Never had an issue but I'm also just fishing for fun so I don't need to be as detailed as some.

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

There’s no need for tape backing on any it braid. All you need is a strip so the braid has some traction and won’t slip. Mono backing saves on expensive mainline that will never see the light of day as Scott H pointed out. 

[zpelletier]

I’m far from an expert on this. I use cheap mono for a backing, I’ve found spools on clearance at Walmart for $3. But IMHO as an electrician, I wouldn’t want to use electrical tape. Countless times I’ve seen electrical tape turn into a nasty gooey mess, especially when exposed to the elements, and more often than not it leaves behind a sticky black residue. 

[Deleted account]

On 3/18/2022 at 8:30 PM, QED said:

Cork bicycle handlebar tape might work well in this application.

Only Cinelli in the Italian flag color though...

 

[WC53]

Plumbers tape over electrical tape, or before tightening the arbor knot, twist it over spool a couple times

 

 

[FishTank]

No tape for me. I use old filler spools of whatever I have left over to back my reels.