Backing On A Spinning Reel

[JigMouth]

ordered some 6 pound tatsu for a spinning reel. Would it be a good idea to fill uo some mono on a good bit of the spool so i can get maybe 2 rounds out of the spool of line? If so how much should i use and what pound test. Thanks

[desmobob]

Funny you should ask that....

 

I just filled up a UL size spinning reel for the upcoming ice fishing season.  I wanted to use 4 lb. Fireline Crystal, which I only had a partial spool of.  I figured the best way to figure out exactly how much backing I needed was to put the Fireline on first, then fill the spool with backing until it was perfectly full, then take all the line off and put it back on with the backing first.  Clever, huh?

 

Well, I put on the Fireline, then filled the spool the rest of the way with 6lb. test mono.  Good.  Then I thought about what I'd transfer the line to... another reel?  ...a large empty spool?  Then it hit me.  If I take it off the new reel and put it on another one, or a empty spool, it would still come OFF the other reel or spool with the Fireline first and backing last!   Doh!!!

 

I ended up outside in the yard, walking out line until the reel was empty so I could cut it, then go back to the other end and put it back on.  Thank God it was a low-capacity ultralight reel or I would have had quite a project.

 

Unless, of course, there is an obvious and easy way to do this that I didn't think of....

 

Anyway, to the OP, I would use a similar or slightly stronger test line for the backing.  The odds of a fish getting you down into the backing is pretty slim, so it probably isn't too critical what you use.  Very slim odds you'll be casting far enough to get into, also.  As for exactly how much to use, I would advise against using my clever method.  

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[k3bass]

Funny you should ask that....

 

I just filled up a UL size spinning reel for the upcoming ice fishing season.  I wanted to use 4 lb. Fireline Crystal, which I only had a partial spool of.  I figured the best way to figure out exactly how much backing I needed was to put the Fireline on first, then fill the spool with backing until it was perfectly full, then take all the line off and put it back on with the backing first.  Clever, huh?

 

Well, I put on the Fireline, then filled the spool the rest of the way with 6lb. test mono.  Good.  Then I thought about what I'd transfer the line to... another reel?  ...a large empty spool?  Then it hit me.  If I take it off the new reel and put it on another one, or a empty spool, it would still come OFF the other reel or spool with the Fireline first and backing last!   Doh!!!

 

I ended up outside in the yard, walking out line until the reel was empty so I could cut it, then go back to the other end and put it back on.  Thank God it was a low-capacity ultralight reel or I would have had quite a project.

 

Unless, of course, there is an obvious and easy way to do this that I didn't think of....

 

Anyway, to the OP, I would use a similar or slightly stronger test line for the backing.  The odds of a fish getting you down into the backing is pretty slim, so it probably isn't too critical what you use.  Very slim odds you'll be casting far enough to get into, also.  As for exactly how much to use, I would advise against using my clever method.  

 

Tight lines,

Bob

Why not just use 2 empty reels plus the one you are spooling? Reel the backing on to one and cut it off at the knot. Then reel your mainline on to the other. Then back on to the reel you're spooling in the right order.

[desmobob]

Why not just use 2 empty reels plus the one you are spooling? Reel the backing on to one and cut it off at the knot. Then reel your mainline on to the other. Then back on to the reel you're spooling in the right order.

 

Because I wasn't clever enough to think of that?  Yup... that's why!  

 

 

Tight lines,

Bob

[PatrickKnight]

I back all of my spinning reels. I use spinning much more than I use casting and I use braid on my spinning reels so I back them to keep the braid from slipping. I dont back my casting reels because the line I use is not as expensive as the braid I put on my spinning tackle but if I ever put something like Tatsu on a casting reel I would back it just to save on cost. The braid I use ranges from 10-20 lb and I back with 8 lb Stren original for no other reason than I got a unused 2400 yard spool of it for 10 bucks at a garage sale. As for how much I think a lot of that depends on the target fish species since I take several trips to Florida each year I only put about 50 feet or so of backing and put the rest with braid. If I was going with 6 lb line for bass I think 40-50 yards of the Tatsu would be enough and the rest backing.

[kcdinkerz]

I try to use the same diameter filler as the main line. Just fill it up full with filler and go make a cast the cut off 10 to 20 extra feet and spool on my main line. If you don't have the same diameter lines just compensate by adding or removing filler line. Smaller main line equals more filler, bigger main line = less filler, hope that gives you an idea.

[new2BC4bass]

I often use backing on both spinning and baitcast reels.  I can't see using a whole 300 yd filler spool of 6# line (even if it is low cost) when I can lay down a base with 12# mono and have enough 6# to finish filling 3 or 4 reels.  75-100 yards of 6# is more than enough for any bass I'll ever catch.

[MickD]

Be sure to use enough of the working line to fully bury the line to line knot so it doesn't interfere with the casting.  Double unis, if that's what you use, can leave a significant lump.  The double slave reel is the best way to get it right, and it's nice to find a use for some of the old reels we used to use.  I think casting reels are the best because you can do the middle transfers without worrying about inducing twist.  Reel the lines on normally, take it to the first reel by taking it off normally, with the bail open, move it to the second caster, then reel it normally back onto the original spin spool.  That gives one off, one on with the same spinning reel and should be the most reliable way to avoid twisting.

 

I don't know that using spin reels for the temporary storage would induce twist, but not all of my spinning reels recommend spooling the same way.  And it seems like they could induce twist.