How much braid do you load on top of mono?

[wasabi_VA]

I’m switching numerous spinning reels over to braid and trying to not have small amounts of leftover braid on my reel filler spools. Just feels like wasted money when there is 25 to 50 yards left over that can’t be used to refill a spool. 

 

I have a few 150 yard filler spools to use so was planning to put 75 yards each reel. I literally was going to string all 150 yards out in a field, snip it at the midpoint, then spool it up onto 2 different reels. If I don’t do that i’m Likely to spool up more that 75 yards onto the first reel, then have less on the 2nd reel.

 

I also have a couple 300 yard spools on order. I can walk out 75 to 100 yards and spool it up which will let me at least keep better track of the amount remaining. Guess i’m Hoping someone has a better idea. Thanks 

[MN Fisher]

If you're going to split a spool in half - walking it out is your best bet. To make sure they're the same length, loop the line over a smooth-bark tree branch (ash, poplar or willow) then walk away with the spool and the free end in your hands. When you reach the end of the spool, walk back to the tree and snip - voila, equal lengths.

[Heartland]

[basshtx]

I still don't understand why people do this. Quality braid is so cheap now...

 

If you're worried about backing all you need is 1" of electrical tape on the spool...

[Happybeerbuzz]

I used a laser range finder to find a land mark in my neighbor’s yard that is 70 yards away.  I set the rod down with the filler spool tied to the backing, unspool from the fill spool as I walk to my neighbor’s yard, tie on a 4 oz weight, go back to my rod, and reel.  I use swivel clip just to eliminate any line twist. It takes less than five minutes.

[wasabi_VA]

Mainly interested in the length or amount of line. Is 75 yards a good amount?

[Jig Man]

16 minutes ago, wasabi_VA said:

Mainly interested in the length or amount of line. Is 75 yards a good amount?

I have no idea how far your casts typically go but I would think that would be enough.  I don't really measure mine.  When I put braid on a setup, I put on a practice plug and cast it toward the neighbors driveway.  I go to the plug and walk off 10 more yards.  I go back to the house and cut off the line, tie on the braid and put on what it takes to nicely fill the spool.  This has worked for me since I started using braid close to 20 years ago.

[bayvalle]

You're overthinking this. Doesn't have to be an exact science just judge by how far it fills the spool on the reel. Personally I prefer a very little backing (old mono) and use braid to fill the reel, when the braid gets older reverse it on the reel. I can get many years this way.

[Choporoz]

1 hour ago, wasabi_VA said:

Mainly interested in the length or amount of line. Is 75 yards a good amount?

Yes

[Choporoz]

But....75 yards should be fine for now.  But there's other considerations beyond how far you might normally cast.

1.  Getting near the connecting knot can be a little maddening....whether it's how the line lays on the knot, or worrying if you're getting close to it after a couple months of attrition,  or even if your braid starts 'catching' on the knot tags....even slight nicking during a cast will make you crazy.

2.  Braid can last for years and you can reverse it on the spool after it fades or otherwise seems slightly worn.

 

So, consider putting whole 150 on a reel....or maybe buy line in 100 yard increment spools and spool up 100 at a time.

Knot a recommendation so much as more to think about than just maximum cast distance 

[fin]

Do you use a leader? If you use a lighter weight leader, you could go even shorter than 75 yards. You could go 50. But if you're not using a leader, then every time you break off, you risk having to put on new line. There's always the possibility of wind knots that force you to cut the line. Sometimes it's better to just not use a mono backing at all, and reverse the line after a year or whatever.

 

Another way to measure line is to wrap it around a spool (or something) that has a circumference of one foot, or one yard. A diameter of 11.45916" will give you a circumference of one yard, A diameter of 3.81972" will give you a circumference of one foot. Of course you don't have to be that exact.

[CrankFate]

None. Braid wont slip on the spool. Just leave a tail 1/2 the width of the spool and lay it horizontally across the spool, then spool tightly. This is a problem from generations ago, when spools were completely smooth at the arbor. If the spool has any texture, bumps, grooves or holes on it, do yourself a favor and go commando. 

[HOG727]

Not using backing is wasteful.  Quality braid is expensive to me but may not be expensive for everybody. Seaguar Smackdown is 30.00$ at Tackle Whorehouse for 150 yds.  Using backing saves 15 bucks a reel per year for me.  I can still reverse 75 yards of it.   Aaron Martens uses braid backing as do I.  Theory dictates it's lighter and you can cast further with a lighter spool.  I simply apply a 2 inch strip of painters tape over my knot to keep it smoothed down. This has the added benefit of limiting any backlash to the depth of the tape. I actually use less than 75 yards because I always have backup rod/reels handy and so getting a few yards broke off isn't a factor to me as I'll just grab another reel.  I can't stand fishing a reel that isn't fully spooled anyway.

[OnthePotomac]

I shoot for about 45yds of braid and use my line counter.

[Heartland]

I love the posts that center around this question.  I love the inventive, complicated, time consuming  ways that others come up with for completing such a simple task.

[LionHeart]

I downloaded a distance tracking app on my phone to walk off distance.  Pretty sure it's nowhere near as accurate as a range finder, but it was free, and does the job for me.

 

If you've got a tape measure laying around, just measure it.  That's what I used to do.

 

Come to think of it, just walk off 40 yards.  That's how much backing you should need for a 100 size reel.  Fill the rest with braid and it should be about 75 yards worth.

[CrankFate]

57 minutes ago, Heartland said:

I love the posts that center around this question.  I love the inventive, complicated, time consuming  ways that others come up with for completing such a simple task.

[roadwarrior]

19 minutes ago, CrankFate said:

About half a spool and you DON"T need to measure.

[ike8120]

I got a deal on Power Pro and only have one reel to spool. I got 2 150 yd spools for $11.50 Don't think I will use backing. I will just be spooling it up.

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

7 hours ago, HOG727 said:

Not using backing is wasteful.  Quality braid is expensive to me but may not be expensive for everybody. Seaguar Smackdown is 30.00$ at Tackle Whorehouse for 150 yds.  Using backing saves 15 bucks a reel per year for me.  I can still reverse 75 yards of it.   Aaron Martens uses braid backing as do I.  Theory dictates it's lighter and you can cast further with a lighter spool.  I simply apply a 2 inch strip of painters tape over my knot to keep it smoothed down. This has the added benefit of limiting any backlash to the depth of the tape. I actually use less than 75 yards because I always have backup rod/reels handy and so getting a few yards broke off isn't a factor to me as I'll just grab another reel.  I can't stand fishing a reel that isn't fully spooled anyway.

Thats incorrect. Less line is wasted if a spool is fully filled with braid from the start. 

[Heartland]

1 hour ago, QUAKEnSHAKE said:

Thats incorrect. Less line is wasted if a spool is fully filled with braid from the start. 

Please elaborate....

[kenmitch]

21 hours ago, HOG727 said:

Not using backing is wasteful.  Quality braid is expensive to me but may not be expensive for everybody. Seaguar Smackdown is 30.00$ at Tackle Whorehouse for 150 yds.  Using backing saves 15 bucks a reel per year for me.  I can still reverse 75 yards of it.   Aaron Martens uses braid backing as do I.  Theory dictates it's lighter and you can cast further with a lighter spool.  I simply apply a 2 inch strip of painters tape over my knot to keep it smoothed down. This has the added benefit of limiting any backlash to the depth of the tape. I actually use less than 75 yards because I always have backup rod/reels handy and so getting a few yards broke off isn't a factor to me as I'll just grab another reel.  I can't stand fishing a reel that isn't fully spooled anyway.

I guess the word quality is subjective. Paying $30 for 150 yds of Smackdown braid to most of us would be considered foolish. Most users wouldn't even consider it due to it's price point.

[ChrisD46]

On 1/20/2019 at 3:00 PM, HOG727 said:

Not using backing is wasteful.  Quality braid is expensive to me but may not be expensive for everybody. Seaguar Smackdown is 30.00$ at Tackle Whorehouse for 150 yds.  Using backing saves 15 bucks a reel per year for me.  I can still reverse 75 yards of it.   Aaron Martens uses braid backing as do I.  Theory dictates it's lighter and you can cast further with a lighter spool.  I simply apply a 2 inch strip of painters tape over my knot to keep it smoothed down. This has the added benefit of limiting any backlash to the depth of the tape. I actually use less than 75 yards because I always have backup rod/reels handy and so getting a few yards broke off isn't a factor to me as I'll just grab another reel.  I can't stand fishing a reel that isn't fully spooled anyway.

Good advice for a bait cast reel - A -Mart starts with a few feet of mono  , then cheap braid backing and then finally his preferred main line braid . Supposedly added casting distance due to lighter spool (bait caster) ... For a spinning reel I just eye ball it and spool about 65% ~ 70% with cheap 10 lb. mono then my main line  Power Pro #10 ~ #15 lb. braid and what ever leader - of the - day I'll be using .

[LionHeart]

34 minutes ago, ChrisD46 said:

Good advice for a bait cast reel - A -Mart starts with a few feet of mono  , then cheap braid backing and then finally his preferred main line braid . Supposedly added casting distance due to lighter spool (bait caster) ... For a spinning reel I just eye ball it and spool about 65% ~ 70% with cheap 10 lb. mono then my main line  Power Pro #10 ~ #15 lb. braid and what ever leader - of the - day I'll be using .

When guys talk about adding distance with a baitcaster by bearing changes, using braid instead if mono for backing (which seems hilarious to me), etc., I have to wonder if they have brakes and spool tension completely off.  If not, start there.

 

If your brakes and spool tension are wide open and you still aren't satisfied, use less thumb pressure during the cast.  If your brakes are fully off, spool tension is fully loose, you use no thumb pressure during cast (and you are somehow not getting massive birdnest), and you still aren't casting far enough, there is probably something mechanically wrong with your reel.

 

Not trying to be a wise guy, but claiming that using braid as backing adds casting distance seems extremely silly to me.

[FishDewd]

Keep in mind that spinning reels differ a bit from baitcasting spools, they actually benefit from being filled more than baitcasting ones. Reason between that the spool is stationary and is 90* positioned to the path the line travels. If you put too little on one it'll cost you distance due to the added resistance of traveling over the spool lip. For spinning reels I usually stop a bit below where the lip starts, where the sides of the spool are still flat. Baitcasting reels I stop about 1/8" below top in most cases, but it deeper spools I might stop lower since more line = more diameter = more weight = more force that it takes to get the spool spinning due to inertia. Physics!