How to gauge when to start braid from mono backing?

[fronty]

 

I was going to try braid for the first time, but I don't want to spool the whole reel. I was going to use mono backing. I'm planning on buying a 150 yard spool of braid. How do I know when to start the braid, so I get a full reel? I'm trying to use up the entire 150 yards of braid.

 

[MN Fisher]

First thing to know is how much line the spool will hold.

Two examples from my arsenal...capacities can usually be found on the manufacturers site or selling sites

Fuego-CT - baitcaster

    Mono Capacity: 150/12 120/14 100/16

    Braid Capacity: 210/20 140/30 120/50

President - baitcaster

    Mono Capacity: 145/12 125/14 100/17

    Braid Capacity: 185/20 140/30 100/50

Now you didn't say what pound test you have, so I'm going with 30# braid in the example.

 

Both reels will hold 140 yds of 30# at max, so I'd want to put just under half a spool of mono behind that. Closest in 'fill capacity' is 12#, so instead of 150 yds of that on the Fuego, I'd put 70 yds on, join the mono to the braid and fill the spool the rest of the way. For the President, I'd put on 65 yds, then finish with the other half-spool of braid.

 

It's really trial and error, but that will give you a good starting point. Another thing to look for is the line manufacturer's specs as braid of the same pound-test can have different diameters between brands and that will affect how much backing you put on.

[fronty]

Thank you for the detailed response. I appreciate it.

[LionHeart]

I have 40 yards measured out in my driveway.  I tie one end of mono to one end of where I have measured out then walk the spool to the other end and tie it to the spool on my rod.  I then reel in as I walk.  

 

I now have roughly 80 yards of line capacity remaining on the spool of my reel.  Now I just tie a joining knot between the braid and mono and start reeling.  This usually gives me about 70 yards or so of castable braid.  I can fill two reels and have roughly 10 yards of braid go to waste.  No big deal.

 

I use 12 lb mono and 50 lb braid for this so distance will be different for different size line of course.

[Paul Roberts]

I just decide how deep in the spool at which my reel spool would become "unfishable", that is, the longest cast plus some cushion. I put on backing up until that point -and it's not precise -just the point I don't ever expect to see when I'm bass fishing.

[jbrew73]

Sounds tedious but it’s really not.  I measure off the amount of line I want on my reel and spool it on. Then tie on the backing and fill the spool up. Now pull all the line off and reverse it.  

 

I know exactly how much line is on the reel and don’t have to worry about wasting line or coming up short on a cast.

when it’s time to respool you pull the line off until you get to the knot, retie and spool it back up.  

[CrankFate]

5 hours ago, fronty said:

 

I was going to try braid for the first time, but I don't want to spool the whole reel. I was going to use mono backing. I'm planning on buying a 150 yard spool of braid. How do I know when to start the braid, so I get a full reel? I'm trying to use up the entire 150 yards of braid.

 

Start the braid on the spool. Tie a simple overhand knot in the braid and leave less than 1/2” of a tag end on the braid. Lay the tag end across the spool. Then spool the line onto the reel as tight as possible. It will not slip.  Save the other line for leader material.

[hwright38]

1 hour ago, CrankFate said:

Start the braid on the spool. Tie a simple overhand knot in the braid and leave less than 1/2” of a tag end on the braid. Lay the tag end across the spool. Then spool the line onto the reel as tight as possible. It will not slip.  Save the other line for leader material.

Mono is cheap enough, and you can get away with so little you might as well just tie on a leader length to the spool first if you're spooling with braid. 

[CrankFate]

12 hours ago, hwright38 said:

Mono is cheap enough, and you can get away with so little you might as well just tie on a leader length to the spool first if you're spooling with braid. 

 

[OnthePotomac]

Recommend you get  a line counter.  It takes the guess work out of spooling. They are inexpensive and I have found it to be a huge time saver in spooling on new line. 

[the reel ess]

Meh...I just put a little mroe than half the spool of mono on. The next time you do it and from then on, you'll only need to take the braid off and replace it. I usually get 3 reels worth off a 150 yard spool of braid.

 

Here's a nifty trick. You can reel the used braid off one reel onto another and you'll be using the unused end. It's effectively brand new line. So if you have two reels with old, worn braid, you really only need to spool one with brand new braid.

[hwright38]

@CrankFate Please explain to me how what I said so surprising to you?

[islandbass]

On 5/10/2019 at 4:56 PM, CrankFate said:

Start the braid on the spool. Tie a simple overhand knot in the braid and leave less than 1/2” of a tag end on the braid. Lay the tag end across the spool. Then spool the line onto the reel as tight as possible. It will not slip.  Save the other line for leader material.

I think the look of Jerry is one of confusion and not surprise and you got me a bit puzzled as to why you want the op to start with laying braid on the spool first instead of the backing. This is where you got me. Now if you meant to say mono, I think I see what you’re recommending. Help a brother out! Being unable to visualize this is driving me a bit nutty, lol. 

[Heartland]

I love these threads.   

[Deleted account]

2 hours ago, Heartland said:

I love these threads.   

We used to say " He can make a project out of taking a whiz" only we didn't say whiz...

 

[fishwizzard]

If you want to drive yourself crazy, get a power drill, a foamy paint trim brush, and two empty line spools.  Tie braid on to the reel, add the entire 150y.  Then add mono to fill up the reel.  Now, bounce line to empty spool #1.  Now the mono in on the bottom and the braid is on top.  Now bounce the line to empty spool #2.  Now the braid in on the bottom and the mono is on top.  Now tie the mono onto the reel and crank it all on.  You have a reel with 150y of braid and the exact right amount of backing.   

[CrankFate]

20 hours ago, hwright38 said:

@CrankFate Please explain to me how what I said so surprising to you?

I was just kidding. It wasn’t surprising, though, just unsettling.

16 hours ago, islandbass said:

I think the look of Jerry is one of confusion and not surprise and you got me a bit puzzled as to why you want the op to start with laying braid on the spool first instead of the backing. This is where you got me. Now if you meant to say mono, I think I see what you’re recommending. Help a brother out! Being unable to visualize this is driving me a bit nutty, lol. 

The Tom picture is more like serenity now.

 

all you do is lay 1/4 to 1/2 inch of line horizontally across the spool directly and wind the line over it tightly. Then you don’t need backer line.

[islandbass]

“Ahh, I see,” said the blind mouse. Thanks. 

[hwright38]

On 5/13/2019 at 5:55 AM, CrankFate said:

I was just kidding. It wasn’t surprising, though, just unsettling.

So how was it so unsettling? If anything trusting your way to not slip more than how every other person has been doing it is the unsettling option.

[CrankFate]

Just now, hwright38 said:

So how was it so unsettling? If anything trusting your way to not slip more than how every other person has been doing it is the unsettling option.

If only I owned a media company and could get MLF to take up the cause with a few top pros on the internet:

 

#BraidWontSlip

[hwright38]

1 minute ago, CrankFate said:

If only I owned a media company and could get MLF to take up the cause with a few top pros on the internet:

 

#BraidWontSlip

Signature extremely relevant.

[CrankFate]

19 hours ago, hwright38 said:

Signature extremely relevant.

#StraightBraid