Braid Ready Spinning Reels

[HarryBawlz]

I already have some nice, non-braid ready, spinning reels that I've been using braid on with a mono backing to keep the line from slipping on the spool. Lately I've been looking at braid ready spinning reels but I just don't know if the upgrade is really worth it. I'm just looking to get some opinions. Do you guys think the braid ready reels work well enough to justify spending money to replace some of my older reels or should I save my money and keep putting  a mono backing on my existing reels when using braid?

[Bankc]

Save your money.  I've only had to put mono backing on casting reels.  All of the spinning reels I use with braid seem to do fine without it.  And besides, if the mono backing is working for you, then you don't really gain anything by switching out reels, other than not having to take to time to put mono backing on in the future.  No sense in throwing money at a problem that you don't have.  

[NHBull]

Not sure what you mean by braid ready, but backing doesn't hurt the performance of a spinning set up......If you don't like backing....1 strip of electric tape...tie your arbor knot.....add one wrap of tape to secure....DONE

 

[MN Fisher]

One thing a braid-ready spinner should have is a bearing in the line roller. Very few 'cheap' spinners have it - using a bushing instead of a bearing.

 

One I've found in the budget category is the Mitchell Avocet RZT (not the RZ). Aluminum spool and line-roller bearing. It's out of production as of the end of last year, but you can find them at reasonable prices.

 

I picked up 4 at Scheels when they had them on clearance discount. They still have 2000 size available, but don't know how long.

https://www.scheels.com/p/mitchell-avocet-rzt-reel/8950-1347889-BOX.html

[Finessegenics]

I have braid ready reels and still use a mono backing. There is no need imo to fill up your whole spool with mainline. You’ll never use all the line that you ended up putting on your reel. Though if you do fill up the whole reel, when it’s time to change your line, you can just “flip” the braid. 

[MN Fisher]

Just now, Finessegenics said:

I have braid ready reels and still use a mono backing. There is no need imo to fill up your whole spool with mainline. You’ll never use all the line that you ended up putting on your reel. Though if you do fill up the whole reel, when it’s time to change your line, you can just “flip” the braid. 

Ya - this. Both spinners I'm putting braid on it's just 60-70 yds backfilled with cheap mono.

[ironbjorn]

It would be a waste of money to get braid ready spinning reels when you already have the spinning reels you need. You would be spending more money for something you already have just so you can waste more money by filling a reel completely with braid.

[HarryBawlz]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. You guys confirmed what I was already kinda thinking. Not worth spending the money if what I have works. Happy fishing everyone!

 

[bulldog1935]

late to the party, yes, you need ball bearing line roller with braid.  

But any shallow spool is intended for braid, if you notice JDM, they make a gang of spools for every home market reel - Shimano numbers their spool by braid size and capacity.  

You can't get this quality of line lay on a deep spool with backing, only on a shallow spool made for braid:  

this is a Shimano 1520 spool, 200 m of PE#1.5

Daiwa offers a range of spool depths for their higher-grade models through SLP Works, and if you look at a reel like Luvias, it was intended for braid from go.  

[MN Fisher]

22 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

You can't get this quality of line lay on a deep spool with backing, only on a shallow spool made for braid:  

Refute that with visual evidence - 70yds of 20# Sufix 832 (.009") on top of 100yds of 6#mono (.010") on my RZT-3000...all nice and neat.

 

[bulldog1935]

I see a reverse cone in that line lay.  

I'm sure it will fish fine.  

 

Here's a good flat Shimano result

 

this Tica hour-glassed with backing and braid working line, and it will fish ok

but it got perfect line lay with Tatsu on the other spool - and this is what it was designed and rated for

 

btw, a problem you can get with both hour-glassing and reverse cone line lay, is line digging in at the bottom of the spool with high drag load.  If I'm loading a spool that shows this tendency, every fourth oscillation or so, I'll use the spool drag to add a wind at the spool bottom to help fill the gap.  

Neither Shimano I show in photos will ever have a problem with line dig.  

[MN Fisher]

2 minutes ago, bulldog1935 said:

I see a reverse cone in that line lay.  

I'm sure it will fish fine.  

Ya, next year I'll probably put a shim in it. It is only a $45 reel that I got for $30.