Spooling braid on a baitcaster

[BrianMDTX]

I am going to spool braid on a baitcaster on a HF rod for frogs and jigs. I will have some 12 lb. YZH as backing line (that’s what is spooled on it now) and will likely use 50 lb. braid (likely Sufix 832 or Seguar Smackdown- haven’t decided yet). My question is, when spooling braid on a BC, do you set the drag down tight and spool it under a lot of tension? 
 

I have 20 lb braid on three spinning reels and have had zero issues with the line digging in, but baitcasters are a little different. How much tension should be on the line when spooling it on?

[Mojo Bass]

I tighten my drag and run the line through my fingers to give it tension as I spool it so it goes on nice and snug. Seems to have worked fine for me ??‍♂️

[roadwarrior]

#30 Smackdown for me.

[BrianMDTX]

6 minutes ago, VanIsleBassSX said:

I tighten my drag and run the line through my fingers to give it tension as I spool it so it goes on nice and snug. Seems to have worked fine for me ??‍♂️

Thanks. I thought it should have decent tension, just wasn’t sure how tight. 

3 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

#30 Smackdown for me.

I’m going to assume no issues with digging in with 30 lb? I like Smackdown. Especially the bright green. 

[Mojo Bass]

11 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

Thanks. I thought it should have decent tension, just wasn’t sure how tight. 

I don’t know how tight I just spool it on “pretty tight” I use 50lb power pro if that helps? I don’t know if that’s the “correct” way to go about it but it hasn’t given me any grief 

[PhishLI]

44 minutes ago, BrianMDTX said:

My question is, when spooling braid on a BC, do you set the drag down tight and spool it under a lot of tension? 

I tighten down the drag and run the line through a thick catalog with some weight on it which causes enough tension and doesn't burn my fingers. Works fine.

[MidwestBassAttack]

I tighten down drag and spool tension as tight as I can. Using my Berkeley spooling station, I saturate a sponge with water, run the line between the folded sponge, push down on the line/sponge, then reel on with my right hand. Gets it packed super tight. I then back off the drag and spool tension to my preferred fishable settings. I have found that “dig-in” with braid can happen as a result of a jerky technique.

[OkobojiEagle]

2 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

do you set the drag down tight and spool it under a lot of tension? 

yes.

 

oe

[newapti5]

I use the other hand fingers to pinch down on the braid line when spooling, as hard as it doesn't burn my fingers. But more or less, the dig-in problem with braid would happen eventually, unless you wind back the line with tight pressure after every cast. The spooling technique is just to make it less serious.

[BrianMDTX]

Ok, so all opinions were likely spot on, but I did use a wet sponge to really hold it under tension without burning my fingers. I had 12 lb YZH on it, and took off yards and left the rest as backing. I just spooled it on last week (it was a year-old spool) and it was so kinky it coiled off like a spring. That’s one thing I like about braid. No Smackdown at Academy, but they had 50 lb Sufix 832 (which I like) so I spooled that one with a 10 lb mono leader. It spooled on great. 
 

Thanks for the tips

[Bird]

I use cheap backing, any line I don't use anymore and spool on braid while pinching with a leather work glove.

[MN Fisher]

1 minute ago, Bird said:

I use cheap backing, any line I don't use anymore and spool on braid while pinching with a leather work glove.

On my casting reels - 10# Big Game is my backer of choice.

Spinning reels - Zebco Cajun 6# - 1800yds for $6.49 at Fleet Farm.

 

Once the braid is tied on and a few turns done to get the knot 'protected' - tighten the drag down, pinch the line with ^ yep...leather gloves, and reel it on.

[king fisher]

      I put braid on two ways.  If it is a reel with large line capacity, I spool the braid on one reel pinching the line with my fingers.  Then put that rod in a holder, tie the line on to the reel I want to fill and use the drag on the first reel to put the line on tight to the reel I want spooled.                                     The other option I use for reels without large capacities is I over fill the reel with braid, and either let all the line out behind a boat with a heavy weight or hard pulling crankbait and reel the line back on tight, or simply walk all of the line off, tie the line to a tree, and reel the line on tight while slowly walking to the tree.          Most of the time with small level wind reels, you don't have to put the line on super tight, but it doesn't hurt.  Big game reels the line should be put on at no less than 6 pounds of drag.   

[BrianMDTX]

I tied on a jig and trailer and went to the pond for a few minutes to see how it casted. I have some brake adjustments to make but it casted well. 
 

[papajoe222]

2 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

No Smackdown at Academy, but they had 50 lb Sufix 832 (which I like) so I spooled that one with a 10 lb mono leader. It spooled on great.

You mentioned frogging and jigging with that H/F rod. I'd go with a 15-20lb. leader for jigs and straight braid for froggin'.  Just color the last foot or so of the line.

[BrianMDTX]

1 hour ago, papajoe222 said:

You mentioned frogging and jigging with that H/F rod. I'd go with a 15-20lb. leader for jigs and straight braid for froggin'.  Just color the last foot or so of the line.

That’s another  great thing about  braid. You can use different leaders or none at all. 

[islandbass]

I just go snug. I see no point in putting it on tighter than necessary.

 

Here is my POV. What’s the point of putting it on so tight when it’s going to being looser than when you put it on after the very first cast and retrieve? It’s wasted effort, lol. ?
 

I usually put my line through a cheap book to manufacture any needed tension. 

[ChrisD46]

22 hours ago, VanIsleBassSX said:

I tighten my drag and run the line through my fingers to give it tension as I spool it so it goes on nice and snug. Seems to have worked fine for me ??‍♂️

*Spool braid tight ! .. I'll also suggest using a minimum braid diameter of .28mm / 0.11" which equates to Power Pro #30 lb. braid to minimize the braid line digging into a bait cast reel . I once used #20 lb. braid however line however digging in resulted in a brand new Berkley Choppo getting broke off  and being sent sailing up in the air on par with weather balloons (the Choppo still hasn't come down yet !)

[bulldog1935]

I usually back deep spools with 20- or 25-lb Ultragreen - keeps loaded spool mass at a minimum, because there's only room for 20- to 25 yds + braid. 

 

For tension, I run it through a phone book with a weight on top to control tension, rod held in a rod holder on a bench.  I can walk away and it keeps enough tension. 

 

 

If you spool/stretch mono/fluoro too tight, you're risking it relaxing and blowing out the spool flange. 

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

There’s no advantage to cranking down the spool tension knob but you could dimple the spacers. As long as you keep slack out of the braid you’re fine. It doesn’t need to be crushingly tight. 

[NavyToad]

Applies as much, or as little tension as I want. 
 

 

[thediscochef]

@Glenn has a great YouTube video on that here:

 

 

I followed the principles here and I've never had issues with dig. I've used strike King 30# (no likey) and a "rikimaru" never fade 8 carrier 20# that I much prefer. You already have a solution marked, I mostly just wanted to post Glenn's video lol

[BrianMDTX]

12 minutes ago, thediscochef said:

@Glenn has a great YouTube video on that here:

 

 

I followed the principles here and I've never had issues with dig. I've used strike King 30# (no likey) and a "rikimaru" never fade 8 carrier 20# that I much prefer. You already have a solution marked, I mostly just wanted to post Glenn's video lol

Thanks. I think I’m good but I’ll look at it regardless. 

[Deleted account]

On 3/23/2022 at 10:23 PM, BrianMDTX said:

That’s another  great thing about  braid. You can use different leaders or none at all. 

TX passed a law banning the use of leaders when fishing with mono and fluoro? 

[FishTank]

9 hours ago, Deleted account said:

TX passed a law banning the use of leaders when fishing with mono and fluoro?