Is backing actually necessary?

[Ryan N]

I use half a spool of cheap mono to braid main line, I've been doing this since but It makes me wonder, isn't the majority of what I have spooled (Mono) wasted weight? I'm concerned in terms of BFS, you want the lightest spool weight possible so having a backing makes no sense.

Having a full spool means your gear ratio means what it means, but I have a high gear ratio so I can sacrifice a bit of speed for an easier casting experience. What are your thoughts?

[WRB]

No reason to add the weight of mono line.

If the BSF shallow spool has holes to tie the braid to so it doesn’t slip no problem.

Tom

 

[Zcoker]

Probably won't make bit of difference in casting. Only thing I can think of when going half and half is to save on the braid. Then, again, need to know how far the cast will take off the spool before the braid/mono connection shows. I don't take that chance. I load up all my reels with the line used, which is strait braid. No issues yet. 

[gim]

Cabela's puts cheap mono backing under my braided line on all my reels, no charge.  Every spring when I bring my reels in to get respooled, spinning and bait casters.

 

I think the issue is that you need something to prevent slippage on the spool isn't it?  I've heard of people using tape instead of backing.

[bulldog1935]

20 yds of 25-lb mono backing on a deep spool is lighter weight than an extra 200 yards of 20-lb braid because there is more air space in the mono stack.  

 

That said, on shallow BFS spools, no reason to back with mono, unless you just want a few wraps for your arbor knot.  

Covered on a recent thread.  

 

[Functional]

For braid I dont use backing. I tie it to a lightening hole or knot and electrical tape 2 wraps and go. I usually wear out half the spool and then do some transfers and put it back on used end first to get twice the use out of it. 

 

Mono and Co-Poly I just go straight on and use until the spool looks too low and then respool.

 

Floro I use backing to get 2 spools worth out of a typical package of floro. 

[WRB]

1 hour ago, bulldog1935 said:

20 yds of 25-lb mono backing on a deep spool is lighter weight than an extra 200 yards of 20-lb braid because there is more air space in the mono stack.  

 

That said, on shallow BFS spools, no reason to back with mono, unless you just want a few wraps for your arbor knot.  

Covered on a recent thread.  

 

Kapton Tape

[Ryan N]

Thanks for sharing everyone. I almost forgot that the mono backing is used to grip onto the spool if you don't have any spool holes. So maybe just a couple of turns of that would suffice.

 

To clarify, I meant filling the spool with braid only as much as your maximum casting distance, not filling the spool the entire way, to reduce weight for BFS.

 

[WackyWormNedRig]

When I first started fishing, I didn’t back my braid. It was slipping and I thought it was my reel. I was so mad but my buddy caught it and told me about it loll. I was about to toss my reel

[PBBrandon]

I put enough mono backing on my braid to just cover the spool and stop from slipping. The rest is straight braid and I’ll throw a 7’ fluoro leader on if the water is clear. Braid stays good for a long time so the price doesn’t bother me

[Delaware Valley Tackle]

3 hours ago, Ryan N said:

Thanks for sharing everyone. I almost forgot that the mono backing is used to grip onto the spool if you don't have any spool holes. So maybe just a couple of turns of that would suffice.

 

To clarify, I meant filling the spool with braid only as much as your maximum casting distance, not filling the spool the entire way, to reduce weight for BFS.

 

Always fill the spool for max casting performance 

[dodgeguy]

Get a shallow spool reel.i haven't used backing since drilled spools came out.

[padlin]

I’ve been using a mono backer to save a couple $ on braid, I’m under the impression that we’re supposed to fill the reel. I don’t have any shallow spools.

[FishTank]

I like using 5lb fluorocarbon on most of my BFS reels but I do have one setup know with Sunline Almight and a leader. I've really liked it so far. I don't use backing on my BFS reels. I've found with these light lines even the best machine drilled holes can cut it when you try to tie the line.  So I use tape. 

 

Another thing I learned is to take the spool out and tie the line on. I do a three loop over hand knot going one direction and then tie the same knot going the opposite direction, followed by a small piece of tape over the knot.

 

 

[woolleyfooley]

22 hours ago, Delaware Valley Tackle said:

Always fill the spool for max casting performance 

So using a backing line is a bad idea? I’ve been using 12lb mono as backing on all my reels. Even on reels that use fluoro. I use 25lb tatsu on one of my reels and that stuff is expensive! I don’t want to fill the whole spool with it.

 

Does it really make that much of a difference? 

[WRB]

In general backing saves money allowing a top shot of line you use.

The OP question is specific to BSF casting reel with shallow spool designed for small diameter low capacity line. The OP concern is adding weight by adding backing. The answer is fill the spool with the braid you plan to fish with.

Tom

[lettuceBEEcereal]

On 8/29/2024 at 4:40 PM, Ryan N said:

Thanks for sharing everyone. I almost forgot that the mono backing is used to grip onto the spool if you don't have any spool holes. So maybe just a couple of turns of that would suffice.

 

To clarify, I meant filling the spool with braid only as much as your maximum casting distance, not filling the spool the entire way, to reduce weight for BFS.

 

It depends on how light you're trying to cast.

 

Actual BFS, 3+ grams, fill the spool. Reddit BFS (ultra-light casting), sub 3 grams, minimal line.

[ike8120]

I don't use any backing, if spool is not braid ready may put some tape on the spool so the braid doesn't slip.

[Bigbox99]

1 hour ago, lettuceBEEcereal said:

Reddit BFS

I'm stealing this 

[new2BC4bass]

On 8/30/2024 at 8:39 PM, WRB said:

In general backing saves money allowing a top shot of line you use.

The OP question is specific to BSF casting reel with shallow spool designed for small diameter low capacity line. The OP concern is adding weight by adding backing. The answer is fill the spool with the braid you plan to fish with.

Tom

I missed (or ignored) the BFS part.  As bulldog1935 told me when I went to buy shallow spools...and dodgeguy stated above...I will use the holes to tie braid to the spool.

 

As for deep spools, backing is 100% necessary with expensive lines (for me).  Maybe I'm being a bit too frugal, but I don't see me ever spooling 125/135 yards of braid or fluorocarbon on a spool.

[Ryan N]

6 hours ago, new2BC4bass said:

I missed (or ignored) the BFS part.  As bulldog1935 told me when I went to buy shallow spools...and dodgeguy stated above...I will use the holes to tie braid to the spool.

 

As for deep spools, backing is 100% necessary with expensive lines (for me).  Maybe I'm being a bit too frugal, but I don't see me ever spooling 125/135 yards of braid or fluorocarbon on a spool.

Apparently, a full spool of braid is lighter than a spool of half backing and braid, but at that point, distance and backlash is negligible and it's probably best to get a shallow spool, which is what I'm going to do.

On 8/29/2024 at 8:18 PM, dodgeguy said:

Get a shallow spool reel.i haven't used backing since drilled spools came out.

I'm just trying to be a cheapskate lol. But I know getting a shallow spool is the only way

[papajoe222]

I don't see the need for backing on a BFS reel. IMO, the spool's line capacity, even for thin diameter line doesn't warrant the little you'd save using backing.

[Ryan N]

35 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

I don't see the need for backing on a BFS reel. IMO, the spool's line capacity, even for thin diameter line doesn't warrant the little you'd save using backing.

Yeah on a BFS reel, you can get away with a full spool of your favorite line. But for your standard deep spools is a different story

[new2BC4bass]

36 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

I don't see the need for backing on a BFS reel. IMO, the spool's line capacity, even for thin diameter line doesn't warrant the little you'd save using backing.

^^^^^^

Agree.  If I put a little backing on a shallow spool, what would I use the remaining 25 yards for that's left over from a 100m spool of line?  That is the spool size I bought on closeout.  Haven't changed my spools out yet, but supposedly the size line I bought just fills the shallow spools.  I really wouldn't want to splice lines on such shallow spools.

[dodgeguy]

I just use my full spools that are low to fill my shallow spools