Loading Line; By Hand Or With Winder?

[Dan:]

Which do you prefer and why?

[Long Mike]

With baitcasters I use the Berkley winder. With the spinning reels the spool goes on the floor and I do it by hand. Much l.ess line twist.

[Fishes in trees]

With baitcasters, I prefer to use my Berkley line winder. With spinning, sometimes I use the winder and sometimes I use other methods. Whatever method I use with spinning gear, every so often I'm going to drag all the line off the reel while I'm in the boat and then re-wind it, that seems to work the best.

One of these days, when I get a spare 3 c-notes, and I'm suffering from low self -esteem and a lack of common sense, I'm going to get one of those cyclone electric line winders, I don't know why, just to have one I guess.

[grimlin]

Spooling station. It's so much quicker.

That berkley spooling station is the best $20 I've ever spent.

I like to spray a few dabs of KVD line conditioner as I'm winding the line on.The spooling stations makes it much more easier to do so.

[Grey Wolf]

By hand.

[SirSnookalot]

hand

[tholmes]

Completely by hand on spinning reels. On baitcasters, the only tools I use is a big ol' pole barn nail and my bench vise. I never saw the need for anything else.

Tom

[bigbassctchr101]

I put the round 600+ yds of line spools in my boot, then run it thru a heavy book. With spinning reels, I just try to get the line on there, because I will walk it all out later so all the twist goes out the end.

[J Francho]

By hand. Especially for bait casters, I can do a better job of laying the line on the spool than the line guide. It always ends up bulking on onside, or gets a hump in the middle.

[Dan:]

Next question; are there advantages to spooling with a machine vs. by hand? (other than speed)

[SirSnookalot]

Next question; are there advantages to spooling with a machine vs. by hand? (other than speed)

In one aspect I think by hand is better. If getting a spinning reeled spooled at a tackle shop generally the spool is removed from the reel and placed on a spindle then fed onto the spool perfectly level wound. By spooling by hand you will know instantly if the spool loads top or bottom heavy (uneven), requiring a shim. Machine loaded will not show this imperfection until you're out fishing. I hope I explained it well.

For my b/c which does not have level wind a machine at a tackle shop does a better job.

[J Francho]

Next question; are there advantages to spooling with a machine vs. by hand? (other than speed)

In the long run it's less overhead for a retail operation, or any business that needs to spool up reels.

[APK62]

For Baitcasters I used the Berkely spooling station, never had any issues with this. On spinning I also used the spooling station, but turn the bar that holds the spool 90 degrees so that the line comes off the face of the spool. Berkely in there instructions are clear on how to load a spinning reel, I made a call and was told to turn the bar 90 degrees. Yes, spooling by hand is easy. I usually walk the line out and stretch it a bit, little KVD and all set to go.

[SoFlaBassAddict]

By hand for all of my reels, both fresh and salt.

[WanderLust]

By hand for spinning and casting... Over the years I've worked out my own system for each reel and line type.

[fishingkidPA]

by hand

[kbkindle]

by hand

If you listen to Doug Hannon ( The bass professor ) lay spool on floor with the paper side up (something to do with they way the spool is wound at the factory) Never do it with the pencile in hole deal for spinning reels. I use Berkley xl mono clear/ flour line 8 LB for most of my plastics. I have tryed flouracarbon on spinning reel, never again , on baitcasting ok .After loading line on reel i go outside and tie line to tree and take about 40 ft off reel and streach out the line and then another 40 ft do the same thing. I have yet to pull tree out of ground ha

[boystcroix]

I've used a spooling station at a retail tackle shop for about 25 years and I believe it is the best way to spool line on a reel. With a spinning reel the spool is removed and the line is put on straight from the bulk spool to the reel spool , it does not twist going on. Also the line can be spooled tight and even . ( I do see the point about shimming though) With a baitcaster the machine just makes it quicker. By the way it the line starts to stack to one side you hold the line to the opposite side for a few spool revolutions till it straightens back up.

[Dan:]

^Help me understand why a spooling machine reduces the line twist or spools the line any tighter or more evenly than by hand

[J Francho]

With a spinning reel the spool is removed and the line is put on straight from the bulk spool to the reel spool , it does not twist going on.

And then twists on the first cast, as line pays off the reel.

[NBR]

Spinning by hand with new spool of line on the floor. After a few cranks check for twist and if there flip the line spool over.

Bait casting with a Berkley Spooling Station. I agree that it can tend to pile up line in one position or another. I compensated by guiding the line with a finger. Then I found that the condition corrected itself when fishing.

Advantages are only that it speeds up the process.

[Bankbeater]

I run the line through a couple of big phone books to keep up the tension.

[boystcroix]

^Help me understand why a spooling machine reduces the line twist or spools the line any tighter or more evenly than by hand

It doesn't reduce line twist it just doesn't twist it when putting it on the spool in the first place, I guess it doesn't put it on any tighter but it sure is alot easier to keep a good amount of tension on the line without having to use books or whatever.