The fishing experience requires a lot more than baiting your hook, casting, and waiting to make a dream fish. It begins with proper preparations. Chief among the steps involved in preparation is putting the line on the reel, which can make or break your fishing experience.
If you get it right, you will enjoy the best fishing experience ever. But if you get it wrong, spooling and unspooling will overshadow the entire process, and you will want nothing. So how do you put a line on your spincast reel?
To put your line on the spincast reel, you will need to open the cover, remove your old line if you have any, and tie your new one. It is as simple as that but at times a bit confusing.
This article explains this procedure in detail to help you enjoy your fishing next time you decide to use a spincast reel. Here is how to do it!
The Process
Step One: Unscrew the reel cover
Spin cast reels come with closed faces. So you will need to unscrew the cover to open it wide. Instead of screws, some reels come with notches and pins to hold the covers in place.
Step Two: Remove the Old Line
If you are using a brand new, never used reel, ignore this step. But if you are attaching a fishing line to an already used reel, you will have to remove the old, used line first. There are two ways to do this, depending on your objectives.
The inner part of an old fishing line is still usable. So may opt to keep and tie it to the new line. In this scenario, pull out only the length you want to replace, then cut it at the desired point.
If you completely replace your old line, pull it all out and undo the knot to get it off.
Step Three: Tie The New Line
This method depends on what you did above, whether you left a section of the old line or tie a completely new one.
If you are to tie an entirely new line or use a brand new reel, pass the line through the hole on your reel’s cover from the rod’s end. Using a rod guide makes this step simpler. It involves running the line from the rod’s tip toward the handle and then doing an arbor knot at the reel.
For the second option, tying your new line to an old one, create two clinch knots or one nail knot to join the two lines.
Step Four: Put the Cover Back
The last step is replacing the reel cover by putting the pin back or re-screwing it in place. You can remove the reel cover again if you want to check whether you have attained your spool capacity.
Step Five: Reel the New Line
This is a necessary step to ensure that your line is correctly coming off the spool the same way it enters the reel. It ensures that you do not have a twisted line which is a crucial factor for its strength.
First, take out your filler spool, then lay it on the floor. Hold the line tight with one hand and reel it on the reel with the other. Hold the line with your thumb and index finger, applying tension and winding it up on the reel.
It is crucial to maintain some tension on your line as you reel to ensure it remains tight. Otherwise, the line might catch itself and lead to casting issues.
Try to maintain about an extra 1/8 of the spools once you complete, adding the line onto the reel. Doing this ensures that the line doesn’t slip off as you fish.
Step Six: Cut the excess
Once you have enough length on the spool, proceed and cut the excess. Pick a point past the smallest eye on the rod for this. Leave some length that you will use to tie on the hooks, snap or lure.
Store the unused line safely, away from sun rays, to preserve its quality for future use. Once done, you can pack your gear and head out for a fishing experience.
Things to Keep in Mind When Putting a Fishing Line On a Spincast Reel
Pick the Best Fishing Line
Choosing the best line among fluorocarbon line, braided, copolymer, and monofilament lines can be tricky, especially for beginners. The line you choose will largely depend on the type of water you want to fish in and the type of bait you will use.
Monofilament lines are excellent if you are going to use live bait. You can also use them with jigs and floating baits. Their straight, single strands add some stretch.
Braided lines are the most common ones, made of two or more single strands to make one. These fishing lines are relatively heavier and slow in sinking. Braided lines are more visible, and you must cast them with care. Apart from that, they provide a great casting distance.
The fluorocarbon line is a bit thin and much more reactive to light. Fish won’t easily spot them, making them a perfect choice if you go fishing in shallow, calm, and crystal-clear water.
Copolymers’ fishing lines rank better than most lines when it comes to strength, visibility, stretch castability, and knot strength. You won’t lose your line in water regardless of the size of the fish you are targeting. They are also one of the best for long-distance casting.
Have a Small Notch On the Packaging
When cutting the line from the packaging, make a small notch on the packaging. Doing this will help you keep the other end of your line secure and prevent the line from unwinding as you put it on the tackle box.
Always Maintain the Tension
This is one of the most crucial factors when putting your line on a reel. You can achieve this by holding the fishing line with your thumb and forefinger of your free hand. Failing to maintain tension may cause the line to overwrap.
It is also important to note that tension will vary depending on the line you are using. For instance, a nylon filament line requires less tension than micro-filament or braided lines.
You Can Always Start with a Tape
Sometimes, especially if you are a beginner, you might be struggling to wind the line around the spool. You can always avoid this by putting a small piece of masking tape in the well before tying the knot. It gives the line something to cling to.
What Is the Difference Between a Spinning Reel and Spincast Reel?
Most people tend to confuse spinning reels with spin-casting reels. You must learn to distinguish between the two if you want to get the best gear.
They have unique pros and cons that will determine how you use them. Depending on your preferences, the choice you make here may make or break your fishing experience. Here is how to tell them apart;
Spinning Reel
Spinning is the more popular and more complicated of the two. It is also more efficient and durable.
The reel has an open-face design and a drag adjustment on top. It also has a metal bail that locks the fishing line, preventing it from spooling. The bail is crucial as it guides the directs the lines back onto the pool.
Spinning reels attach the rod from underneath, providing a natural holding position and giving an angler a perfect balance when casting.
Casting with this reel is easy as you only need to disengage the bail and then use your index figure to squeeze the line against the rod to stop it from unspooling. After that, swing the rod and release the index figure halfway through the motion.
Spincast Reel
The Spincast reel is arguably the simplest reel to use. It has the most basic design, making it an excellent choice for both beginners and veterans. They are less popular than spinning reels but still do a perfect job if you get your hands on one.
A Spincast reel has a metal nose cone that houses all the crucial components. It also has a button on the back that toggles the lines between locked and free spools.
Another distinguishing factor is that Spincast reels apply the drag adjustment mechanism. The mechanism will allow you to select the amount of resistance your catch will feel as it pulls on your line. You will find the drag on the side of your Spincast reel next to its handle.
When it comes to casting, Spincast reels are also a simpler option. It only involves pressing the spool control button, taking your swing, and releasing the button. The line will then fly out toward where your rod tip points. You can always stop the line whenever you want by pressing the button again.
Bottom Line
The steps above provide the simplest method you can use to put your fishing line on a spincast reel. Some people, even the most experienced anglers, tend to confuse Spincast and spinning reels.
We explained what makes the two unique from each other. We hope that after reading this article, you won’t shy away from using your spincast reel.
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