The spinning reel is highly revered among fishing reels, however, it can present specific obstacles when you attempt to connect a fishing line to it. Common issues during this operation often include line twists and the sticking of an incorrectly proportioned line to a spinning reel.
However, the good news is that with a little effort and understanding, putting a fishing line onto your spinning reel, whether it’s a new one, or you are replacing a worn-out line, the techniques are the same.
Related read: 12 Best Fishing Reels – 2021 Reviews
Quick tip
If you are using a medium spinning reel, while you fish larger than around 12 pounds, you should go for a braid when it comes to your fishing line. It will help to prevent the line from slipping in this situation.
How Do I Put My Fishing Line onto a Spinning Reel?
Now we will look at the techniques for putting the fishing line on using easy and simple steps. It might be easier to do this with another person to help you, for the first few times. But you will soon get the hang of it and you will need to learn how to do it by yourself eventually.
Attach the spinning reel to your fishing rod
It’s a lot easier to attach your fishing line to the spinning reel if that reel is already attached to your fishing pole, so that should be the first step in your approach. Once done you can move on to the next step.
Pass Your Fishing Line Through the Main Rod Guide
Get your fishing line and take it from the spool it arrives on. Pull the line towards your spinning reel and pass it through the main rod guide. This is the largest line guide on the fishing rod.
Open Your Spinning Reel Bail
Don’t forget you need the bail to be open, as this is a common mistake made by people. If you attach the line before opening the bail you will have to start all over again, so remember you need to open that bail before the line is attached to your spinning spool.
Finally, Attach Your Fishing Line
The actual tying of the line is simple. You can now wrap your line around your spool twice before securing it with a knot. You will need to trim off the end after the knot has been tied. If you are replacing an old line you might want to leave a piece on there.
If you wish to, just tie the two lines together with a knot. This technique could save some money as it will take less fishing line to complete the spool.
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Wind the Line into the Spinning Reel
Once the knots are secured you need to close the bail before doing anything else. Then you can start using the crank to wind the line onto your spinning reel. But don’t get carried away, you need to stop after a few turns and carry out the next step, before continuing.
Check if Your Line is in the Right Place
When you run your fishing line you need to make sure it is oriented correctly so that you can avoid ending up with any line twists. There are a few tips you can follow to avoid this problem:
Don’t run the line directly straight in the way you would for a bait caster fishing rod. You need to have the spool face pointing towards your body.
Try standing up and holding your fishing rod parallel with the ground. Then, put the spool on the floor and start winding the reel. When you have wound it around ten times, observe the line on the ground before lowering the fishing rod.
As you do this, either the loose remaining line will just lie on the ground in loops, or the loops will start to twist around on top of each other. If that happens, turn your spool over and do it again. If it doesn’t work, you might need to start again.
You need to get to the point where you can turn the reel around nine times and still have a relaxed line on the ground, then you know you have no twists, then you can continue.
Related read: Guide to the Best Baitcaster Reels in 2021
Continue Winding the Reel
Next, you can continue winding the reel to fill it up with the line. The best way to do this is to stand up and hold the rod parallel to the floor. Wind the spool and keep cranking until the line comes up and you have around an eighth of an inch from the spool edge.
Close the Line Off
Now you are ready to close the line and then you need to make sure you pass it through all the other guides on the fishing rod.
Prepare Your Lure
Once you have finished putting the fishing line onto your spinning reel you are ready for the final step in the process which is to choose which lure you are going to use and tie it onto your line. Now you are ready to go fishing.
Conclusion
Putting a fishing line onto your spinning reel is a relatively simple process and will become easier to do with the more practice you have. It might take help from another person to start with but in due course, it will be something you can do routinely yourself.
As long as you avoid the most common mistakes and make sure there are no twists in the line, you can’t go far wrong.
