Maximizing 165 yd Fireline

[Fishnwire]

Last year when Crappy Tire had 125 yard spools of Fireline on sale for $15 I bought six of them. This year I wanted to spool up 10 spinning reels with fresh 8 lb test line. I figured about 65 yards (half a factory spool) on each reel would be sufficient for my purposes. I wanted to backline each reel with whatever cheap mono I had laying around, so that when I added the Fireline, I'd spool them with the perfect amount of line on each. I've got about 6 different models of reels...each wiith slightly different size spools (and gear ratios)...the two problems I had to overcome were as follows:

 

1- How do I know exactly how much backline to add to each reel so that the 65 yards of Fireline top off each (different) spool perfectly?

 

2- How do I know when I've added 65 yards of Fireline...leaving another 65 off the same spool for the next reel?

 

Here's what I did.

 

I bought a Rapala line counter at Crappy Tire...it works well if you keep tension on the line running through it. I took the first reel and added 65 yards to its empty spool. I then cut the Fireline (knowing I had approx 65 yards left for the next reel) and spooled up the rest of the reel with mono backline, until I achieved the perfect amount of line on the spool. I then opened the bail on the reel, and reeled up all its line onto an old bait reel I have. I then reeled the line off of the first bait reel and onto a second one, and finally reeled the line back onto the spinning reel...achieving the correct backline-first, Fireline-ontop arrangement. I repeated the process 10 times. I used the 6th spool of Fireline in its entirety on a baitcaster I use mainly for trolling...but employed the same process to ensure it was backfilled correctly.

 

Phew! But like I say, I have perfectly spools reels and was able to get two out of each pack of fireline. I was worried the line would twist with all that spooling and unspooling to different reels, but it seems totally fine. I'm all done now, and I'm really happy with how things turned out.

Edited April 18, 2009 by Fishnwire

[Fishnwire]

 

[xeon]

What exactly are you planning on fishing for with those 10 reels all with 8lb?

[Fishnwire]

What exactly are you planning on fishing for with those 10 reels all with 8lb?

 

 

Almost exclusively smallmouth bass. Occasionally walleye. It's snag central where I go so I like being able to put a rod with a snapped line or broken hook down and just pick up another, rigged and ready to fish. I try to avoid a lot of tying line in the boat. Of course, there are applications where the 8lb is not ideal...but it's generally a good all around compromise in my experience.

 

No, I don't bring ten rods in the boat with me. I have a couple for camp guests and a couple specialty rods I use from shore or the dock or when I bush-whack it into a side lake.

 

I have found that 6lb Fireline, while sufficient for smallies, doesn't hold up against toothy critters like pike and big walleye as reliably as I'd like. They're around a lot of the time, and I find I have a better chance of landing one with 8lb Fireline than I would if I was using smaller FL or mono. The bass don't seem to notice the difference in diameter, especially when a flouro leader is employed.

 

Basically, I'm totally sold on 8lb Fireline. It's obviously not right for everyone in all applications...but works well for how I like to fish. That's why I spooled every spinning reel I own with it.

[xeon]

Almost exclusively smallmouth bass. Occasionally walleye. It's snag central where I go so I like being able to put a rod with a snapped line or broken hook down and just pick up another, rigged and ready to fish. I try to avoid a lot of tying line in the boat. Of course, there are applications where the 8lb is not ideal...but it's generally a good all around compromise in my experience.

 

No, I don't bring ten rods in the boat with me. I have a couple for camp guests and a couple specialty rods I use from shore or the dock or when I bush-whack it into a side lake.

 

I have found that 6lb Fireline, while sufficient for smallies, doesn't hold up against toothy critters like pike and big walleye as reliably as I'd like. They're around a lot of the time, and I find I have a better chance of landing one with 8lb Fireline than I would if I was using smaller FL or mono. The bass don't seem to notice the difference in diameter, especially when a flouro leader is employed.

 

Basically, I'm totally sold on 8lb Fireline. It's obviously not right for everyone in all applications...but works well for how I like to fish. That's why I spooled every spinning reel I own with it.

 

Fair enough. Sudbury area is definitly top notch for small mouth. Ive pulled allot of 19-22 inchers out of some of the water around there.

[holdfast]

WOW a Troop of Spinning Reels formed up on Parade.

 

Spinning REELS ---------- RIHHHHHHHHHT-TURN

 

BY THE LEFT---QUICK MARCH

 

LEFT- RIGHT -LEEEEEEFT-LEFT-RIGHT-LEEEEEFT-BENDS-OUT OF THE ELBOWS-EYES TO THE FRONT-DIG THE HEELS IN-LEFT- RIGHT -LEEEEEEFT-LEFT-RIGHT-LEEEEEFT

 

HALT

 

ADVANCE- LEEEEEEEEFT-TURN

 

BY-THE-RIGHT----------NUMBERS

Edited April 18, 2009 by holdfast

[kemper]

Seems like overkill to me... I would have just spun backing onto all of them then guessed with the fireline?

 

That said, I find that I go thru enough line on my spinning reels that only 65 yards would not last me all summer

[uglyfish]

why not attatch the line counter to the spinning rod and keep track of the backing and fire line as u put them on the reel. would save a lot of time switching between reels and reeling it off one reel to another, would it not?

[Tybo]

When I need to know lengths to put on a reel.

I use a rapala clip on line counter.

[Fishnwire]

Seems like overkill to me... I would have just spun backing onto all of them then guessed with the fireline?

 

That said, I find that I go thru enough line on my spinning reels that only 65 yards would not last me all summer

 

 

 

The whole point was to achieve perfectly spooled reels. Simply adding a full spool's worth of backline minus 65 yrds wouldn't really work because the Fireline is a much smaller diameter and wouldn't fill up the rest of the spool perfectly. I'd have to estimate how much backline to maximize each reel...pain in the butt and I'm bound to have at least one screw-up in ten. Eliminating the guess work was what I was trying for.

 

I could see how 65 yrds of regular mono wouldn't last a season, but we're talking Fireline here. When it breaks it almost always breaks right at the knot...you don't often lose more than a couple of inches at a time. It doesn't fray easily and the flouro leader takes most of the abuse anyway. 65 yrds is plenty for my purposes.

[holdfast]

Off the subject here but I noticed that you have a SpiderCast Reel.

 

Q. Mine seems to be wearing out around the Roller. In other words, the line is cutting into the Graphite plastic that holds the Roller causing line Damage. Do you see any indication of this. I think whats happening is somewhere around the casting to retrieving process the line slips off the roller. Just some history here. This is the first and only reel that I have used SpiderWire line or any other Braided.

Edited April 18, 2009 by holdfast

[Garry2Rs]

I generally buy 300 yard spools when I find a line I like. Then I do basically the same thing. There's a little fiddling to get things set-up the first time but after that you can strip the old line and refill the spool by sight. A bonus with superline is that the inside line is still like new. At the end of the season, or when the outside line starts to show some wear, you can simply strip the old line off, and reverse the ends, to get a second season out of the same line.

 

Holdfast;

Are you closing the bail by hand?

That is recommended with braid, and I see the Pro's on TV doing it with plastic line too.

Garry2rs

[holdfast]

What-- No--- Ive never closed the Bail by hand. All though I see where your coming from. Especially back then.....

[Fishnwire]

No, I haven't had that problem.

 

I usually close my bail by hand.

[wallyboss]

I would add half of mono to try to save some of the expensive fireline on a baitcasting reel but not on a spinning reel. That small knot that you will have to make to tie the 2 lines together will always be catching the line when you will be casting out. Use the whole spool and then use 6 ft of Fluoro at the end and then that is all you will have to replace during the summer. The fireline will last you years this way.

[Fishnwire]

I would add half of mono to try to save some of the expensive fireline on a baitcasting reel but not on a spinning reel. That small knot that you will have to make to tie the 2 lines together will always be catching the line when you will be casting out. Use the whole spool and then use 6 ft of Fluoro at the end and then that is all you will have to replace during the summer. The fireline will last you years this way.

 

 

The knot joining the backline to the Fireline is under so much FL that it should not impede casting. How far do you cast?...because I know I can't manage a 50 yard plus that I would need to before the backing knot becomes an issue.

 

If INCO hadn't just announced that I'd be laid off for at least two months this summer, then maybe I'd feel like dropping about $250 just on line for spinning reels. Actually that's not true. Even if I was still getting fat bonus cheques I probably still wouldn't do it.

 

If the 6 ft flouro leader is all that I will need to replace all year...why wouldn't the 65 yrds of Fireline behind it be sufficient? Like I said, how far do you cast?

[Garnet]

CT must like you.

 

I buy that $3 for 500 yards of mono (Wally World) in the size Spider Thread Braid I'm using. Normally I buy reels in sets of 4 so spool all 4 make sure they work nice then open all 4 bails and 1 pull would be 3 ft =1 yard count to 65. Now take the good line and spool all 4 reels.

 

Now if I ever re spool every reel is very close to the same amount of line and I've wasted nothing.

 

For metric 1 meter is 3 inch longer than a yard so don't worry about it.

 

Garnet

[Fishnwire]

CT must like you.

 

I buy that $3 for 500 yards of mono (Wally World) in the size Spider Thread Braid I'm using. Normally I buy reels in sets of 4 so spool all 4 make sure they work nice then open all 4 bails and 1 pull would be 3 ft =1 yard count to 65. Now take the good line and spool all 4 reels.

 

Now if I ever re spool every reel is very close to the same amount of line and I've wasted nothing.

 

For metric 1 meter is 3 inch longer than a yard so don't worry about it.

 

Garnet

 

CT would like me more if I just spooled 'em all with the whole factory spool. I was trying to suggest a method of avoiding that.

 

If you ever see Fireline for sale for $3...let me know. I have to admit I didn't really get the drift of the rest of your post...couldn't quite follow what you were trying to say. Sorry, I've got a couple of beers in me.

 

I really like the idea a couple of guys mentioned about reversing the Fireline next year, or whenever the service end gets nasty. The buried end will be like brand new line. Thanks.

[Garnet]

This is a simple way to use all of your line on the amount of reels you have.

 

You want 65 yards.

 

Take the line in both hands, spread your hands 3 ft do this 65 times. yes open your bail or if a baitcaster press button I turn magnets up to stop backlash.

 

Your $3 will buy 500yrds of MONO from WALLY WORLD (Wal Mart).

 

Garnet

[MCTFisher9120]

That said, I find that I go thru enough line on my spinning reels that only 65 yards would not last me all summer

 

Thats like me also, i fill my 2 reels with about 90+yards of fishing line and i almost have to respool part way through the season

[Fishnwire]

This is a simple way to use all of your line on the amount of reels you have.

 

You want 65 yards.

 

Take the line in both hands, spread your hands 3 ft do this 65 times. yes open your bail or if a baitcaster press button I turn magnets up to stop backlash.

 

Your $3 will buy 500yrds of MONO from WALLY WORLD (Wal Mart).

 

Garnet

 

 

I appreciate you trying to help a dumb, half-buzzed simple guy...so try to have patient with me. However, I'm confused.

 

You seem to be describing a method of removing a certain amount of line from a reel. I want to add a certain amount. Also, I don't think I could maintain any real accuracy estimating a three foot distance between my hands, 65 times...if I'm off by 3 inches each time that's over 16 feet. Now instead of 65 yards I've got a little under fifty, or as much as 80. I must not be understanding what you're saying. Probably my bad.

 

Also, while I'm aware that a variety of lines are available at a wide range of prices, I did indicate that my intention was to utilize Fireline. If I was using $3 per 500 yrd mainline, what would I use for backline? $1 per 5000 yrd stuff? No, I would just spool the whole reel with mainline. Once again, it must be my beer-buzzed-brain missing your point and not your fault at all. Thanks for trying though.

[Garnet]

Yes you remove a certain amount of line 65yrds

 

That's why you buy 15lb mono at $3 for 500yrds as you are using 50lb Spider Thread that's the dia. of 16lb.

 

So the miracle you spool the Spider Thread and you use 65yrds.

 

Garnet

[Fishnwire]

I'm just gonna go to bed, because I have no idea what you're talking about, friend. What does 15lb mono, 50 lb Spider Thread and 16 lb whatever (?) have to do with 8 lb Fireline. Why do I want to strip line off my reels by hand, and won't that line be unusable once it's laying on the floor in a pile? I want to put the correct amount on them in the first place, thereby eliminating the need to strip line off, and ensuring a perfectly bailed spool.

 

Also what is this "miracle" you refer to? You totally lost me there.

 

Seriously I'm not trying to cheese anybody off here. I just can't understand what you're trying to say. It's probably my fault, but if you take a second to read your posts...they're not exactly made up of the clearest or most coherent sentences I've read on OFC. I swear I'm trying to avoid ruffleing any feathers, and I appreciate you trying to help me out, but I really can't follow what you're trying to say.

[Garnet]

Yep run down to CT buy a fishing line spooling setup about $1000.00 you know like the one in BASS PRO SHOP and you will be...................accurate

 

Garnet

Edited April 20, 2009 by Garnet

[Garnet]

You can use the product that makes you happy!

 

Why would I throw out perfectly good line?

 

The Short answer would be it's Junk and at $3/1500ft that's about 40 cents!

 

You are lucky just last week I changed 3 spinning reels from 20 lb Spider Thread Braid to 8lb for perch'n. All these reels were set up in this manner and in the last 4 years have been re spool 15 -20 times.

 

You do understand that if the line you take off is the same dia. as the line you put on that you will put the same amount back on!

 

In this case 8 lb is thinner than 20 and I had 3 reels to do from a 125yrds spool my # is 40 pulls so the math is 125 * 3= 375ft 40 pulls would be 120 ft so I have 15 ft. You do under stand your # would be 65 pulls.

 

 

I just check and about 4.5ft of wasted line.

 

I am not going to tell how many rods and reels I have lets just say everyday this month and most of next month changing everyday is possible.

 

More important I can take any reel and spool the braid to another reel and of all miracles that reel will be perfectly full and perform at it's best.

 

I do have some specialty rods and reels like my line counter dipsey reel that has 300yrds of inferior 30lb braid and cheap backing of same dia. mono.

 

Guess what no trips to CT just a quick strip buy a 300yrd spool and it will be perfectly full with no waste.

 

OPPS sorry Spider Thread Braid is available at some CT.

 

 

Garnet

 

And from my experience Jumbo Mr Frenzies in lime or white are great dry fuzzy pounding headache days. You can try any color.