line winding options

Steve-O · January 10, 2011, 05:01:44 PM

What are some options/techniques that you all use for winding spectra onto your reels. Besides buying a line winder or having it done at your local tackle shop. Smaller low capacity reels aren't an issue but a reel being loaded with 300 + yards of braid is where I want to get it right and tight. I've read the Jerry Brown section on braid and found it informationally rich.

A couple of ideas I'm thinking of include two people to wind for good tension, OR spooling a larger, higher cap. reel with the bulk spool and then tighten the drags on both reels to tightly wind the smaller reel from the larger reel. If that makes sense. Or coming up with a jerry-rigged winder with a clamp or tension brake of some sort or .... pinch it with my feet.

Hence my query....what other techniques or jigs do you use to get the really tight wind?

TIA-Steve-O

Cowbass · January 10, 2011, 05:20:56 PM

I just purchased a super spooler for $135... It holds the spool,has a line tensioner to add as much drag as you desire, and it has a line counter. Search line winder on eBay. He has cheaper ones without the counter for like $75. I haven't used it yet but I'm hoping this will do the trick. I fish jb hollow on all my big game gear and I like to back off the top 150 yds or so and respool tightly. I think this will be a great option to purchasing a $2k line winder. Hope this helps

broadway · January 10, 2011, 09:33:18 PM

I did the same as cow bass... super spooler, but haven't tried it yet. I also got the line counter as an option which is gonna work great with my wire lining endeavors. It looks to be well built, and the guys at South Chatham tackle are easy going, good people. Good Luck!
Dom

elnath · January 12, 2011, 07:27:39 PM

My suggestion would be that you send the reel to Basil at BHP tackle to get the the line wound on properly.

http://www.bhptackle.com/index.php

alantani · January 12, 2011, 08:49:15 PM

charkbait has them as well.

http://charkbait.com/cs/cshL_Winders.htm

Phinaddict · January 13, 2011, 03:06:47 AM

If you are only doing one or two reels, I wouldn't spend the money for a line winder. If, on the other hand, you are going to do several reels, it makes sense to buy one.

Keep your local tackle shop in business, have them spool it up the right way. You only have to do it once as Spectra lasts basically forever.

Having Basil do it makes good sense too. Be sure to get a topshot too... He's the man for that.

alantani · January 13, 2011, 03:36:01 AM

i've always had my local shop do the winding. it worked out pretty well. i got a "club" discount for all of my customers. after i service a reel, i would either have the owners go down the street or drop the reels off myself. the price was great! the recession put an end to all of that, though.......

Fishead · January 14, 2011, 05:31:45 PM

I have the super spooler w/o the line counter,that's new since I bought mine.It works very well,anyone who has one but not used it yet will be happy with it.If you are going to put a lot of pressure on the line, you may want to find a way to anchor it so it wont move,thats my only beef but I anchored easily so its not a big deal now.

Fullaphish · January 17, 2011, 03:45:55 AM

I too bought a super spooler but it doesn't really put the line on with enough tension (at least not enough for anything over say 30lb line). My solution is to have a buddy take the line and roll it up in a towel and then weave the towel though your fingers. If you do it right closing you hand into a soft fist will create enough tension for even the biggest of reels. It's a little ghetto but I've been doing it a few years now and have never had a prob. JMHO

Steve-O · January 17, 2011, 07:22:53 PM

Thanks for the replies, guys. BHP has an excellent site. The super spooler sounds like like an option I may invest in.

Fullaphish- your idea is intriguing! My brain, however is not clicking this early in the week. I get the part of tensioning the line through the towel with ones fingers but the question I have is this. Where is the spool? I assume it's NOT rolled up in the towel but would be loose or on a spindle or axle of some sort with the towel between you (winding) and the spool. I'm also assuming this is a two person technique - one doing the winding onto the reel...the other providing the towel/line tension while also holding/controlling the spool. The Monday morning fog hasn't burned off yet and the Mt Dew is just kicking in.

Steve-O

Bryan Young · January 18, 2011, 07:20:12 AM

Most of my spools are the 3# size, except for braids, they are the 1# size spools. Anyway, I thread the line though a pole with a suitable line rating for the line I will be spooling on the reel. I then tie the line to the reel. I then place the spool of line on a carpet covering a step so that the line, as it unwraps, rolls the spool towards the step (giving more tension). I then where two cotton gloves gloves and wrap the line around my hand. I adjust the tension by how tight I make a fist. Then I reel in the line as I guide the line in the reel. Yeah, it takes a while to do a complete spool, but I usually do this while watching/listening to a movie. I stop periodically to make sure the the braid is solid, then continue. A spooler would be nice though.

JGB · January 21, 2011, 06:59:02 AM

When spooling my reels for what I like to call finesse fishing - how the line is initially placed on the reels is very important. For my finesse style I prefer to spool with a solid braid that keeps it's shape well and is Teflon impregnated to reduce water carry on to the reel and to minimize line drag in the water during presentation (hollow lines tend to hold water and bulk up when not under high tension).
For myself pretensioning the line at 5-8 # will pack the spool well and minimize and keep the spool fill consistent during use. Too little tension and the line will pack during use making the spool under filled or worse dig into it's self.
This is done by preloading a large reel with smooth drag (I use a 50W proto type reel with carbon drag with the spool half filled with backing). I then set the drag and spool onto the target reel with the feed reel turned 90 degrees so that I can control the line lay on the target reel. I do not run the line through line counters or eyelets as this deforms the line a little and can heat the line. In most cases I already know how much line goes on the target reel so it is premeasured onto the feed reel so I do not wast line. The reels are then labeled with line type test and length because I will forget later on. Finally a loop is tied at the end of the line for loop to loop windons. I use a modified Bimini with 3 sections of 18 twists each to get 100% strength and no possibility of the Bimini slipping.
Line size is determined by the reel capacity - I try to get around 400 yds on a reel with room for a short 25' top.

tight lines,
Jim N.