Reel Repair by Alan Tani

General Maintenance Tips => General Questions and Trouble Shooting => Topic started by: Crow on June 30, 2019, 12:38:36 AM

Title: How much braid ?
Post by: Crow on June 30, 2019, 12:38:36 AM
   I see from numerous posts, that when spooling mono on the older brass/ bronze type spools....or plastic ones, for that matter, it's best to install *some* braid, as an underlay. My question is, how much, is *some*?  10% of the expected fill ? Or the 1/2 inch of "depth" on the arbor ?  Is there some "rule of thumb", or do we just "guesstimate" ?   Thanks !
Title: Re: How much braid ?
Post by: Donnyboat on June 30, 2019, 01:44:59 AM
Hi Crow, most of my reels I used almost a full spool of brain, then about 30M of mono top shot, or what ever, the top shot is usually about 10 Lbs lighter than the braid, so the top shot breaks first, then you don`t loose all your braid, good luck cheers Don.
Title: Re: How much braid ?
Post by: Donnyboat on June 30, 2019, 01:50:50 AM
Sorry Crow, I also place some marine grease, around the shaft of the spool, then tape it with painters tape, around it about twice, cut around the line peg, so you can still tie, the braid onto it, cheers Don.
Title: Re: How much braid ?
Post by: Swami805 on June 30, 2019, 02:31:53 AM
I like to put quite a bit, about enough to leave room for 120-150 yds of mono. I change the mono pretty frequently and that's about as much as is likely to need replacing. I reckon it saves me a few bucks in mono. I like mono for most fishing. As for minimum for protecting the spool I would think 1/4 to 1/3 spool should be enough
Title: Re: How much braid ?
Post by: Cor on June 30, 2019, 07:43:47 AM
Depend what you're trying to achieve.
I use braid only for its strength and/or thin diameter, usually to maximise the amount of line on the conventional reel.

On some of my reels 100% braid with perhaps a short leader, not ideal for casting.

Where casting is more important 130mt mono top-shot and the the rest braid backing.
Title: Re: How much braid ?
Post by: Crow on June 30, 2019, 12:54:57 PM
   Mostly, I'm concerned about either "warping", or downright breaking, the spools, due to the mono expanding. The "cost" of lining with braid...even the "expensive stuff", really isn't an issue with me, as I really try to keep the lines clean, "end for end" them, when needed, and keep the "worn, or nicked up stuff, cut off, and use the shorter , more "pristine" stuff on lower capacity reels. It seems to me....from personal experience, as well as from forum posts....that each line type (braid , or Mono)have certain area where they really "shine", and other areas...not so much....so I'd like to use the best advantages of the line in my favor, if possible (I need ALL the help I can get  :D).  Most of the fishing I do, with the "conventional" reels is around the gas rigs off Mobile Bay.....not very deep (30'-50'), but lots of "hang-ups", and abbraision from all the pipes, junk, and barnacles . That means, to me, that the first 25-30 yards of line get replaced, quite often, anyway, but, again, I really don't want to blow out a spool, if it can be avoided. A few of the reels I've picked up off ebay, have had either broken, or badly warped spools, and while I realize that going to a modern aluminum spool negates most of those issues....spools are way too expensive to outfit everything that I would like to "try" while I'm down there.....so, "protecting" the reel is my main goal.
Title: Re: How much braid ?
Post by: Keta on June 30, 2019, 02:33:09 PM
Use daccron for backing if you do not need massive line capacity.  You can put Spectra or mono/Spectra on top of the daccron.   I would recommend filling the spool at least 1/2 way with braid.  99% of my reels have 20' of mono on top of a full spool of  braid.
Title: Re: How much braid ?
Post by: SoCalAngler on June 30, 2019, 04:28:34 PM
Crow,

On my lighter setups. under say 60 lb test, that I cast often I prefer long topshots. I like you fish around structure a lot. Boiler rocks, kelp lines and shallow reefs all come into play with my fishing many times. The reels I use I don't have to worry about spool damage issues that you are talking about but the longer topshots allow me to cut out damaged line many times before changing my topper. I never flip my mono either, when my topshot gets too short I cut it off and tie a new one on. I also use solid braid on these lighter setups which helps keep costs down. I have spectra type lines on some of my reels that is over 14 years old and with the long toppers that braid never has been damaged by rocks, barnacles and such.

Edit: Most if not all of the more modern reels don't have the spool issues like the older Penn reels had with mono. So unless your fishing these older reels mono damaging the spool should not really come into play.