It's a three step process. First, clean up the spool with a greasy toothbrush. I am less concerned with what grease you use and more concerned that you just use something. And that something does not include car wax. I'm not sure who first came up with the car wax idea, but let's just use grease. When it comes to corrosion resistance, I'd trust the guys at Yamaha Marine before the guys that make Turtle Wax.
Second, put a couple of layers of tape on the arbor. I use flex wrap. You can use anything you want, just use something, anything.
And third, load the braid under tension. I figure out what the drag at strike will be and then set the line tensioner to two thirds of that drag at strike. The math is easy. The actual process is not. Most shops struggle to get any tension at all. Some shops don't even try. If you don't, the braid will dig in and lock. Loose braid will also allow salt water in.
This is what I've been dealing with all morning.
Loose braid.
Copy that.
Tried car wax. Didn't cover anodized aluminum, chromed brass, or stainless steel, very well. Went to marine grease. M g wont emulsify if the braid is tight enough to keep out saltwater. Last part of flange I keep dry where the last 100yds of braid or mono is. Superstitious about the grease smell scaring away bites.
If I may be allowed to ask an impertinent question:
How certain are you that your method is the best one, or just one that you have developed high confidence in? I do it a bit differently, and would like to see if I should change.
Multiple layers of carnuba wax (aluminum spools) and the Jerry Brown Line method for multiple wraps on the arbor knot and wrapping over the tag works for me, and I put some hours on my reels. But it is a small sample size.
I have learned from mold making that it takes multiple layers of wax and a good rub down to form a complete film that gets into pores, so it may not be practical for filling customer reels in a short window of time. But the advantage of wax is that it stays where you put it, where grease is mobile.
Similarly, I have been unable to make a line tied with JB arbor knot slip with just a few wraps, or a full spool. The line breaks first. But then I am not smearing grease all over my arbor either :)
Thanks!
-J
oh, i'm good with anything you want to do. i just go for overkill here. that way i know there will not be a problem. i'm sending these reels off into the cold cruel world and i want to make sure they survive.
I use the Jerry Brown method of tying the braid to the spool. It works...
My problem is that most braided line manufacturers don't have the filler spool line tight enough. The braid digs into the filler spool.
I use the Triangle HD140
for me, all of the jerry brown bulk spools have been tight enough except one. learned my lesson there. it dug in and the line was lost. ever since then, i always set the drag on the reel tight enough to spool the line but not tight enough to break it.
Interesting, I've never read anything on the subject. I use 22lbs on strike. do i have to wind the braid on my reels with how much pull?
well, 2/3rds would be 14 pounds of tension. hopefully you have a two speed reel and can crank on the line in low gear. it will take a while, but it would be much easier. what reel are you using? what weight braid? what topshot?
With a game reel, if you're planning on filling it to the brim... just be wary of not being able to get the line back on the reel if you bust off with a lot out.
Quote from: alantani on January 02, 2023, 03:27:33 AMwell, 2/3rds would be 14 pounds of tension. hopefully you have a two speed reel and can crank on the line in low gear. it will take a while, but it would be much easier. what reel are you using? what weight braid? what topshot?
Okuma makaira 50 II sea TDC cam
Quote from: alantani on January 02, 2023, 03:27:33 AMwell, 2/3rds would be 14 pounds of tension. hopefully you have a two speed reel and can crank on the line in low gear. it will take a while, but it would be much easier. what reel are you using? what weight braid? what topshot?
Braid 80 lbs... 45 feet leader 100 lbs
this reel holds 700 yards of 130 pound braid and perhaps 1200 yards of 80 pound braid. you're going to be cranking all day.
Quote from: MexicanGulf on January 01, 2023, 11:09:46 PMInteresting, I've never read anything on the subject. I use 22lbs on strike. do i have to wind the braid on my reels with how much pull?
Essentially the braid (or whatever line you use) needs to be cranked onto the reel under enough tension that it won't dig into the spool when a big fish is smoking line off. Deckhands spooling up trolling outfits normally run a metal rod or similar through the spool and press the spool down against the pontoon floorboards until the right amount of tension is achieved (normally just a little below it gets too difficult to crank in high speed). In general the line on the spool should feel "hard", with no give. Spool up about 100 yards of line and then pull it off the reel under the kind of drag you would use on a fish - for 80 lb line that might be around 25 to 35 lbs. If the line digs into the layers below, respool under more tension.
80 lb braid seems a bit light for a Makaira 50 but I don't know what you might be using it for. Assuming you need that size reel and don't need 1200 yards of line, you may want to reduce its capacity by cranking on some cord etc., wrapping tape around it and then winding a smaller yardage of 80 lb braid (would imagine 800-900 would be more than enough for most jobs) on top of that. Or go to say 100 lb braid.
Quote from: Patudo on March 17, 2023, 11:55:48 AMQuote from: MexicanGulf on January 01, 2023, 11:09:46 PMInteresting, I've never read anything on the subject. I use 22lbs on strike. do i have to wind the braid on my reels with how much pull?
Essentially the braid (or whatever line you use) needs to be cranked onto the reel under enough tension that it won't dig into the spool when a big fish is smoking line off. Deckhands spooling up trolling outfits normally run a metal rod or similar through the spool and press the spool down against the pontoon floorboards until the right amount of tension is achieved (normally just a little below it gets too difficult to crank in high speed). In general the line on the spool should feel "hard", with no give. Spool up about 100 yards of line and then pull it off the reel under the kind of drag you would use on a fish - for 80 lb line that might be around 25 to 35 lbs. If the line digs into the layers below, respool under more tension.
80 lb braid seems a bit light for a Makaira 50 but I don't know what you might be using it for. Assuming you need that size reel and don't need 1200 yards of line, you may want to reduce its capacity by cranking on some cord etc., wrapping tape around it and then winding a smaller yardage of 80 lb braid (would imagine 800-900 would be more than enough for most jobs) on top of that. Or go to say 100 lb braid.
I love to fish swordfish during the day, deep drop in 1600 feet. in this fishing technique it is completely useless or even harmful to use high drag settings. Swordfish are extremely delicate, their mouth is fragile, losing the fish is very easy. Initially you hook the fish with around 25lbs of drag and in the latter stages of the fight you even drop to 16lbs of drag. It is a fishing technique where it is advisable to have at least 1000 yards of braid. It is totally different from bluefin tuna fishing, just the opposite.
Don't do this
DCFAB3FD-8495-4B66-A8DF-D73CC9F11133.jpegE95F6AD1-C41F-46F0-907C-E1BDFB7CD03B.jpeg
Nice pattern Larry. ;D Dominick
seen that plenty of times before!!! ;D
What breaking strain is that grey braid... 100lb? Seems deeply inappropriate for a baitcaster.
Yeah I've seen that a few times on used reels. There's a reason I don't ever trust line on a reel when i buy it. Despite how many people seem to think it adds to the sale value to get it spooled before they sell it.
...or its BS and the line is 5 years old but they think it adds to the value to lie.
sometimes you've just gotta use what you've got! ;D
Quote from: boon on March 23, 2023, 11:38:26 AMWhat breaking strain is that grey braid... 100lb? Seems deeply inappropriate for a baitcaster.
Muskie guys use 80 to 100lb
Just a thought for those of us who don't have access to a line spooling machine...
My way is to wind the (braided) line off the bulk spool onto the target reel under moderate tension till the reel is full. I know... I know...
Then, set the drag of the reel to a point where the braid can be pulled off without digging in too much (it will dig in a bit).
Now wind the line onto a second reel. This will load that second reel quite hard.
Next, set the drag on the second (donor) reel to something close to the strike drag of your target reel.
Finally, wind the line off the donor reel onto your target reel. This will give your winding arm a real workout but will pack your line rock solid. It also will leave enough room for a topshot to be put on as well.
As an example, I load my Tiagra 50W with 500 metres of 130lb packed hard in this way and top off with about 150 metres of 80lb mono. till the line level looks right. The donor reel is an old Everol 12/0 and has a very smooth drag.
Quote from: UKChris1 on March 24, 2023, 03:31:29 PMJust a thought for those of us who don't have access to a line spooling machine...
My way is to wind the (braided) line off the bulk spool onto the target reel under moderate tension till the reel is full. I know... I know...
Then, set the drag of the reel to a point where the braid can be pulled off without digging in too much (it will dig in a bit).
Now wind the line onto a second reel. This will load that second reel quite hard.
Next, set the drag on the second (donor) reel to something close to the strike drag of your target reel.
Finally, wind the line off the donor reel onto your target reel. This will give your winding arm a real workout but will pack your line rock solid. It also will leave enough room for a topshot to be put on as well.
Using this method, how do you hold the reels as you transfer the line? Is one in a vise and the other on a rod in your hands, or are they both fixed somehow to a bench/table?
Good question - and perhaps I should have expanded on this :( .
In essence, I clamp both reels onto a solid wooden pole (off-cut from a large diameter curtain pole) about three feet apart using the reel clamps and then clamp the pole securely in a mobile workbench (Black & Decker Workmate). I guess any sturdy bench would do, provided you have some sturdy G-cramps to hold the pole solidly in place.
Under the tight tensions involved there is a tendence for the reels to work loose and to dig into the wooden pole a bit. I started with a broom handle originally but it wasn't sturdy enough (though it would probably be ok for lighter lines)
Having the reels clamped means you can walk away for ten minutes when cramp strikes.
By the time I'd done three Tiagra 50Ws for a marlin trip last year, my forearms were like Popeye's!
Quote from: UKChris1 on March 24, 2023, 03:31:29 PMJust a thought for those of us who don't have access to a line spooling machine...
........This will load that second reel quite hard.
Next, set the drag on the second (donor) reel to something close to the strike drag of your target reel.
Finally, wind the line off the donor reel onto your target reel........
been there done that
Quote from: scrinch on March 24, 2023, 05:57:00 PMUsing this method, how do you hold the reels as you transfer the line?
my method, I have two 2-pc rods that I bought pretty cheap of the local fleamarket because they were missing the top half, so, I inserted one rod inside the other with the reelseats facing each other.. then used the method explained by UKChrist1
Donor reel penn 6/0
spooling ree trini 16
COOL!
I'm afraid to fill the reel after this reading.
Quote from: MexicanGulf on March 30, 2023, 02:12:12 PMI'm afraid to fill the reel after this reading.
Just put it on with a good amount of tension and your be fine. I think some spool with none,
Cheers:
Todd
I dont have the luchery of a line winder, only been using my left hand for tension, I try to build the braid up on the side a little, & as the spool is almost full, then I allow it to fill the centre, that way if I get a large fish on, it will wind on in the centre, by its self, about the last 60 M, cheers Don.
Quote from: steelfish on March 27, 2023, 11:02:57 PMQuote from: UKChris1 on March 24, 2023, 03:31:29 PMJust a thought for those of us who don't have access to a line spooling machine...
........This will load that second reel quite hard.
Next, set the drag on the second (donor) reel to something close to the strike drag of your target reel.
Finally, wind the line off the donor reel onto your target reel........
Great idea. I'm stealing this Alex! Bill
been there done that
Quote from: scrinch on March 24, 2023, 05:57:00 PMUsing this method, how do you hold the reels as you transfer the line?
my method, I have two 2-pc rods that I bought pretty cheap of the local fleamarket because they were missing the top half, so, I inserted one rod inside the other with the reelseats facing each other.. then used the method explained by UKChrist1
Donor reel penn 6/0
spooling ree trini 16
Let me briefly summarize what I learned from this discussion:
1-Light layer of yamaha grease on the bottom of the coil;
2 - a round of electrician's tape;
3- I connect the Braid with a knot (?);
4 - I use a tension equal to the strike value to load the braid on the spool;
5 - load 100 yards of braid onto the spool for testing;
it's correct ?
A layer of grease is good.
Electrical tape will leave a sticky mess, find some stuff like athletic tape or the tape you get at the tackle store to protect your fingers.tape without glue that will stick to itself. There's also a few arbor knots that will hold without tape.
Wind the line on at about 2/3 of drag a strike
light coat of grease
couple of layers of flex wrap
4-5 wraps of line around the arbor.
6 turn uni knot
line tension set to 2/3rds of the drag at strike
flex wrap. things? where can i buy it?
You get more and its a lot cheaper if you search/buy the "medical" or 3M brand name for it: Coban. It can be bought on Amazon. I'm pretty sure the tackle shops buy the flex tape in bulk, repackage, and mark it up. When I forgot to bring one when I was in SD, I went to one of the Big 3 tackle shops and it was $7 for a roll, ouch.
I think the finger tape was originally called vet wrap... used to wrap the ankles of horses. Cheaper at the tack/feed store too. If it's too wide for your use cut it narrower with a razor blade.
Quote from: MexicanGulf on May 02, 2023, 09:25:05 PMflex wrap. things? where can i buy it?
You can get "Vet Wrap" at a feed store or a Vet office it is the same as Fex Wrap at a fraction of the price.
Quote from: MexicanGulf on May 02, 2023, 09:25:05 PMflex wrap. things? where can i buy it?
https://www.amazon.com/Adherent-Cohesive-Bandages-Adhesive-Athletic/dp/B08YK3591V/ref=sr_1_27?crid=2GFJL4OFWZEUM&keywords=coflex&qid=1683237111&sprefix=coflex%2Caps%2C478&sr=8-27
Quote from: alantani on May 04, 2023, 09:52:32 PMQuote from: MexicanGulf on May 02, 2023, 09:25:05 PMflex wrap. things? where can i buy it?
https://www.amazon.com/Adherent-Cohesive-Bandages-Adhesive-Athletic/dp/B08YK3591V/ref=sr_1_27?crid=2GFJL4OFWZEUM&keywords=coflex&qid=1683237111&sprefix=coflex%2Caps%2C478&sr=8-27
I'm really grateful to you, thank you very much Alan! Thanks also to everyone who helped me. you are awesome guys!!!
Quote from: alantani on April 23, 2023, 01:44:52 AMlight coat of grease
couple of layers of flex wrap
4-5 wraps of line around the arbor.
6 turn uni knot
line tension set to 2/3rds of the drag at strike
sorry Alan, I have 25lbs on the strike. so the force to be applied when rewinding the braid onto the reel must be equal to approximately 18 pounds? mathematics has never been my strong point. :cfr
Jerry Brown always said that 10 lbs of drag was enough for spooling.
Hi, I mainly swordfish in 2000 feet of water. I have heard that for my fishing technique it is really unproductive to use Hollow Core, because this material tends to flatten and as the fishing depth increases it has a very negative impact on the sea current. It is true? This thing scares me.
A braid that would theoretically flatten out would tend to present the thinnest profile to the current and might actually be an advantage. But I doubt that hollow braid flattens out under tension when it is not being wrapped around a spool. It should elongate more uniformly.
What will effect friction in the water is the the amount of material (by weight) per meter of line, and how compact vs. open the weave is. The less material per meter, and the more compact, the less friction from the water along and across the line.
The PE rating (when available) provides a number that describes the relative amount of material per meter. Since braid is not solid or round, it has no true diameter. The braid "diameter" we see listed is just a marketing claim for monofilament equivalent spool capacity.
Solid braids tend to be more compact than hollow.
-J
Quote from: MexicanGulf on November 13, 2023, 11:35:43 AMHi, I mainly swordfish in 2000 feet of water. I have heard that for my fishing technique it is really unproductive to use Hollow Core, because this material tends to flatten and as the fishing depth increases it has a very negative impact on the sea current. It is true? This thing scares me.
The best swordfish angler I know of exclusively uses hollowcore.
Quote from: boon on November 13, 2023, 10:31:09 PMQuote from: MexicanGulf on November 13, 2023, 11:35:43 AMHi, I mainly swordfish in 2000 feet of water. I have heard that for my fishing technique it is really unproductive to use Hollow Core, because this material tends to flatten and as the fishing depth increases it has a very negative impact on the sea current. It is true? This thing scares me.
The best swordfish angler I know of exclusively uses hollowcore.
Interesting. I have a bunch of questions. Any answers would be appreciated.
Reasoning for using hollow?
How deep?
Line size, weight used?
-J
Quote from: jurelometer on November 13, 2023, 10:38:38 PMQuote from: boon on November 13, 2023, 10:31:09 PMQuote from: MexicanGulf on November 13, 2023, 11:35:43 AMHi, I mainly swordfish in 2000 feet of water. I have heard that for my fishing technique it is really unproductive to use Hollow Core, because this material tends to flatten and as the fishing depth increases it has a very negative impact on the sea current. It is true? This thing scares me.
The best swordfish angler I know of exclusively uses hollowcore.
Interesting. I have a bunch of questions. Any answers would be appreciated.
Reasoning for using hollow?
How deep?
Line size, weight used?
-J
For the knotless splice into the topshot.
Depth up to 2000ft. Mainline is either 80 or 100lb PowerPro Hollow, not certain. Weight... lots. 80oz+, but on a breakaway.
Thanks.
80 oz. Yikes!
It seems like an interesting tool for spooling our reels.
"Itomaki Kojo IK500 ver.2"
oh, man, that was painful to watch. these guys seem to have no clue. spooling up larger reels with this device is done by hand. imagine trying to spool 700 yards of line. BY HAND!!!!
I found this method on Instagram. They connect a nylon baking. What do you think ?
I assume a nylon ba king connected to a braid mainline. I would say unnecessary. To eliminate an extra knot put a couple wraps of flex tape on the arbor then tie your braid mainline. The flex tape prevents the braid from slipping on the arbor. Also rub a light layer of grease on the spool to prevent corrosion. Bill
I agree, in fact I was amazed when I saw the fishing shop doing this. :D
The Tiagras have a stud on the spool anyway so slipping is a non-issue. The only reasons I can think of for a very small amount of nylon backing is either for a degree of corrosion protection or "we've always done it that way".
Quote from: boon on April 10, 2024, 09:53:57 PMThe Tiagras have a stud on the spool anyway so slipping is a non-issue. The only reasons I can think of for a very small amount of nylon backing is either for a degree of corrosion protection or "we've always done it that way".
The last hypothesis seems the most realistic to me
Quote from: MexicanGulf on April 10, 2024, 09:01:57 PMI found this method on Instagram. They connect a nylon baking. What do you think ?
I used that method since I started using braid as main line, that was many moons ago ;D
I think half of my reels still have a trace of mono on the spool before the braid line and for the extra knot, I never ever saw that "extra" knot when fishing, I dont know if that bad or good thing because I was never spooled by a big fish on any of those reels.
Quote from: alantani on December 09, 2022, 07:21:34 PMLoose braid.
The same thing happened to me. What's causing the error? Too little tension when winding the braid onto the reel?
Could line twist add to the "wave pattern" along with braid being too loose?
Quote from: MexicanGulf on November 06, 2025, 09:27:58 PMQuote from: alantani on December 09, 2022, 07:21:34 PMLoose braid.
The same thing happened to me. What's causing the error? Too little tension when winding the braid onto the reel?
Braid is inherently slippery and without a flex tape backing the braid will slip on the arbor. Seems like 10# of drag is all it take to make it slip. When filling the spool, tension of around 1/3 the breaking strength will make the windings "rock solid" and prevent the braid from digging into itself. The wavy pattern is from the line compressing the lower layers and then compou ding the issue the farther you go.
Nylon and mono stretches so it is easy to wind it on tight. Spectra doesn't stretch. Before there was ever problems with Spectra being wound too loose and causing slippage, there were problems with mono being wound too tight and causing spool flange warping.
Quote from: oc1 on November 07, 2025, 05:14:59 PMNylon and mono stretches so it is easy to wind it on tight. Spectra doesn't stretch. Before there was ever problems with Spectra being wound too loose and causing slippage, there were problems with mono being wound too tight and causing spool flange warping.
Agree, but I think that it is a bit more complicated. Nylon mono doesn't slip on the spool even if it is not packed tightly, so the extra grip from expansion doesn't seem to be the main reason. I would argue that Nylon mono mostly maintains its larger cross-section, and doesn't dig-in and form a solid puck like modern braid does, and more importantly, has a higher coefficient of friction, so it takes more force to cause it to slip o nthe spool.
Gelspun polyethylene (trade name Spectra) fibers have some weird properties. As temperature decreases, they shrink so much along the length that they actually get fatter. This is why I think spool slippage is more common for folk fishing in the winter. This contraction/expansion causes the wraps to dig in more and lock together more firmly, turning the line into something more like a fiber-filled puck with a slippery outer surface. (We have a thread on this somewhere).
This can also happen with constant temperature. The coefficient of friction for Spectra on the spool is quite low, so when the bottom wraps are loose, and the upper wraps are not contributing to pressing the the line against the spool, you can easily end up in a situation where where the friction on the line against the spool is less than your drag setting.
The original common practice for dealing with modern braid slippage was to start with a few wraps of monofilament, or even a partial spool fill of monofilament, since reels back then were not sized for braid. IMHO, it works fine. Then folk started using electrical tape, but that often caused corrosion problems from saltwater being trapped, creating an oxygen deprived environment. So folk started using that porous medical flex wrap, which seems to be the currently most popular on this site.
I have not personally found a need to use mono, flex wrap or anything else. Just multiple wraps of braid before the arbor knot, and a long tag to wind over (the Jerry Brown method). It is important to pay attention and start the fill with strong tension, but you should be doing that anyways.
If you want to play it safe, maybe do what the pros here do and use the flex wrap. It has been used for quite awhile now on lots jumbo tuna with high drag settings.
-J
Quote from: Bill B on November 07, 2025, 04:49:51 PMQuote from: MexicanGulf on November 06, 2025, 09:27:58 PMQuote from: alantani on December 09, 2022, 07:21:34 PMLoose braid.
The same thing happened to me. What's causing the error? Too little tension when winding the braid onto the reel?
Braid is inherently slippery and without a flex tape backing the braid will slip on the arbor. Seems like 10# of drag is all it take to make it slip. When filling the spool, tension of around 1/3 the breaking strength will make the windings "rock solid" and prevent the braid from digging into itself. The wavy pattern is from the line compressing the lower layers and then compou ding the issue the farther you go.
Thanks, friend, you're always so generous with me. So I understand my mistake.
Quote from: jurelometer on November 07, 2025, 06:08:40 PMQuote from: oc1 on November 07, 2025, 05:14:59 PMNylon and mono stretches so it is easy to wind it on tight. Spectra doesn't stretch. Before there was ever problems with Spectra being wound too loose and causing slippage, there were problems with mono being wound too tight and causing spool flange warping.
Agree, but I think that it is a bit more complicated. Nylon mono doesn't slip on the spool even if it is not packed tightly, so the extra grip from expansion doesn't seem to be the main reason. I would argue that Nylon mono mostly maintains its larger cross-section, and doesn't dig-in and form a solid puck like modern braid does, and more importantly, has a higher coefficient of friction, so it takes more force to cause it to slip o nthe spool.
Gelspun polyethylene (trade name Spectra) fibers have some weird properties. As temperature decreases, they shrink so much along the length that they actually get fatter. This is why I think spool slippage is more common for folk fishing in the winter. This contraction/expansion causes the wraps to dig in more and lock together more firmly, turning the line into something more like a fiber-filled puck with a slippery outer surface. (We have a thread on this somewhere).
This can also happen with constant temperature. The coefficient of friction for Spectra on the spool is quite low, so when the bottom wraps are loose, and the upper wraps are not contributing to pressing the the line against the spool, you can easily end up in a situation where where the friction on the line against the spool is less than your drag setting.
The original common practice for dealing with modern braid slippage was to start with a few wraps of monofilament, or even a partial spool fill of monofilament, since reels back then were not sized for braid. IMHO, it works fine. Then folk started using electrical tape, but that often caused corrosion problems from saltwater being trapped, creating an oxygen deprived environment. So folk started using that porous medical flex wrap, which seems to be the currently most popular on this site.
I have not personally found a need to use mono, flex wrap or anything else. Just multiple wraps of braid before the arbor knot, and a long tag to wind over (the Jerry Brown method). It is important to pay attention and start the fill with strong tension, but you should be doing that anyways.
If you want to play it safe, maybe do what the pros here do and use the flex wrap. It has been used for quite awhile now on lots jumbo tuna with high drag settings.
-J
I'll try to ask a question that's a bit tricky for my English level. I hope I can make myself understood.I have noticed some discrepancies between what most fishermen on the European continent do and what their friends across the pond in America do.In practice, they fill the reels with braid, 100% solid braid or Hollowcore braid.In Europe they always put a nylon backing to fill at least half of the reel capacity,They then finish with a few hundred yards of solid braid.I've always read on the forum that this practice is strongly discouraged.I've talked about this topic with some friends and acquaintances, but I've never actually been able to explain in my own words why it's wrong.
Quote from: MexicanGulf on November 07, 2025, 09:18:23 PMI'll try to ask a question that's a bit tricky for my English level. I hope I can make myself understood.I have noticed some discrepancies between what most fishermen on the European continent do and what their friends across the pond in America do.In practice, they fill the reels with braid, 100% solid braid or Hollowcore braid.In Europe they always put a nylon backing to fill at least half of the reel capacity,They then finish with a few hundred yards of solid braid.I've always read on the forum that this practice is strongly discouraged.I've talked about this topic with some friends and acquaintances, but I've never actually been able to explain in my own words why it's wrong.
This is how is how I see it:
1. Using around five meters of nylon monofilament to help keep the braid from slipping is not that controversial. It works well enough. But if you use only braid to the spool with flex wrap (or my similar method), it should be slightly stronger because their is no nylon to braid knot. If you have reached the end of the spool, you are probably doomed no matter what.
2. We use the term "backing" for a large amount of a different line underneath the top layer. Using Nylon backing under the braid was a somewhat common practice here until fishing braid with much higher drag settings became popular. in addition to the knot strength issue, this combination of materials creates a potential issue where the braid and nylon meet. It is difficult to keep the thin braid from embedding between the nylon wraps, potentially causing some binding that will have roughly the same effect as a sticky or even completely locked up drag. So many here believe that the risk is not worth the savings.
All of the choices for filling up extra capacity under the braid are not ideal for one reason or another. I have used much larger braid in these situations. Nylon should work OK if the drag settings are not so high, and the nylon is packed fairly tightly.
As you noted, regional bias probably plays a role. Perhaps the fishing methods (i.e. typical drag settings) are slightly different as well?
On this topic, you are hearing mostly about the practices of the Southern California long range fishers that occasionally fight big tuna from an anchored boat. They have very strong opinions- often derived from hard-earned experience. But IMHO, there is also a decent amount of short lived trends based on anecdotal nonsense.
-J
Fishing in the Mediterranean is totally different from what happens in California, for example. There's no way you're going to put 20 lbs on the strike.The size of the fish is really small, and the catches are generally low in prey.This is why fishing reels with drag design for long range fishing are wasted.But companies look at turnover and the numbers are in the USA. I have always had the spirit of reading and listening to the experiences and techniques of other fellow fishermen around the world.That's why I subscribe to 23 fishing magazines from 5 different continents...I realized that to grow and improve, sport fishing needs to be internationalized, and through this, I'm absorbing the experiences of many anglers.I wanted to be clear about the situation; it was a topic I couldn't explain.
I'll try putting on vet tape and wrapping 100 yards of 50 lb Hollowcore braid over it and then splicing it with about 65 inch nylon to which I'll attach 600 yards of 40 lbs solid braid, via a PR knot that acts as a junction between the two lines. I will use a backing of only 100 yards of hollow braid.
For my UK bottom fishing, we rarely see more than 300' depth and that only in the far West country. Where I fish more often the depth is not more than 150 feet, so 100 yards of braid is all that is needed since the fish don't run far! But even with HDPE braid we often need 1lb of lead to cope with the tide, so a robust reel is needed and they are usually largish. It makes sense to pack the reel with some sort of backing that will rarely if ever see the sea and top off with a topshot of no more than 200 yards of HDPE and not fill the reel with miles of expensive braided line. At the very end is a short nylon topshot to provide abrasion resistance, generally no more than 20-30 feet, and this may need to be replaced several times during the day so good knot-tying becomes important.
For my 50W marlin stand-up reels, the reverse is the case. Water depth is too much but I'm fishing the surface only. For these, I fill the reel 3/4 with HDPE braid and top off with nylon mono.
My 80W and 130 reels are different again and for these there is a 'panic reserve' of 300 yards of HDPE topped with lots of dacron braid leaving just enough space for a nylon mono topshot of 150-200 yards. Yes, a lot of trouble, but having been down to a dozen turns of line on a 80W on a moderate marlin with an afterburner engaged, that idea of a panic reserve would have been welcome.
I've never hooked a Marlin, a tuna, or really anything that would be called a sport fish. I just can't imagine why, if one had any concerns about line capacity, they would do anything other than a quality braid-to-spool knot with a braid that has a higher breaking strength than their top shot. That 200yds of mono at the bottom could alternatively be a metric F-ton more braid. And if a true monster takes you to the arbor, I want it to break out by him (or her) and I get my thousand yards of braid back after the retrieve of shame, instead of sending a thousand yards of something that biodegrades slowly out into the abyss to wreak havoc.
Also, because a picture is worth a thousand words, I've drawn a sketch of how braid should be tied directly to the arbor in a way that it just flat out does not slip. prove me wrong.
(Multiple loops around the arbor before tying a knot with multiple loops of course. I'm just trying to illustrate the knot needs to wrap around the arbor opposite the direction the line winds onto the spool and it won't ever slip)
Ok that wasn't clear enough? I'll try again
Braid will last a very long time, especially the bottom half that will likely never see day light unless you hook something really big, precisely when capacity is an issue. I'd hate to think I have a big wad of mono under my braid
Folks, I get reels that come in and DAMN have to explain to folks to NOT tie off directly to the peg on the older spools and then "call it good". I have seen a handful of reels go overboard in my life and then get retrieved by the line - but when the only connection is a knot to a pressed in peg - pretty scary. - john
Here we can see what the Boss does
https://alantani.com/index.php/topic,38387.0.html
Put 4 turns or more on the arbor backwards and than tie a Rapala knot or a uni knot. Than put a few turn on and test .