How to Spool a Fishing Reel

Hi, I am Josh Gebhart. I have been fishing for 10 years and I have helped people get into fishing. You will feel more confident in reeling that proud angler knowing you spooled the reel correctly. Most people do not know how to spool a reel properly. I will be showing the steps on how to spool a fishing reel. Research shows that there are 49 million anglers in the United States but not all of them know how to spool a reel.

Step 1: Tie the Line Around the Fishing Reel

Open the bail on the fishing reel and run your line through it. Take the line and wrap around half of the reel. Tie an overhand knot two times. Once the knots are tied, pull the line tight. Then cut the tag end of the line off so it does not make a mess in the reel.

Step 2: Run the Line Through the Line Roller

Once the tag line is cut, close the bail on the fishing reel. Make sure to have the line running through the line roller. Have someone hold the spool of line while reeling. If not done right the line will become tangled.

Step 3: Hold the Line Tight

Hold the line tight and start turning the handle. Holding the line tight causes it not to get tangled up on the reel. If the line is not tight on the spool, it will become tangled when trying to cast.

Step 4: Start Reeling at a Nice Pace

While turning the handle go at a nice pace. If turning to fast or to slow, the line will get tangled and there will be a mess. On the reel, it will have a specification on how many yards of line to put on the reel. If too much line is put on, the line will become tangled up and create a mess. If this happens, pull some off the spool and cut it.

Step 5: Tuck End of Line Under the Line Holder

Once the proper amount of line is put onto the reel, cut the line from the spool and tuck it under one of the holding tabs until ready to use. On the other hand, if ready to use, run it through the eyelets on the rod.