Packing a reel TIGHT with PP

[anut]

So I learned last yr not to overload my Penn 9500's with PP by having a wind know party you read about it. The natural order was restored when I clipped out 50-75yrds of line.

But, I want it packed on tight and above was my lame effort to pull the E-Sea-E drop it deep with a window weight and reel it back in. I just never got to do that before fishing (and paid).

My question is: I am about to swap out the 50# for 65# on 3 reels and wanted to know of any home tricks I could use to get a tight wind. Run is through a thick book with my 9 yr old standing on it is about the best I have come up with? Anybody try this? Did it work?

Thanks guys,
George

[Ray]

I have always found it cheaper to have spools filled with braid in a tackle shop. When doing so you can have them put in on a tight as you like.

I swapped from PP to Stren Super Braid on my 9500 and have not have a knot problem since.

[Codfisher]

I hold the line with a wet cotton glove as I wind on..never a problem. I use only Jerry Brown on my braid reels and it performs great.

[CornerOffice]

I made up a spring loaded spool tensioner... thats what I call it.

Take a metal rod 15" or so - thin enough to put through the center hole in your spool of line.

On each side of the spool - I run a washer - spring - washer, then a locking decive to keep everything in place (you can use locking wachers but they do slip after time - I perfer a pair of vice grips).
So from left to right it goes like this..

Vice or Vice Grip - washer - spring - washer - SPOOL - washer - spring - washer - vice grip.

I can change the tension on the spool by compressing the springs, more compression = more tension.
I have been spooling PP like this for 3 years, 30 class down to 12 class reels, spinning too... and have not had an issue with the line biting into the spool when a heavy fish is on...
But just for insurance I do like to drop a 16 oz weight into 300' and repack from time to time.

[Onshore]

Buy it and have it done at the saltwater shop where you purchased it. They can pack it tight on their machine, you will only get the amount that you need and the cost is no more at any decent shop.

One word of caution; I note many of the big-box stores are loading line now. I wouldn't trust them and have seen some terrible examples of their work. Usually a clerk that has no more experience with saltwater than my aunt Helen.

[anut]

I guess I should have asked what kind of braid, seems like PP is not a favorite.
I was getting spooled at tackle shops, but paid $45 to get couple hundred hards of #30 PP on my bass reel and said no more. With 3 reels doing 500yds each of 65# PP, can't imaging. I got the spool for $100, delivered.

Oh well, already bought 1500 yrds of the stuff so giving it a go. I like the homebrew spring tensioner idea!

Anybody know how much backing I can put on a 9500 spool to have the 65# PP fit right? I was using 50 yrds of Mono with 50#, just do the same?

[z-drive]

i'd backload it. or whatever the term is. it takes a while but is easier than guessing. this is a pain in the a$$ but ifyou only have a limited amount of braid to work with, like a 300yd spool and you want to make sure the reel is fully loaded this is easier than guessing how much backing it will take.

here's what i do. spool your reel (temporarily) with a sh__load of your braid, however much you want to have, then splice in your mono backing, just enough to spool the reel to the desired level. i usually go for a few hundred feet, usually 40-50#. now that the reel is filled to the amount you want, i wind all of this line back onto another spool. from here i wind all of this line off of that reeel. at this point, the backing will be back at the top. now secure the backing to the spool, set the drag on the other reel, have someone hold it, and spool it up on the desired reel. this way you can get the line spooled at a consistant tension using the drag on the other reel.

its complicated and overly involved but in my cheapness its the way to go. otherwise just go to a shop.

[anut]

Originally Posted by z-drive

i'd backload it. or whatever the term is. it takes a while but is easier than guessing. this is a pain in the a$$ but ifyou only have a limited amount of braid to work with, like a 300yd spool and you want to make sure the reel is fully loaded this is easier than guessing how much backing it will take.

here's what i do. spool your reel (temporarily) with a sh__load of your braid, however much you want to have, then splice in your mono backing, just enough to spool the reel to the desired level. i usually go for a few hundred feet, usually 40-50#. now that the reel is filled to the amount you want, i wind all of this line back onto another spool. from here i wind all of this line off of that reeel. at this point, the backing will be back at the top. now secure the backing to the spool, set the drag on the other reel, have someone hold it, and spool it up on the desired reel. this way you can get the line spooled at a consistant tension using the drag on the other reel.

its complicated and overly involved but in my cheapness its the way to go. otherwise just go to a shop.

Thank you, just what I was looking for.

[Lckyshot]

I pounded a couple of the sand spike rod holders into the grass about 250 yards apart next to a couple of football and baseball fields. Next I tied the line to my mono backing and played out the spooled line back and forth between the spikes. After securing the end of the line, I picked up the rod and started winding under pressure and walking the line back to the secured end. (similar to fighting a fish)

[caperover]

I had one of the 'professional' stores do my reels several years ago and it still did not go on tight. I hear others say RedTop does an excellent job packing it tight. ...that doesn't sound right...

The best and only way to pack it on is to wet pack it in my opinion. I put it on the spool at tight as I can and put on some extra. On my first trip out, I let all the line out with a good size floating lure or spreader bar and reel it back in with the boat in gear to put alot of presure on the line. The line will wet pack down tighter hence adding the additional line when you dry pack it.

[ruge13]

I am a fan of a bumper behind a boat. Spool the reel, tie it off on the way out to the bumper and pull away. The drag on the bumper in the water will be plenty to pack the reel tight, will also be wet packed. On a 900 it takes about 10 minutes but it will definately make a difference in the casting performance and no line digs under heavy strain.

I would also second other opinions. Red top does a nice job on spin and conventional.

[Ken Wytas]

I mounted an old 113 reel to the joices about 8' in front of my basement stairs. You can take the line and wrap it around the 113 reel 2-5 times, not enough wraps and it slips, to many and the line rolls over itself and binds. It varies by line size. You can set the drag on the 113 to whatever tension you like. I sit on the stairs and wind it on while my son holds the original spool the line is on. I purchased a few plastic extension cord spools to wind my line onto at the end of the year. You can buy these at WalMart for a few dollars. One spool will hold 2 penn 130 reels. When it's time to respool the poles just soak the extension cord spools in warm water first, run the line through the 113 and wind onto the pole.

[e-sea-e]

Originally Posted by ruge13

I am a fan of a bumper behind a boat. Spool the reel, tie it off on the way out to the bumper and pull away. The drag on the bumper in the water will be plenty to pack the reel tight, will also be wet packed. On a 900 it takes about 10 minutes but it will definately make a difference in the casting performance and no line digs under heavy strain.

I would also second other opinions. Red top does a nice job on spin and conventional.

sean, that very simillar to what I do, overpack it at home lose, then go to some deep water, drop it all out with a 16oz sinker, reel back in. I like the bumper idea though, you dont need deep water.

the backloading method Z mentioned is what I try to do when someone else is around, but the wife gets tired of it fast.

[anut]

what i like aout this is I don't have a line counter and i can evenly distribute 1500 yrds over 3 reels. Combined with Z.s reverse pack and wet pack and I am good to go. Thanks guys.

[z-drive]

i forgot to mention that if i'm doing more than one of the same reels, i just measure the amount of 'spool' that is left after loading the backing on the first one-- this way i can just fill the other one to that level and save a step. for instance with a baitrunner 3500 and 150yds of #20 pp, i fill the reel with 20# mono until i have a sharpie-marker cap (thin end) remaining. sounds weird but you'll get your own system.