How Much Backing To Use? 2024
aavery2 reply :
How much backing to use when using braided or other expensive line is a question that is asked often. Many people have come up with clever ways to get the job done, but they sometimes don't answer the question.
Several years ago I was taught a method that uses a cheap line counter, basic math skills, information from the reel and line to come up with a very accurate answer.
It may seem a little complicated at first but after you do it once or twice it is very easy. When I worked for Gander Mountain and would spool braided line onto new reels for customers this is the method that I would use.
The first thing you need to know is what is the Total Capacity Factor (TCF) of the spool you are filling. This information is right on the box of the reel, sometimes it is even printed right on the reel itself. In this example lets use the new Curado I, as it is a very popular reel right now. The spool of the Curado I holds 155 yards of 10lb test mono. line. We need one more piece of information to determine our TCF, the diameter of 10lb test mono. Mono line are fairly consistent in diameter and you can use a common line to get this information. For this example I chose Suffix Elite Mono, and it has a diameter of .012.
To figure the TCF we simply multiply the capacity of the reel by the diameter of the line. 155 yards X .012 diameter = 1.86
So our TCF for this reel is 1.86
In this example we are going to determine how much mono backing we will require if we want to spool our reel with 55 yards of 50lb test Power Pro braid.
The next thing we need to figure is our Braided Line Capacity (BLC) it is very easy to figure this, all that is required to know is how much braided line you want to put on the spool and its diameter. For our example we are using 55 yards of 50 lb test Power Pro braided line and it has a diameter of .014, the diameter comes right off the box.
To figure BLC we just multiply the yards of braided line we want to use by the diameter of that line. 55 yards X .014 diameter = 0.77
So we now know what our Total Capacity Factor (TCF) is and our Braided Line Capacity (BLC) the only thing we have left to figure is how much backing to put on the reel so our 55 yards of braided line fill it perfectly.
The way we do this is to Subtract the BLC from the TCF or 1.86 - 0.77 = 1.09, this is the Remaining Capacity Factor (RCF). To finish the job we just need to know the diameter of the backing line that we are going to use, in this case we are going to use 20lb test Suffix Elite Mono with a diameter of .018.
We then divide the RCF by the line diameter of the mono. backing line. 1.09 / .018 = 60.5. We need 60.5 yards of 20lb Suffix Elite mono and 55 yards of 50lb test Power Pro braid to properly fill the spool.
As I originally said, it seems a little complicated at first, but if you work through it even a couple of times you will see how simple it really is.
One of you smart guys could probably whip out a spread sheet that could make this very easy.
Good Luck.
Catch and Grease reply :
Pretty neat but I just geusstimate...
aavery2 reply :
On 9/25/2014 at 5:04 AM, Catch and Grease said:Pretty neat but I just geusstimate...
If that works for you then I would not change. It does suck though when you don't put enough backing on a reel and then spool the braid on and come up quite a bit short of filling the spool.
hzzhangc reply :
What I did is use two reels. First spool the line I want after I feel the line is good enough I fill the spool with the backing line. Then just spool it back to another reel. The only problem is you need two reels with close line capacity.
FlipSide reply :
This is why im glad I only use braid on one rig lol
aavery2 reply :
On 9/25/2014 at 5:52 AM, hzzhangc said:What I did is use two reels. First spool the line I want after I feel the line is good enough I fill the spool with the backing line. Then just spool it back to another reel. The only problem is you need two reels with close line capacity.
That would work well.
aavery2 reply :
On 9/25/2014 at 5:56 AM, FlipSide said:This is why im glad I only use braid on one rig lol
Remember when your 7th grade math teacher said, "pay attention" now you know why.
aavery2 reply :
Another thing that you can do by using this technique is determine how much line a spool will hold of any line.
Say you want to run 65lb braid on a reel and want to know what the capacity of the spool would be.
You just figure your TCF with the information that your given on the spool. In the case of the Curado I that we used in our example above we know that the reel holds 155 yards of 10lb test mono line and 10lb test mono line has a diameter of .012.
155 X .012 = 1.86
You then take the diameter of the line you want to use, in this case 65lb Power Pro with a diameter of .016.
You just divide your TCF by the diameter of the new line and it will tell you how many yards it will hold
1.86 / .016 = 116.25
The Curado I will hold 116.25 yards of 65lb Power Pro braid.
It would be great if the reel manufacturers would adopt using TCF as a standard for rating their spools, then with simple math we would easily know how much line of any type a spool would hold.
aavery2 reply :
I am running into inconsistencies in what the reel mfgs are reporting for line capacity and what this formula says the reel should hold. I am trying to get better information from the mfgs to see if it because of conversions from mm to inch and rounded numbers.
For instance, using the numbers they report for capacity at 10lb test my math suggests that the spool would hold 116.25 yards of 65lb test PP line. On their website they report that the spool will hold only 80 yards of 65lb test PP line. Considerable difference.
I will try to see where the math is off.
Pinoy_Basser reply :
This what i do.
First decide how much Braid or FC I will spool up (usually i use 50 yrds).
Spool in the Braid/FC first then the backing. Fill it up till you reach your target fill level then cut.
Remove all the line then reverse (Backing first then Braid/FC).
I put a masking tape on the knot between the two lines then continue to spool.
I always designate the line type,lbs rating, Diameter, brand of line on each reel so to eliminate the need to respool new backing.
50 yrds of 20lbs Sufix PB on the 1001XT
50 yrds of 30lbs Sufix PB on the CU201I
DelcoSol reply :
My head hurts. Like said above I just guestimate. If it required that much thought I would probably never use braid lol. Thats good calculating by you though. 
Goose52 reply :
Three or four years ago, Raul posted in this forum the math formula that you are calling "TCF". For me it was one of those "duh" moments; a simple formula, but so useful and I have frequently used it over the years. Thanks for posting it again - lots of folks should get some use out of it...
Sorry - don't remember that............7th grade was 50 years ago.............On 9/25/2014 at 5:59 AM, aavery2 said:Remember when your 7th grade math teacher said, "pay attention" now you know why.
Tywithay reply :
I fill it up with cheap line, tie on a half ounce sinker, and cast as far as it will fly. Pull off about three-four full arm lengths, cut it, then put on the good stuff. Few lures have as little resistance as a sinker and the arm lengths add a cushion. It'd be hard to cast to the backing. I keep a cheap reel around to reel up the cheap mono I cut off, so it can be used again.
tcbass reply :
That seems like lot of work. lol. From advice on here I just put on electrical tape over the spool and then the braid. It's worked great so far.
I have Power Pro on my first Baitcaster that is 6 years old and still going strong.
Tywithay reply :
I use backing to save money, not to keep the line from spinning on the spool. When you have to fill 30-40 reels each season, I'll save as much as I can.On 9/26/2014 at 2:54 PM, tcbass said:That seems like lot of work. lol. From advice on here I just put on electrical tape over the spool and then the braid. It's worked great so far.
I have Power Pro on my first Baitcaster that is 6 years old and still going strong.
tcbass reply :
On 9/26/2014 at 6:42 PM, Tywithay said:I use backing to save money, not to keep the line from spinning on the spool. When you have to fill 30-40 reels each season, I'll save as much as I can.
I believe it. I save money by using the same braid for over 6 years.
I doubt you can do the same with mono or fluro though.
aavery2 reply :
On 9/26/2014 at 2:54 PM, tcbass said:That seems like lot of work. lol. From advice on here I just put on electrical tape over the spool and then the braid. It's worked great so far.
I have Power Pro on my first Baitcaster that is 6 years old and still going strong.
As Tywhithay mentioned, the objective is to be able to use the same amount of line you used to fill a single spool to fill two or three.
IAY reply :
On 9/26/2014 at 9:38 PM, tcbass said:I believe it. I save money by using the same braid for over 6 years.
I doubt you can do the same with mono or fluro though.
6 years is a bit of a stretch with any line IMO, but you can get decent mileage by keeping high quality mono/fluoro well maintained of about an year or so.
J Francho reply :
I use a line counter, and another reel. It's a pain the first time, but once the backer is on, you don't have to do it again. You can use your original reel to get the line, but you'll need two empty reels to get it back on correctly.
aavery2 reply :
While using the mathematical method described will get you close but it is less than perfect, I have a calculator built on a spreadsheet that does a much more accurate job and only requires that you input your line diameters and a few other easy pieces of information and it will give you a very accurate answer. If anyone is interested I would be happy to email you a copy, just shoot me a PM with your email address.
Work smarter not harder.
tcbass reply :
On 9/26/2014 at 9:52 PM, IAY said:6 years is a bit of a stretch with any line IMO, but you can get decent mileage by keeping high quality mono/fluoro well maintained of about an year or so.
I honestly believe that a lot of the suggested replacement dates are more for sales and less because of actual necessity.
Like oil changes every 3,000 miles when it's now understood that you go about 6,000 miles per oil change. And how they recommend you need to change a bullet resistant vest every 5 years because of sun snd sweat damage which will breakdown the vest. Really? Do we change seatbeltd every 5 years for the same reason? They are arguably in the sun far more.
aavery2 reply :
On 9/26/2014 at 10:21 PM, tcbass said:I honestly believe that a lot of the suggested replacement dates are more for sales and less because of actual necessity.
Like oil changes every 3,000 miles when it's now understood that you go aboit 6,000 miles per oil change. And how they recommend you need to change a bullet resistant vest every 5 years because of sun snd sweat damage which will breakdown the vest. Really? Do we change seatbeltd every 5 years for the same reason? They are arguably in the sub far more.
I probably would if I had to depend on my seatbelts for stopping a bullet.
tcbass reply :
On 9/26/2014 at 10:24 PM, aavery2 said:I probably would if I had to depend on my seatbelts for stopping a bullet.
lol. You have a much higher likelihood of being or killed in a car accident then shot.
IAY reply :
On 9/26/2014 at 10:21 PM, tcbass said:I honestly believe that a lot of the suggested replacement dates are more for sales and less because of actual necessity.
Like oil changes every 3,000 miles when it's now understood that you go aboit 6,000 miles per oil change. And how they recommend you need to change a bullet resistant vest every 5 years because of sun snd sweat damage which will breakdown the vest. Really? Do we change seatbeltd every 5 years for the same reason? They are arguably in the sub far more.
Well, it is going to depend on how you are using the braid. If you are using it in such manner that the line comes in contact with a lot of abrasion, you won't trust pitching with it as much right?
tcbass reply :
On 9/26/2014 at 10:38 PM, IAY said:Well, it is going to depend on how you are using the braid. If you are using it in such manner that the line comes in contact with a lot of abrasion, you won't trust pitching with it as much right?
I figure most people on here using braid if planning on coming in contact with a lot of abrasion causing surfaces would have a fluro leader, no?
J Francho reply :
Not necessarily. The last three feet of my dock setups get beat after a day, even using a 4' fluoro leader. Even some weeds, like coontail can take their toll.
tcbass reply :
On 9/26/2014 at 10:47 PM, J Francho said:Not necessarily. The last three feet of my dock setups get beat after a day, even using a 4' fluoro leader. Even some weeds, like coontail can take their toll.
But you use a fluro leader that you can replace, right?
J Francho reply :
Yes. The last three feet of BRAID get beat up, as well as the leader. Maybe even more so, since it's the braid hitting the dock, not the leader, when I skip jigs under.
hatrix reply :
From what I hear everyone does it wrong in regards to backing. The only lines you want backing on is mono copoly fluoro. Those you want to use braid for backing and for braid just run in straight or leave old braid on to back new braid.
aavery2 reply :
On 9/27/2014 at 4:54 AM, hatrix said:From what I hear everyone does it wrong in regards to backing. The only lines you want backing on is mono copoly fluoro. Those you want to use braid for backing and for braid just run in straight or leave old braid on to back new braid.
That's a new one
iabass8 reply :
On 9/27/2014 at 4:54 AM, hatrix said:The only lines you want backing on is mono copoly fluoro.
On 9/27/2014 at 4:54 AM, hatrix said:Those you want to use braid for backing and for braid just run in straight or leave old braid on to back new braid.
So don't use backing for braid....but when the old braid is used up, use that as backing. that's some solid logic.
On 9/27/2014 at 4:54 AM, hatrix said:From what I hear everyone does it wrong in regards to backing.
OR....Take a 150 yd spool of 65#PP and use 75 yds + backing thus resulting in better casting distance and more life out of line. If you spool all 150 yds on 1 reel, your casting will be drastically effected towards the lower life of the spool. Not to mention it isn't cost effective if you want to use the line on more than one reel. Did you even think that thought through?
If you're in the braid/fluoro leader camp, then not using backing on your reel is a giant waste of money as you're never casting more than 40 yds anyway.
Anywho, most of my reels use shooter, tatsu and sniper so I like getting the most out of the line. I count out 55 yards of shooter and 65 yards of tatsu/sniper, spool it on the reel, and then reel the backing on until it's at the spot that i desire. Back the line off I use a line counter and 2 spare abu garcia 6500s. Really only have to do this once per reel every couple years.
tcbass reply :
On 9/27/2014 at 10:05 AM, iabass8 said:So don't use backing for braid....but when the old braid is used up, use that as backing. that's some solid logic.
OR....Take a 150 yd spool of 65#PP and use 75 yds + backing thus resulting in better casting distance and more life out of line. If you spool all 150 yds on 1 reel, your casting will be drastically effected towards the lower life of the spool. Not to mention it isn't cost effective if you want to use the line on more than one reel. Did you even think that thought through?
If you're in the braid/fluoro leader camp, then not using backing on your reel is a giant waste of money as you're never casting more than 40 yds anyway.
Anywho, most of my reels use shooter, tatsu and sniper so I like getting the most out of the line. I count out 55 yards of shooter and 65 yards of tatsu/sniper, spool it on the reel, and then reel the backing on until it's at the spot that i desire. Back the line off I use a line counter and 2 spare abu garcia 6500s. Really only have to do this once per reel every couple years.
How is this?
iabass8 reply :
On 9/27/2014 at 12:05 PM, tcbass said:How is this?
I think you are asking why less line effects casting distance? If so, it's a pretty straight forward answer. The more full your reel is, the easier and further a reel will cast.
tcbass reply :
On 9/27/2014 at 12:08 PM, iabass8 said:I think you are asking why less line effects casting distance? If so, it's a pretty straight forward answer. The more full your reel is, the easier and further a reel will cast.
Ah. Ic.
aavery2 reply :
On 9/27/2014 at 12:44 PM, tcbass said:Ah. Ic.
A full spool is bigger in diameter, so every rotation of the spool during a cast lets out more line than a spool that is low on line and smaller in diameter.
SirSnookalot reply :
On 9/27/2014 at 4:54 AM, hatrix said:From what I hear everyone does it wrong in regards to backing. The only lines you want backing on is mono copoly fluoro. Those you want to use braid for backing and for braid just run in straight or leave old braid on to back new braid.
Pretty much the way I do it. The few times I've used a mono backing, eyeballing worked well enough for me. I go straight braid, my bass reels don't hold all that much line anyway, when low on line I just add to the existing braid. Only the initial cost is a few bucks more, then it's the same. My other species reels hold more line, I'd feel a bit nervous with a larger fish on the line with mono backing.
tcbass reply :
On 9/27/2014 at 12:50 PM, aavery2 said:A full spool is bigger in diameter, so every rotation of the spool during a cast lets out more line than a spool that is low on line and smaller in diameter.
Cool. Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense.
hatrix reply :
On 9/27/2014 at 10:05 AM, iabass8 said:So don't use backing for braid....but when the old braid is used up, use that as backing. that's some solid logic.
OR....Take a 150 yd spool of 65#PP and use 75 yds + backing thus resulting in better casting distance and more life out of line. If you spool all 150 yds on 1 reel, your casting will be drastically effected towards the lower life of the spool. Not to mention it isn't cost effective if you want to use the line on more than one reel. Did you even think that thought through?
If you're in the braid/fluoro leader camp, then not using backing on your reel is a giant waste of money as you're never casting more than 40 yds anyway.
Anywho, most of my reels use shooter, tatsu and sniper so I like getting the most out of the line. I count out 55 yards of shooter and 65 yards of tatsu/sniper, spool it on the reel, and then reel the backing on until it's at the spot that i desire. Back the line off I use a line counter and 2 spare abu garcia 6500s. Really only have to do this once per reel every couple years.
Well I was just saying what I had heard. This is what Aaron Martens does on all his reels and he says you actually get better casting distance this way. Don't get all upset with me about it. You should talk to him and ask if he ever thought it through. I am also pretty sure most everyone here can scrounge up some old braid to use for backing on reels. I also guess I was not clear enough about it .Yes you can/should use backing for braid but back your braid with more braid. I think I had said that though.
iabass8 reply :
On 9/27/2014 at 4:54 AM, hatrix said:From what I hear everyone does it wrong in regards to backing. The only lines you want backing on is mono copoly fluoro.
On 9/27/2014 at 4:54 AM, hatrix said:. Those you want to use braid for backing and for braid just run in straight or leave old braid on to back new braid.
On 9/29/2014 at 1:03 AM, hatrix said:Well I was just saying what I had heard. This is what Aaron Martens does on all his reels and he says you actually get better casting distance this way. Don't get all upset with me about it. You should talk to him and ask if he ever thought it through. I am also pretty sure most everyone here can scrounge up some old braid to use for backing on reels. I also guess I was not clear enough about it .Yes you can/should use backing for braid but back your braid with more braid. I think I had said that though.
I completely understand the use of braided line backing. The issue /w your statement is, as I quoted it above for you to see, you made two completely contradictory statements and are trying to defend it...
WRB reply :
Good information, very informative thread.
Couple of questions; reel line capacity, how full is the spool? Does the manufacture rate total line capacity filled to the very top edge of the spool or 1/16" below, it makes a big difference.
How tight is the line spooled on? Commercial line spoilers use a tool to put a constant force on the line being spooled, most anglers doing this don't. Tightly spooled line capacity is different than loosely spooled line. Braid also flattens, doesn't stay round and can heat up when friction of force is added during spooling line.
How do you control the line pressure? What does a full spool mean to you?
Tom
boostr reply :
I just use 12 or 14lb mono fill the spool eye balled half way, and fill the rest with braid. Used one 150yd spool of 50lb PP braid on three reels this way.
FlipSide reply :
On 9/25/2014 at 5:59 AM, aavery2 said:Remember when your 7th grade math teacher said, "pay attention" now you know why.
Lol, not sure if this is meant as an insult or what?
But I am very capable of comprehending the math behind it.
I was simply referring to not having to fill up reels with backing multiple times, I have used the same backing for 4+ years.
aavery2 reply :
On 9/30/2014 at 5:52 AM, FlipSide said:Lol, not sure if this is meant as an insult or what?
But I am very capable of comprehending the math behind it.
I was simply referring to not having to fill up reels with backing multiple times, I have used the same backing for 4+ years.
Relax, not an insult. My insults are not hard to decipher. It was meant as a joke, many kids hated math in school, and would ask, "why do I need to learn this, I will never use it again". It was just a play on that.
SirSnookalot reply :
In reference to WRB said about how tight the line is spooled. When I spool up with braid I don't always get it real tight, what I do is over spool. I put on a lure that when reeling in has a lot of resistance, additional I take it to the inlet with current and let out a lot of line. When I reel back in the braid is very tight and pretty much spooled where I want it to be, sometimes I may have to peel off a little bit of line.
Hogsticker reply :
I didn't read every post, but this is useful. My question is this. So I figure out how much backing I need using this method. Say I determine I need 65 yards, but I'm taking it off a 300 yard spool. Do you just figure 65 yards via the Ipt and handle turns?
paleus reply :
On 9/30/2014 at 11:22 PM, Hogsticker said:I didn't read every post, but this is useful. My question is this. So I figure out how much backing I need using this method. Say I determine I need 65 yards, but I'm taking it off a 300 yard spool. Do you just figure 65 yards via the Ipt and handle turns?
$15:
Hogsticker reply :
I had one of those. It was garbage with thin diameter lines
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