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Line >> Spool - Are You A Taper, Or A Knotter? 2025


fishing user avatarMr_Scrogg reply : 

Spooled up a Super Duty Lews with backing and braid. I SUCK at Arbors. I cinch it down and the line looks like a abnormally long mole hair.

On my Ultegra Shallow Spool, I tape with the provided clear strip.

So, whats your fancy? Tape or Knots?


fishing user avatarloodkop reply : 

I use a Uni knot on al my reels.


fishing user avatarBangin' Bucketmouths reply : 

I just make a knot like when you go to tie your shoes, the first step where you cross you laces under. I do that twice, whatever that know is called.


fishing user avatarTuckahoe Joe reply : 

Arbor knot for me.


fishing user avatarFishes in trees reply : 

Always remember to run the line through the level wind prior to tying onto the spool.  Just a helpful hint.


fishing user avatarTuckahoe Joe reply : 
  On 6/5/2013 at 6:15 PM, Fishes in trees said:

Always remember to run the line through the level wind prior to tying onto the spool.  Just a helpful hint.

Ha!  I've already forgotten to do this 2 or 3 times and I've only had my first baitcaster for a couple weeks.


fishing user avatardave reply : 

If it is a ported spool,  try threading it through the ports and tie off.


fishing user avatarhooah212002 reply : 

On baitcasters I try to tie a few times, then I get frustrated because I am TERRIBLE at knots and resort to tape. Spinning reels, though, I tie a regular overhand knot because I have yet to master the arbor or I forget about that sort of knot when I am spooling up.


fishing user avatarCapt.Bob reply : 
  On 6/5/2013 at 5:25 PM, Mr_Scrogg said:

Spooled up a Super Duty Lews with backing and braid. I SUCK at Arbors. I cinch it down and the line looks like a abnormally long mole hair.

On my Ultegra Shallow Spool, I tape with the provided clear strip.

So, whats your fancy? Tape or Knots?

on the Super Duty I tie directly to the line anchor built on the spool, which is intended for braid, and a 150 yard spool of Sufix 832 40lbs or 30 lbs is perfectly full when done, in a year or two, I will turn it around and have brand new all over again. If I were spooling another reel I would use backing for 5 or 6 wraps and a blood knot to join them and never look back. I won't use tape as I have seen how it is to get off on others spools if you want to remove it.


fishing user avatarMr_Scrogg reply : 
  On 6/5/2013 at 8:25 PM, Capt.Bob said:

on the Super Duty I tie directly to the line anchor built on the spool, which is intended for braid, and a 150 yard spool of Sufix 832 40lbs or 30 lbs is perfectly full when done, in a year or two, I will turn it around and have brand new all over again. If I were spooling another reel I would use backing for 5 or 6 wraps and a blood knot to join them and never look back. I won't use tape as I have seen how it is to get off on others spools if you want to remove it.

 

 

I'll agree, when I respooled my Ultegra this season, the adhesive from the tape was a little bit of a pain to remove.  I saw the line tie on the spool of the Super Duty, But, I was going to use backing, so I didn't use it. 

 

Is there a secret to the Arbor to not have it look like a ribbon on a Xmas present? 


fishing user avatarDarren. reply : 
  On 6/5/2013 at 5:59 PM, Tuckahoe Joe said:

Arbor knot for me.

 

x2


fishing user avatarCapt.Bob reply : 
  On 6/5/2013 at 8:30 PM, Mr_Scrogg said:

Is there a secret to the Arbor to not have it look like a ribbon on a Xmas present? 

Boomerang or scissors, trim short! I use a cinch knot tied around the mainline, and make sure you pass it in under the spool,  when you thread it in thru the line guide and go under the spool, as bringing it in over and then under the spool will choke the main line the wrong way and not have the bite (grip) on the spool you want.


fishing user avatarFelix77 reply : 

Uni to Uni for me.  Trying the tape thing on a baitcaster though.


fishing user avatarQuitlimpin reply : 

I always use tape. I have wicked fat fingers so tying a knot on the spool is a major pita for me.


fishing user avatarRoachDad reply : 
  On 6/5/2013 at 6:15 PM, Fishes in trees said:

Always remember to run the line through the level wind prior to tying onto the spool.  Just a helpful hint.

Been there brother!


fishing user avatarJ Francho reply : 
  On 6/5/2013 at 8:30 PM, Mr_Scrogg said:

Is there a secret to the Arbor to not have it look like a ribbon on a Xmas present? 

 

Yep!  Open the side plate, and remove the spool. Feed the line through the level-wind and open side plate.  Start your arbor knot, but don't wrap the spool yet.  Keep the main knot a little loose, and leave a loop big enough to slip over the spool.  Tie the last lock knot really close to the main knot. Wet the line well, slide over the spool, and gently tighten.  Replace spool and side plate.


fishing user avatarMr_Scrogg reply : 

Nice JF, thanks.


fishing user avatarhooah212002 reply : 
  On 6/5/2013 at 10:39 PM, J Francho said:

Yep!  Open the side plate, and remove the spool. Feed the line through the level-wind and open side plate.  Start your arbor knot, but don't wrap the spool yet.  Keep the main knot a little loose, and leave a loop big enough to slip over the spool.  Tie the last lock knot really close to the main knot. Wet the line well, slide over the spool, and gently tighten.  Replace spool and side plate.

 

Not a day goes by where I don't read a tip on here and think "DUH! Why didn't I think to do that?". It's so obvious, yet not obvious at all.


fishing user avatar21farms reply : 

i tie a knot for two reasons: 1) if your rod/reel fall overboard, you can grab the line and pull it up, even if the clutch is disengaged. one time, i fell overboard while casting (embarrassing story) and let go of my rod/reel but some line was hung up on the corner of the boat...i pulled all the line off the spool but saved the rod and reel. 2) i was bass fishing on the delta and hooked into a huge striper and it literally spooled me...if i was using tape, the fish AND all my line would've been gone.


fishing user avatarBluebasser86 reply : 

I tie a uni knot. Very simple to tie and if a fish gets me that far down it at least gives me a chance to still land it. 


fishing user avatarjherm87 reply : 

Knots for me, one thing I do on a smaller spool is pass back out the level wind and tie the knot. Then slide It back through and cinch it down. Cut the tag and spool it up. Makes tieing the knot easier with fat fingers. Our just tie it further away from the spool.


fishing user avatarSirSnookalot reply : 

It doesn't make any difference using a knot or just taping the line to the spool, what's ever easiest for you, I just go with how I feel at the time.  What is important is making sure the line does not slip, even on "braid ready" reels I still put tape on first both for braid and mono.  In normal every day freshwater bass fishing the chances of being spooled is remote.  In the event a large fish that can put on some long runs is hooked, there is a risk of being spooled, the knot either may not hold or if does damage can be done to the reel, I think both scenarios are pretty remote though.  That said it happened to me the other day while fishing from a jettie using a spinning reel 30# braid with 270 yds of line.  I hook a tarpon, no way to determine exactly how big as it I didn't land it but have caught many a 40 and 50 pounders on the same tackle.  There was no way that I could put enough drag (reel has 30# of it) to slow this fish down I opted to break the fish off at the lure to avoid being spooled or possible reel damage.  All I lost was my lure and leader, had I been on a boat running the fish down may have worked if we could have reacted fast enough, bottom line the fish was destined to win.


fishing user avatardodgeguy reply : 

i tie it then tape over my braid as it feeds on.


fishing user avatarOkobojiEagle reply : 
  On 6/9/2013 at 7:52 PM, dodgeguy said:

i tie it then tape over my braid as it feeds on.

With age comes wisdom.

oe


fishing user avatarMrSwimJig reply : 
  On 6/5/2013 at 10:39 PM, J Francho said:

Yep!  Open the side plate, and remove the spool. Feed the line through the level-wind and open side plate.  Start your arbor knot, but don't wrap the spool yet.  Keep the main knot a little loose, and leave a loop big enough to slip over the spool.  Tie the last lock knot really close to the main knot. Wet the line well, slide over the spool, and gently tighten.  Replace spool and side plate.

 

Thanks for the great tip. I use this not for tying line to my spool and you just helped make this a lot easier.


fishing user avatarllPa1nll reply : 

I just do 2 overhand knots on all of my reels whether they are spinning or

baitcasting. I have never had a problem and have never even heard of or considered using tape, that is a new one to me.


fishing user avatarderekxec reply : 

i tie mine...i use fairly light tackle mostly for what im fishing for so being spooled is a concern except when im bass fishing but i still tie everything


fishing user avatarretiredbosn reply : 

Like Franco I remove the spool to tie, then I tie a Palomar. Just double the line tie an overhand knot into the spool pass the loop over the spool and shaft, cinch down and trim. Put it back together




4977

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