How to Spool a New Reel
An age old question for those looking to get into fly fishing: How do you spool a fly reel?
First you need to make sure you are lining up the reel for left/right hand retrieve if you mess that part up, you’ll get another chance to practice- immediately. Make sure you get a reel that can be switched either way, or make sure that you have purchased one that has the retrieve side that you want. These are the reels we carry.
Then tip #1: tighten the drag a little bit and make sure you are spooling the right way. It’ll be obvious if you are fighting the drag when you are trying to spool.
Then put a bend in your backing and run it around the reel twice so you can get a good seat on your backing then tie it on with a uniknot and clip it flush. Seat your knot tight against the reel. You can use a single uniknot--below is a double.
The main thing when setting up the backing is to make sure it goes on with a little bit of tension. If you have loose wraps around your reel and you DO get into the backing with a fish, you run the risk of having the backing material clench down on your sloppy wraps- don’t want that kind of a mess with a fish on.
Or use the Nail Knot if you prefer.
2 types of backing available are dacron and gel spun- dacron is durable, easier to handle, and less expensive while Gel spun is thinner which gives you a higher weight strength to line capacity ratio but it is much more expensive. Gel spun is almost always used now on saltwater reels requiring 200 or more yards of backing (here's what's in stock at the shop).
So remember: a little bit of tension when running your backing.
Fred’s takeaway: If you are setting up for big game fish that are going to run you into the backing with a heavy drag load, cross your wraps at this point; it will help keep your backing from compressing on the water.
Tie a double surgeon knot with about a foot of lead on your backing then when you marry up your running line and backing, it’s a simple step: run your backing around the running line spool and make sure you get a complete connection that is flat this will slip through the guides easier and is stronger.
With monofilament: do a double surgeon’s knot with about a foot of bite in it to make a solid loop to connect to your backing. This will give you some size on your knot that you might feel in your guides you can smooth it out with Zap-a-Gap or tie on your mono with a nonslip mono loop.
When your running line is ready, tie in another double surgeon’s knot and create your solid loop-to-loop connection and do the same thing with your head line and leader, or opt for the perfection loop. Check out our line selection here.
Fred like to tie his flies on with a nonslip mono loop as well.
Simple as all that^