Spooling a baitcaster reel is one of the most overlooked things in fishing. Many anglers will lay the spool flat, allowing the line to come off the spool clockwise or counterclockwise. While the spool can be laid flat to spool up spinning reels, this is not the case with baitcasters. The spool on a spinning reel sits vertically, but the spool on a baitcaster reel sits horizontally; therefore, the spool of line must be sitting horizontally. Check out these tips on how to properly spool your baitcaster reel with different types of lines!

Spooling with Different Size Spools

There are 3 main spool sizes for fishing line: flat filler spools (330 yds or less), mid-size bulk spools (660 yds), and big bulk spools (1200 yds). There are some hacks to spooling reels, like using a spooling station, having a friend hold the spool of line with a pencil or screwdriver, or placing a filler spool in a shoe.

When spooling a baitcaster reel using any of these ways or any size line spool, it is important to remember that the line must come off the top of the spool as it sits horizontally. This is the opposite of spooling spinning reels, as the line must come off the bottom of the spool. Check out our blog of how to spool a spinning reel here.

Sunline offers a 660-yard spool of FC Sniper that features a built-in spooling system that makes doing this so much easier.

Tips for Spooling

1. Always Hold Tension —Put just enough tension on the line when spooling so that it will spool tightly onto the reel.

2. Use Backing with Braid—This applies to using braid on both spinning reels and baitcasters. Braid can be extremely slick, which can cause it to slip when tied around the reel spool. Applying a monofilament backing will keep it from slipping. Sunline offers a line called Sokomaki specifically for backing only. It is a 1000-yard spool that can last a lifetime, so the angler won’t have to waste any other line. It is also wise to use backing on all reels to prevent wasting line, whether it’s fluorocarbon, nylon monofilament, or braid. Use more backing on bigger spools and less backing on smaller spools.

3. Spool Slowly and Don’t Overfill—Always make sure to spool your reels slowly and steadily so that the line can go on the reel smoothly. Also, make sure that you leave about 1/8 inch of the reel spool showing when you are done spooling. Overfilling a reel will cause line to get tangled.

See how Bassmaster Classic Champion and Elite Series pro Jason Christie spools his baitcasting reels quickly with any type of line in this video.