Buy in bulk

There is no doubt that buying in bulk saves money for an angler in the long run. Even if it takes a year or more to go through that bulk spool, it is less expensive than buying several filler spools. Sunline offers bulk spools anywhere from 600 to 3300 yards, depending on which type of line you get.

The 660-yard spool of Super FC Sniper is one of Sunline’s most popular sellers for that reason. It allows an angler to fill many reels with very little waste. Also, remember that spooling a spinning reel with a bulk spool will be different from spooling with a filler spool. For more information, check out our blog on that topic. Check out our blog here for tips on properly spooling a baitcaster reel.

Use braided line with nylon or FC leader

Braided lines are proven to last much longer than nylon or fluorocarbon lines. The braid may lose color after being on a reel for a while, but the strength of it stays the same for much longer. Because of this, anglers can save money by pairing an FC or nylon leader with their braid on both spinning and baitcaster reels.

Sunline makes both FC leader material and nylon leader material specially designed for this, but any line can be used. There are a variety of different leader connecter knots that can be tied, but some of the popular ones include the Albright knot, FG knot, and Double Uni knot. Check out more knot options here.

Spend money where you need it

Sunline has many different types of lines, especially when it comes to fluorocarbon. Some fluorocarbons are more abrasion-resistant than others, some have more stretch than others, and some are more sensitive than others. All of them, though, have certain advantages over others. The main point is that you don’t need the most expensive lines for each technique.

Use more costly lines like FC Sniper and Shooter fluorocarbon on techniques that require the highest sensitivity and abrasion resistance, like flipping and swimming jigs around cover. Use more budget-friendly lines like Super fluorocarbon and Assassin fluorocarbon for techniques like casting moving baits such as paddle tail swimbaits, bladed jigs, and crankbaits in open water. For new fluorocarbon users, check out our new budget-friendly Model FC.

Flip your braid

As mentioned, braid lasts much longer than fluorocarbon and nylon. It can be spooled from one reel to another after heavy use. Doing this puts the braid that was at the bottom of the spool at the top now. When the braid is faded, it could be time to flip it to the other end, where it still looks new.

Use backing line

Always use a backing line behind your braid so it won't slip on the spool. Depending on what size braid you use, braid tends to take up more capacity on a spool than nylon or fluorocarbon lines. Because of this, when using braid, we recommend spooling your reel with less backing line than spooling your reel for nylon or fluorocarbon. Also, when using less than a 100-size reel, it might be unnecessary to spool with a backing line depending on what size line you are using because you don't want to cast all of it out to your backing line.

Not only is a backing line great for braid, but it's also good for all types of lines and helps save money, especially on 200-300 size reels that hold a lot of line. Sunline makes a line specifically for this called Sokomaki. It is available in a 1000-yard bulk spool that allows anglers to use it on several reels. For example, if a reel holds 150 yards of 12-pound test, an angler can add 50 yards of backing, allowing them to fill up two reels with a 200-yard 12-pound line.

An angler can also save more money by only removing 50 to 80 yards of their primary line from their reel when re-spooling and then only replacing that amount each time.

Sokomaki Backing Line

Sokomaki is made with a uniform and consistent 0.013-inch diameter, equivalent to a 16 lb test. The consistent diameter gives it the ability to lay on the reel uniformly, allowing the line to be even on the spool for proper filling, enhancing the casting distance and performance of your reel.

Think of the line as a consistent diameter, like stacking firewood. If all the pieces of wood are the same size, it is easy to stack the pile quickly and efficiently, resulting in the pile coming out even on top. Similarly, with a uniform line diameter, the line lays evenly across the spool, providing a solid and consistent foundation of backing for your reels. Sokomaki is a cost-effective way to fill new reels with backing for only approximately $0.01/yard.

Because the backing line is way down in the spool, it does not need to be super fancy and have the perks that our other lines have; therefore, we wanted to make it cheap and easy to make so anglers could save money instead of using their expensive fluorocarbon as a backing line. Utilizing a backing line when re-spooling your baitcasting reels saves you money and increases the performance of your reels, resulting in longer, smoother, and more accurate casts.

Use a line treatment product

Line treatments and conditioners are inexpensive and can extend the life and performance of lines. Sunline has a new product coming in 2024 called Line Booster that does exactly this. It is a spray coating that can be applied to the line's surface. Simply spray it on the spool of your reel, and you're good to go! Line treatment products can extend the life of your fishing line, helping you save money.