How much line

[FLboy3]

Does anyone feel the need to spool more than 100 yards of braid when respooling. I can't think of a time that a fish had gotten the length of a football field from the boat. Second question for this thread is, If you only need to spool 100 yards or if you spool more for that matter, how do you determine the amount of line thats being spooled off your 300 yard spool. Does anyone use a line counter and if so which one......Darell

[Loki]

I use all 300 yards of 65-85# Power-Pro for my Pflueger Contender G70 rod-and-reel combination. It is backed with about 30 yards or so of mono. May seem like overkill, but I feel better just knowing if something happens I can free spool and not worry about running out of line so fast.

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

I use shakespeare line counter, is like 12 bucks.

[Dave]

The Shakespeare line counter works, and it’s priced right. If you have a line counter, you still need to know how much backer to put on your reel before you start spooling on the good stuff, assuming you want to fill it up to the optimum level. Fortunately for me, I have all my rods in pairs, one for me and one for the wife, or other fishing companion. Use the line counter and spool on the good line until you reach the length of line you want to use, then cut it and use the line counter to spool on the backer line up to the level you want the reel spooled. Note the length of backer line you've put on this reel.

Now, take the other reel and wind the line from the first reel onto the second reel - it goes on the second spool in reverse order of the first reel, exactly the way you want it.

Now all you have to do is fill the empty reel with the same length of backer line and top it off with the good stuff.

Another option, if you don't have a second reel of the same capacity, is to put on a little extra (cheap) backer line (judgment call) and then fill it up with good line, measuring it with the counter. If you are off by more than you can live with, unspool the good line and cut off some the backer and respool the good line. With close observation of what I'm doing, I can get pretty close with only one trimming of the backer line, when I've had to do it this way.

Dave

[o2bfishn]

Damn cleaver Dave, you always seam to be thinking. thumbsup

And I keep learning, thanks. kickrock

02bfishn 014

[Dave]

Thanks o2. I just took a look at the offshore sea conditions and right now I'm thinking I should be pulling up on the U2 Sub and dropping my marker buoy, with you and your killer 238 right next to me 012

Dave

[o2bfishn]

Your KILLING ME man, I got to get down east, I need the time off.

I was up early this moring to go crappie fishing but had to "save" the wife instead, she hit a deer and wiped out her car at 5 am this moring (shes ok, the cars not) 001 Had to work on saturday to make up for rain during the week. 004 I just can't seam to catch a break. nutkick


Your offshore fishing reports and pictures are the only thing keeping me going. thumbsup Thanks.


02bfishn 014

[Dave]

(shes ok, the cars not)

That's good to hear! thumbsup

Dave

[Shakespeare]

A false albie will really rip off the line if that's what you're going for.

Dave... what's your favorite knot for tying those lines together?

Mike C.

[Dave]

Dave... what's your favorite knot for tying those lines together?
Mike C.


Sorry for the long answer to a short and (seemingly) simple question, but I think to do otherwise might lead to frustration or worse yet, knot failure and I happen to be extremely anal about such things. ;D With that in mind, here’s my offshore deep sea fishing line system. I’m sure there are many others using something different but this one has proven best for me.

I've been experimenting with different knots since moving to braided lines most recently. Some of the traditional knots don't work well splicing onto the softer monos or even fluoro's if the thickness of each is significantly different, as it most often is. The braid’s want to cut into the mono and not slide to the proper position when attempting to finish off the knot. The one I use now, and it works really well is the Uni to Uni Knot.

I also use this knot to tie a 6 or 7 foot Fluoro shock and abrasion leader to my main line. The braided line gives me the no-stretch, sensitive feel, and tiny diameter (less resistance to water and strong currents, which in turn allows me to fish lighter sinker weights) I want when fishing deep waters for potentially big fish but they snap like thread if they hit a sharp edged rock or wreck. The fluoro gives me that tough abrasion resistance and saves me many cutoffs that I would get with strait braid or I used to get with strait mono running all the way to the leader rig.

http://www.fishsa.com/kntiesun.php

I find it an easy knot to tie but it's important to tie each knot and snug them up separate of each other, then at the final step (step 5) pull apart only on the main lines to bring both uni knots together. Finish the knot off by holding each tag end in your teeth while pulling against it with the main line, cut or snip the tag lines close. Practice it a couple of times and you'll find it and fairly fast knot that can be tied (on the fly) while fishing.

Side note: I typically use 60# mono for backing on my offshore reels. Consequently, with large diameter lines, such as 60 or over, I make only 4 wraps and feel that fewer wraps are not required (or desired) to make a strong uni knot. With 80 to 100# mono, I generally use only 3 wraps. I still wrap 6 times with the smaller diameter braded lines.

Dave

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Uni to Uni IS the only knot i use for many years.Never failed me once.It is a strong, not the strongest, knot and easy to tie.You got to use a lot saliva when trying to pull together, that's the only trick to it so it won't burn the mono/fluoro.

[FLboy3]

I was told by a braid maker at the fishing expo that I attended last friday, when using the uni to uni knot to tie line together, to at least double the wraps on the smaller braid when tieing. So 5 or 6 wraps on the the flora means 10 to 12 wraps on the braid. The purpose is to try and have about the same length of knot for each knot when finished.

[Dave]

That's what I love about fishermen, we all have our opinions. I guess I accomplish the same (about the same length of knots) with 3 or 4 wraps on mono and 6 on the braid. Over the years, one thing (relative to knots) that I have learned that is consistent with all others, including charter boat captains and mates, is that the larger diameter lines require fewer wraps for virtually all knots. I grew up fishing for all sorts of small game fish and for all those many years, and to this day, the knot I use 99 percent of the time is the improved clinch knot with 6 turns, no more, no less, to tie on my hooks and lures to lines from 6 to 15 lb test. Try that many wraps on a 100+ lb mono leader and see what you get. With that heavy leader, I used only 3 turns and made due, until in 1985, one of the most successful Eastern Carolina sportfishing charter boat captains (Randy Ramsey) showed me that a single turn IC knot held just as strong, faster to tie, and was smaller to boot. I’ve fished that single wrap IC knot for years since ( in mono) without a single knot failure. When my double hook bottom rigs require as many as 8 knots to complete, it's useful to know that a single turn knot is just as solid and strong as the same knot with multiple turns, especially when the bite is on and time is of the essence. ;D

I personally don't see the advantage, knot strength wise, of having them the same length. All I can say is that I want as small a knot as possible on my reel and I want the same for my leader line, so it's not so difficult to wind it through the rod guides when changing bait or landing fish. If you do a search of uni knots, you'll find many different number wraps recommended without giving consideration to the diameter of the line used, which is misleading at best and negligent at worst, IMO. If you use 4, or 6, or more wraps, I guess the more the better, until you run into so big a knot that many wraps is not practical. Do some experimenting with the number of wraps for the size lines you use and I'm satisfied you'll soon settle on a good compromise and still have 100% knot strength. 012

Dave

[rob198dlv]

Since I went to braid I have used nothing but the Uni to Uni and have never had a failure.

Thanks 1STSarge for the line counter idea. I have always used a backing and then put on about 100 to 120 yards of braid. Everything I do is in-shore and I have only had fish (a couple of bull reds) spool me a couple of times to my mono backing. Everytime my knot held and I was able to get the fish in.