[Kool442]

Ok It's that time of the season for me to start stripping line, breaking down, cleaning and oil my reels. Before I start to spool up for the season I wanted to get the WCF opinion on reel spooling machines that you guys prefer. I have been using my $25.00 Berkley spool station for the past 11 years. It does the job but something I noticed this past season that has me thinking.

I have a Stradic spinning reel that I have been using for the past 3-4 years I absolutely love it, so I had the opportunity to buy another one this past August from Bass Pro Shops. I also bought my go-to braid and the guy at Bass Pro offered to spool up my new reel with the purchased braided line. I obliged and within a couple of uses I noticed immediately that the Stradic spooled by Bass Pro had 20%-25% more distance then my original Stradic (spooled by my Berkley machine). Same reel, same braid and relatively the same rod & action. And yes, I do make sure that the line goes on without twists or slack but then again I could be missing something.
Type of spooling machine, spooling technique, recommendations welcomed.

 

[choupiquer]

I think if you use a mechanical reel spooler it won't spool up the same way that your Stradic spools it up after the first cast. May be that the new reel winds it back a little more efficiently.

I've never used a machine so that's my best guess.

 

[Luckydawg13]

I use a 5 gallon bucket filled about a 1/4 way full of water works great 👍 try it before you knock it

 

[choupiquer]

If you're spooling a spinning reel, place the line spool on a peg or on the ground with the label facing you. Make a few turns on the reel handle and throw some slack in the line. If the line twists, turn the spool over and try again. At this point the line should wind on to the reel without any twisting.

Or use the 5 gallon bucket method.

 

[joetrain]

I like to hold the line with a wet rag right above the spool to put tension on the line as I reel.
~JOE~

 

[Kool442]

I use a 5 gallon bucket filled about a 1/4 way full of water works great 👍 try it before you knock it

I use a 5 gallon bucket filled about a 1/4 way full of water works great 👍 try it before you knock it

I never heard of the "5 gallon bucket" trick. Can you explain with a little more detail?

 

[Luckydawg13]

I never heard of the "5 gallon bucket" trick. Can you explain with a little more detail?

Sure fill a 5 gallon bucket about 1/4 of the way up with water. let your spool of new line float in the bucket of water. As you reel on the new line it works awesome you really need to try this trick it's not BS it works

 

[Kool442]

Sure fill a 5 gallon bucket about 1/4 of the way up with water. let your spool of new line float in the bucket of water. As you reel on the new line it works awesome you really need to try this trick it's not BS it works

I will, thank you.

 

[threeats407]

Sure fill a 5 gallon bucket about 1/4 of the way up with water. let your spool of new line float in the bucket of water. As you reel on the new line it works awesome you really need to try this trick it's not BS it works

So it's not the water so much as it is the spool floating and spinning around with ease?

 

[Luckydawg13]

Yes the spool is spinning with ease and your not chasing the spool around on the floor works like a charm

 

[Skifish1]

What JoeTrain said or I just let the spool go crazy laugh at it will the cat chases it.