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This article is going to discuss how to put fishing line on a closed reel. The most important thing in fishing is the line. If you do not have a good enough line on your reel, you are done for.
A closed reel means it has no openings in the side of the spool where you will always find line protruding when they are new. This article will show you how to apply a braided fishing line on one of these reels with no way of pulling more string off once you begin spooling! We will also discuss tying knots and taking up the slack as well as different types of lines that work best for different techniques and species!
How to Put Fishing Line on a Closed Reel:
There are two ways to put the line on a closed reel. The first is the easiest, but not necessarily the best way, although it works fine. The second method takes longer but will last you for years if done right.
First Method:
I like fishing using this technique when targeting fish like Catfish or Steelhead in rivers where you can get tangled up in some bushes and you need to be able to cut your line quickly without winding back a ton of slack. All you have to do is tie a nail knot leaving 8 inches of tag end after the knot so that the loop will go over the reel handle easily! You can also use a Palomar knot, but they have been known to fail from time to time. When you are done spooling, just use a nail clipper and snip the tag end off very close to the knot!
This method is great because if you need to cut your line in an instant then there isn’t much slack to take up. Simply pull out about 6 inches of line and re-tie your lure or hook and keep fishing quickly before the fish follows all of your loose lines downstream! It is also not a bad idea to carry around some cheap nail clippers and leave them in your tackle box so that when you get hung up on something you can save the day! Just remember any time you cut a braided fishing line, it should be doubled over when cutting, whether using pliers or scissors for safety!
Second Method:
If you are just starting out or have been fishing with closed reels for a while, then this method is the one to use when putting a line on a closed reel. This method takes more time but once done will last easily 20 years in many cases. All you have to do is start your spooling process by making double sure that all of your line is in place on the handle of the spool so it will go straight toward the side of the spool when it gets tight enough. At this point, you should tie an overhand knot around your main line allowing 6 inches of tag end after the knot. Now pull some slack through and get ready to start winding back up toward the side of the spool.
Now simply keep tension on the main line and wrap it around the side of your spool toward the handle. You will notice that when you do this, all slack in your main line is taken up by the knot to hold tight against the side of the spool. This also allows you to leave a loop of line hanging down from right under where the knot came through if you need more slack for some reason. This allows quick and easy removal of excess line and retying later without having to pull more off like with other methods! When you get near close enough to where you started, simply tie another overhand tag end knot leaving 6 inches of tag end after this knot as well. Now cut off any extra main line past this knot and you are done!
This method is great because it allows for a loop of line to hang down from the knot under the spool so that you can get slack quickly if needed. It also allows for quick removal of any excess line which is very helpful when fishing heavy cover or thick green weeds where every inch counts! You will notice this knot requires less tension on the main line than some other methods, but I have never had an issue with this while fishing unless there was something wrong with my knot. There is nothing worse than having your knot fail while fighting a fish, so always double-check them before getting on the water!
Types of Fishing Lines:
There are many kinds of braided fishing lines available today, but some are better than others for fishing with closed reels. Some of the best braided lines for this type of fishing are Stren monofilament (not the super braid), Seagar Power Pro super braid, Ande Monofilament, Spiderwire Ultracast, and Sunline 100% Fluoro.
The advantage that many of these braided lines have over other types is superior abrasion resistance. This is important because when using closed reels, you spend a lot of time fighting the line through thick cover like weeds or brush which can wear on your line fairly quickly. I prefer to use monofilament as it tends to be less stretchy than fluorocarbon so I am not losing any hook-up percentage because of line chatter. The one thing you have to remember when using braided lines is that they are slightly harder to tie knots in than monofilament, but if you keep in mind the benefits I mentioned then it is well worth it!
Types of Knots:
Once you get your fishing line on your closed reel, it’s time to start getting prepared for some fish! There are many types of knots out there to make different kinds of connections, but most work well with braided lines. The best knot for attaching hooks or lures will depend on what type of structure you are fishing and the size/weight of your bait. For any kind of hard baits like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, or jigs tied with braid you can use either an improved clinch knot, double Palomar knot, or a triple surgeon’s loop. When fishing soft plastics you can use either a Palomar Knot, Improved Clinch Knot, or the Trilene Knot depending on how big your fish are and what kind of cover you are fishing.
Conclusion
With this method fishing with closed reels is easy! This knot allows for quick and efficient use without the risk of the line coming off or getting tangled which can be extremely frustrating when you are trying to land a big one. Once you get your main line on your spool, just tie on an overhand knot on each side and then start winding tight against the side of the spool. With this simple tip, I hope that all of your future fishing trips will include many more fish (and less frustration)!