How to Load Line on a Spinning Reel

It is of great importance that you load you line correctly. If you get this wrong you only set yourself up for a line-twisting nightmare later. The line will twist into coils when it should hang limp, causing your line to tangle into an ugly nest when you cast.

The easiest way to load line onto your reel is to have someone else do it for you. If you can, just let the tackle shop take care of it when you buy your line. They should have a nifty machine that will do it quickly and professionally.

If, for whatever reason, you need to do this yourself, this is how its done:

1. Open the bail. That’s the little wire arm on the reel that flips up and down. Up is open, down is closed. Click here to see more about a spinning reel.

2. Tie the line on the arbor with an arbor knot. Close the bail.

3. Put the spool on the floor, label facing up. A spinning reel requires that the line be loaded onto the reel the same way it comes off the spool.

Like this:

 Not like this:

4. With your free hand, use your thumb and index finger to apply light pressure to your line as you give the handle 15 to 20 turns. Always apply light pressure on the line while loading it, otherwise the line will go on loose and tangle later.

5. Stop. Check the line for line twist. Do this by letting the line go slack. If it starts twisting, flip the spool over (label down) and try again. Use the side that gives you less twist.

6. Fill your spool until it is 1/8th inch from the rim. Overfilling or underfilling your spool will create problems when you cast.

And you’re all done. You can use a rubber band to secure your line on the spool, or wrap it around the tab in your spool (if it comes with one).