what a difference a good line makes

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Apr 29, 2012

Since returning to fishing about 10 years back I've never really took much care on which main line I use

I've used freebies from angling press, cheap spools from the tackle shop and to be honest I've never been entirely happy with the lay of the line on my reels - even my stadics.

so today I've bought a couple of spools of Preston reflo power max main line (I've been using the hook length powerline for about a month and have been impressed)

Just finished spooling two spools up on a stadic - wow lay of the line is perfect - trouble is I need to get some more

I've another 8 spools to change over for my day to day fishing

steph mckenzie · Apr 29, 2012

I don't really see what line lay has to do with the line itself, i always thought it was how you put it on to the spool or the spool itself that dictated how it lay ??

terry m · Apr 29, 2012

I disagree Steph. A quality supple line will lay far better than a springy line, this is more pronounced in heavier lines of course.

As to the original post, totally agree, investment in quality line is repaid in spades in my experience.

steph mckenzie · Apr 29, 2012

Surely a reel with a rubbish line lay, will still make a quality line have a rubbish line lay when you load it on to the spool.

terry m · Apr 29, 2012

Yes, both factors are important. Reel line lay AND line.

steph mckenzie · Apr 29, 2012

It would be interesting to hear what line Paul used previously then, if the new line has made that much of a difference to the line lay.

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Apr 29, 2012

It was a cheap line either given away with angling press or bought cheap from local tackle shop

Only branded one was Ron Thompson given free when I bought a reel

steph mckenzie · Apr 29, 2012

Shame on you then Paul, a man with your money and Stature and you are skimping for Port and Cheese. Put your fishing first you Cad and let's have no more said about it.

S-Kippy · Apr 29, 2012

IMO to compromise on line or hooks is to miss the most fundamental point of angling. By comparison to all the other paraphernalia we buy even the better quality brands are relatively cheap.

Jeff Woodhouse · Apr 29, 2012

Lord Paul of Sheffield said:
It was a cheap line either given away with angling press or bought cheap from local tackle shop Only branded one was Ron Thompson given free when I bought a reel

Can't understand you. You buy expensive Stradics and then put cr@p line on them (whatever the lay)!

I'd rather use a terrible old Mitchell, but load it with good line than t'other way round. As Skippy says the line (and hooklink) and hook are the most important bits of your tackle, get them right first before spending big bucks on the rest.

Saying that, I have a box full of lines, different makes, different strains, different thicknesses, and hardly a bad one amongst them. However, I have one spool in front of me now (should have chucked it in the bin months ago when I got it) which is, Pro-Strand Specimen Brown, Ultra Hi-Tech Mono, 8lbs and given free with Angling Times. Want it?

Should add, you can always use this sh*te as backing.

Morespiders · Apr 29, 2012

Jeff Woodhouse said:
I'd rather use a terrible old Mitchell, .

EHHH Woodhouse, watchit!!!!!

chub_on_the_block · Apr 29, 2012

Jeff Woodhouse said:
Pro-Strand Specimen Brown, Ultra Hi-Tech Mono

Well they certainly put a lot of work into the name of that one though! (seems to embrace all possible techno-specialist-jargon)

Simon Dickinson · Apr 29, 2012

Always believed you get what you pay for.

I'd recommend Fox soft steel in 6lbs bs and above.

Diawa monofilament for 5lbs bs and less for me

---------- Post added at 20:42 ---------- Previous post was at 20:38 ----------

Oh, and remember to drop your line in a bucket of water before loading on the spool. Avoid line twist by ensuring the line goes on your reel in the same direction i.e. if your reel spool turns in a clockwise direction, make sure the line you're loading comes off in a clockwise direction too

Jeff Woodhouse · Apr 29, 2012

Morespiders said:
EHHH Woodhouse, watchit!!!!!

Yeh, I forgot. There's still some Mitchell fanatics no been locked up yet.

A good line doesn't have to be expensive. I've used Fladen Vantage and that seems perfectly sound. Also Pline Fluorocarbon Coated from the USA and that's fine, but more expensive. And I have Fox Soft Steel in camo, it looks good too. You can tell a lot from the way it looks on the plastic storage spool, I think.

barbelboi · Apr 29, 2012

Simon ****inson said:
Always believed you get what you pay for.

I'd recommend Fox soft steel in 6lbs bs and above.

Diawa monofilament for 5lbs bs and less for me

---------- Post added at 20:42 ---------- Previous post was at 20:38 ----------

Oh, and remember to drop your line in a bucket of water before loading on the spool. Avoid line twist by ensuring the line goes on your reel in the same direction i.e. if your reel spool turns in a clockwise direction, make sure the line you're loading comes off in a clockwise direction too

Simon, as most fixed spool reels turn in a clockwise direction then you need to load your line off the new spool in an anti-clockwise direction.Always load fishing line onto a reel the opposite way to which the carriage rotates to stop the line from twisting. IMO if you do this and use decent line the bucket of water is not needed.
Jerry

Sean Meeghan · Apr 30, 2012

Before we get into line twist wars

The easiest way to tell if you've got the spool the right way up when putting line on your reel is to put the spool of line on the floor and wind a few turns on to your reel. Then let it go slack. If the line twists the turn the spool over and do the same again - you should find that the line doesn't twist. Wind the line on to your reel.

benny samways · Apr 30, 2012

This is something that gets on my slighty perky man breasts.

I sent 3 of the huge spools of sensor back to daiwa because i could not get it to load onto my reels without twisting no matter what direction I got the line to come off at.

As soon as you start dealing with 8lb + lines then coiling and twisting seems to be hard to avoid.

Next step is one of those gardner twist buster things.

Jeff Woodhouse · Apr 30, 2012

CLockwise - anti - counter

Just watch this

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwGSTZ-c4Rc"]How To Spool A Spinning Reel - YouTube[/ame]

Don't know why the You Tube vid isn't showing.

It's from my article on loading lines here.

Mart Smith · Apr 30, 2012

Just wondering if you put any tension on the line as you are loading it onto the reel?

steph mckenzie · Apr 30, 2012

If you run the line through your fingers, that is all the tension that you need.

what a difference a good line makes

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