Match reel for float fishing

Does everyone use a match reel (ie shallow spool) for float fishing? I always though the majority of anglers did use one for float fishing.

I picked up a used Browning match reel locally the other day, shallow spool and all that. Lovely reel.

I have generally always used 4lb Maxima mainline for my waggler fishing, mainly because I fish ponds that contain Carp to 10lb and biggish Tench etc.

That being said, am I going too heavy for a match reel?

I load the spool with 4lb Maxima to just under the lip where I would normally load the line. Problem I facing is the line coming off the spool.

Yesterday twice I had to cut the line, rethread my rod and start again.

I ended up using another reel that was loaded onto a deeper spool and probably set lower down under the lip.

Should I be using lighter line on the reel, or go for a reel with a deeper spool and stick with my favour 4lb line? Or is this a Maxima issue perhaps?

Lots of Q's there Bob..

Line springing off could be down to how its loaded, I use moderate tension when doing mine and don't have a problem, normally when the person helping with the spool around a pen or wooden spoon says their fingers are starting to burn is usually the right tension.

Maybe it's loaded too close to the rim as a shallow spool is no different from a deep one as the deep one is just filled with backing line anyhow. I use old line even used string in the past for backing and never load it to the brim as I don't need to cast far.

I haven't used maxima for years but 4lb line is fine for a match reel

Maybe the wind yesterday played a factor in it springing off as well.

If you're not already doing so Bob, feathering the line at the lip of the spool with your finger just before the float hits the water may help. Not only does it help your rig hit the water in-line, giving you (hopefully!) tangle free presentation from the waggler to your hook, it also slows the momentum of the line leaving the spool to a gradual stop.
If you then keep your fingertip in contact with the lip of the spool whilst closing your bail-arm, this should prevent loops of line piling off.

Bob, I am noted for being a clumsy so and so. Any reel I use that is CORRECTLY LOADED is likely to be unkind to me and spew line all over the place at the first whisper of wind. It is normally because I omit to re- engage the anti backwind after a fish making the handle spin a bit.

As I rarely cast very far the answer for me is to go against all the common advice about filling the spool to the lip. I just leave a bigger space. SIMPLES.:wh

That's usually what I do, fill the spool less. I never used to use a shallower match reel for floating fishing. I was quite happy with a small feeder/spinning type reel of good quality, back fill the spool somewhat with 10lb or so line then could put as much line or less as I please.

There is no rule to use a shallow spooled match reel for floating? Is there an advantage to either other than the shallow spool takes less filling?

I can see me going back to the reel types I am happy and comfortable with!

maritimesbob said:

That's usually what I do, fill the spool less. I never used to use a shallower match reel for floating fishing. I was quite happy with a small feeder/spinning type reel of good quality, back fill the spool somewhat with 10lb or so line then could put as much line or less as I please.

There is no rule to use a shallow spooled match reel for floating? Is there an advantage to either other than the shallow spool takes less filling?

I can see me going back to the reel types I am happy and comfortable with!

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I don't know how much a shallow spool holds but you should still be able to get enough on with a bigger space. Just buy bulk spools and fill to where you want. That way with bulk spools , just change the line a bit more often. Sensor is OK and cheap as chips.

I know it's an age old argument, do folks rate sensor over maxima for waggler fishing on a match reel? I suppose each to their own, some favour one over the all. Again all personal preference.

As I am new to the use of match reels, the only difference is the shallower spool?

From my understanding the term match reel is mostly marketing label. Match reels tend to be fairly small reels (~3000 size) and again generally have shallow spools.

I only float fish (trotting on rivers) and when I started I used the normal "spinning reels" that normally have much deeper spools. These were no worse for the job but I made the change because it seems ridiculous "wasting" so much line filling them up, even when using backing line or tape. The particular shallow spool reels I use take ~100 meters which saves money and makes me more willing to change to fresh line regularly (which I find makes a difference). I also find the shallow spools give better line lay which aids in casting and preventing tangles.

I also on average use 4lb line but go as low as 2lb and as high as 8lb and never had any problems. All are suitable for float fishing. Filling the spool right to the lip is generally recommended (or just shy of the lip) but what may be happing is when you cast and your end tackle hits the water the line at the spool still has some momentum and gets pulled off the spool to lie in loose coils just after it which can cause tangles. The fact that you filled the spool so well means line peels off so easily it could actually be causing the problem. The fix would be to fill it a bit less or to stop the line manually before the float hits the water after the cast (known as feathering the line).

Image of line loaded onto the match spool.

Badly laid? (bad choice of word lol)
Too much line?
Just enough?
Issue with line itself?
The way I am casting (need to feather)?
Other?

Bob, I regularly use a drennan feeder reel ( for float fishing) which to my knowledge is only available with shallow spools, all accurately marked with line diameter as to how much each spool holds. I've found them to be spot on, and I use it with 2.6, 4 and 6lb mono. Maybe it is your technique. I have an annoying bad habit of leaving my fingers somewhere around the bail arm just as I've feathered the line, gets me in a right mess!

The line lay looks terrible on that, so that wont help.
You lay the line the right way on the floor before spooling up? You could have had it the wrong way.

The amount of l;ine on the spool looks okay, but the lay of the line looks pretty awful.

For amm my float fishing, waggler or stick float I use a Shimano Stradic 2300 or 3000. The spools are pretty much the same but the line lay is perfect.

When using a fixed spool for waggler or stick float fishnig then I look for one with a short distance between the spool edge and the reel stem. This is because I have quite small and short finers so it can be difficult to control the line if that distance is too great.

It also makes feathering the line at the end of the cast more difficult too.

So, for me at least, the Shimano Stradics fit the spec' perfectly.

I use Maxima a great deal and the loading of it onto a fixed spool reel is absolutely critical...

When loading, if you remember only one thing it has to be: THE NEW LINE COMING OFF THE NEW SPOOL MUST GO ONTO THE REEL IN THE SAME DIRECTION ! If you fail to do this, then every time you turn the reel handle you are putting a ' twist ' into the line, and by the time you put all the line on the reel it will be line a continual ' spring ' and totally useless !!
In other words: If you hold the reel in front of you ( with the spool facing away from you ) and turn the handle, the bale arm ( normally ) turns clockwise. Place the new spool of line in front of the reel WITH THE WRITING FACING THE REEL, AND IF YOU PULL A BIT OF LINE OFF YOU WILL SEE IT COMES OFF THE NEW SPOOL, ALSO TURNING CLOCKWISE.

DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT, HAVE THE NEW SPOOL OF LINE WITH IT'S EDGE FACING YOU (ROTATING ON A PENCIL, OR WHATEVER ) AND THEN START WINDING AS THIS ALSO WILL PUT TWIST IN THE LINE AS IT GOES ON THE REEL !!

If you think about it for a minute ( and WATCH the line as it comes off the new spool ) you should clearly see that unless the two spools FACE EACH OTHER with the line leaving both in the same direction, turning the reel handle MUST ADD twist to the line..........

One of the best THREADS I've seen on this subject many years ago, was by a chap called
' Jeff The Moaning Marlow Meldrew ' ( I think that's right ) who covered this very well indeed.
SOME KIND SOUL ON FM MAY WELL REMEMBER IT AND PUT A LINK UP FOR YOU ??.


I suggest you then load the line by using the bottom half of a fishing rod; Put the reel on the rod, thread the line through the rings, join the old and new line together, have someone hold the new spool with the writing FACING YOU, and under slight tension, start to add the new stuff, BUT NOT as others have also said, filling the spool to the lip. It may look nice but it will only give you grief once you start fishing IMHO !!

I read an article on line loading by John Wilson many years ago. He correctly stated that even when loaded correctly, NEW line will always have too much ' spring ' in it for immediate use and he suggested the following :

Once loaded, place reel onto rod and thread line through rings. Tie the line to a fixed point ( such as tree branch ), open the bail arm and walk backwards allowing line to leave the spool until you are 30' or so from the fixed point.
Close the bail arm and wind the reel until you have a good curve in the rod top. Step backwards two paces and HOLD THIS POSITION FOR 15 SECS OR SO !

What happens is that by hold ing this position you have ' stretched ' the line to some extent, which has the effect of making it far more supple, simply because you have removed some of the ' spring ' in the new line and IT DOES NOT AFFECT THE BREAKING STRAIN AT ALL.
Detach the line from the fixed point, wind back onto the reel and you SHOULD have nice supple Maxima, ready to go !!

I have used this method for many years and NEVER had a problem with new line. It works especially well with thicker lines but I always do it for line down to 3lb BS.


As with all fixed spool reels, a certain amount of 'twist ' will be added just because of the winding motion ( when bringing in a decent fish ! ) and to help remove this, try using a John Roberts ' Spin Doctor ' which works very well IF you follow the instructions !!!

My apologies for this long, drawn out explanation, but it's not too easy to get the method across without explaining all the points in detail.

Lastly, let me say that loading line CORRECTLY is not something that can be rushed, but all the effort will be well worth it, and IMHO make your fishing that much better !

OTHERS will have different ideas and for different lines, but for Maxima this works pretty well

Good luck !!

It does seem to laid the line all over the place and not in a uniform manner. I have plenty more 4lb, might relay it again.

A great way to remove line twist is to stand on a bridge over a river and allow the current to pull the bare line downstream. The spin's gone completely when you reel it back in. Assuming, that is, that there's a bridge handy...and a river.

Some excellent information here, thank you. I will be re-lining the reel this weekend to get this awful mess sorted.

Does anyone pre-soak the line for a night or two prior to loading it on a reel? Read online quite a few do this to help bed the line better and prep it.

Bob,
line lay is, in the main part, a product of the reel's gearing. There's little that you can do to improve matters without buying a new reel. Part of the expense in high cost reels is down to the fancy wrap and oscillation patterns, giving improved line lay, that more expensive gearing can produce. Many folks say that there's no difference between budget gear and top line stuff. Some don't care, or wouldn't notice the difference. Unfortunately you've just run into one of them and picked up on it.

maritimesbob said:

Does anyone pre-soak the line for a night or two prior to loading it on a reel? Read online quite a few do this to help bed the line better and prep it.

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I do this but not for a night or two, only a couple of hours. I get a bucket of luke warm water, never measure the temperature just go by feel but I would guess in the high 20's degrees C. After a couple of hours spool it onto the reel straight from the bucket but making sure you take it from the correct side

Picked up a Daiwa Regal 2500, a 10 bearing front-drag spinning reel, for coppers at the bootie. Apart from the depth of spool it's almost identical to Daiwa's match reels, balances perfectly on a float rod, has good spool width/line lay, sweet clutch and sensible gearing. I used it one day as a stand-in and have never looked back. Have also used a Shimano Exage 2500 (FD) for heavy float fishing, with similar results.