Want a formula for putting line on a reel.

Hello all

I will be going Halibut fishing soon and I would like to purchase a new rod and reel for the trip. I would like to fish with some new technology lines (Tuff Line Plus, Spiderwire etc...) however I feel that it would be a waste of line and money to fill a whole saltwater reel with this stuff. what I would like to do is put some dacron backing on first followed by some NTL. My question is this, If I know the dimensions of the spool (ID, OD, and width), the diameter of the two lines, and how many yards of NTL I want to put on second. How many yards of backing do I need to put on to ensure that my reel is full? I guess I should have paid attention in math.

Thx

Ron Garrison

Put away your calculator.

First spool on the amount of line you want to use, splice it to your backing, continue to spool the backing until you get the spool level you want, cut it, then spool the whole thing onto another reel (same spool size of course).

If you have a problem it will be with twist. I have never had a problem myself.

Bill - - - - -

Spools are usually tapered enough to make calculating volume difficult. It is easier to use the manufacturer's line capacity ratings, which are, of course, also a volume measurement, just in really weird units (yard-pounds of monofilament).

For example, if you have a reel rated for 400 yards of 30 pound test, the volume of the spool is 400 x 30 = 12,000. If you want to use 50# line on the reel the capacity will be 12,000/50 = 240 yards.

Using 2 diameters of line, or two different types of line, is only a little more complicated. For example, if you have 150 yards of 50# fireline, you need to use the equivalent diameter monofilament in your calculation. For 50# fireline that is something like 12# test mono (most brands have this equivalence listed), so the volume used by the 150 yards of fireline is 150 x 12 = 1800. The volume remaining for the backing is 12,000 - 1,800 = 10,200. If the backing is 50# mono, the reel will be full with 10,200/50 = 204 yards.

The line capacity rating for most reels is based on non IGFA monofilament. If you are using dacron or IGFA monofilament, do the calculations and then add 10%. In the above example you would want to use 224 yards of 50# dacron for backing.

Eri from SF/Boston

Got to put this in the little bag of tricks.

So did you get that all figured out Ron?

Might be easier to just spool it full of the stuff!

See Ya in Astoria????

John Young