| What you see | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Handle spins, no line goes on | Knot slipping on the spool | Retie with an arbor knot and pull hard |
| Line wraps around the bail arm or screws | Line coming from behind the reel or skipping the roller | Run line from the tip side through the first guide, then over the roller |
| Line rides under the little barrel | Bail was closed with line in the wrong spot | Open bail, lay line across the spool, close by hand |
| Handle won't turn backward | Anti-reverse switch is on | Normal. Crank forward only |
| Loose loops on top of the spool | No tension while winding | Pinch line between fingers while you crank |
| Big tangle (bird's nest) | Loose loops from above | Pull off to clean line, cut, retie. Don't pick at it |
| No handle in the box | It's often packed separately or fell out | Check the box flaps and the ground around you |
Step by step
- Find the line rollerIt's the small barrel where the bail wire meets the rotor. The line must sit on top of it, not under it.
- Line comes from the frontThe supply spool sits in front of the rod. Line runs through the first (largest) guide, then back to the reel.
- Bail open to tie, closed to windOpen the wire arm to tie on. Close it by hand before you crank, and the line drops onto the roller.
- Use an arbor knotLoop line around the spool, tie an overhand knot around the standing line, tie a second overhand in the tag end, and pull the standing line until it cinches down.
- Wind with tensionPinch the line lightly in front of the reel the whole time. Slack makes loops, and loops make tangles.
- Stop before the lipFill to about 1/8 inch below the spool lip. Overfilled spools throw loops on the cast.
Do it at home, not at the lake
Spooling in a cold parking lot with a dog waiting is how a ten-minute job takes an hour. Spool the night before at a table. Or ask the store to spool it, since many sporting goods counters will do it for free.
When a tangle won't come out
Cut past it. Pull line off the reel until it lies neat, cut, and tie the ends together with a double surgeon's knot. Pack the cut line out. Loose mono kills birds.
Questions anglers ask
- Why does my spinning reel spin but not pick up line?
- The knot on the spool is slipping. Retie with an arbor knot so it grips the spool, or put a piece of tape over the first wraps.
- Should the bail be open or closed when spooling?
- Open it to tie the line on the spool, then close it by hand before you start cranking.
- Why does line wrap around my bail arm?
- The line isn't on the line roller. Make sure it comes from the front of the rod and sits on top of the small roller when the bail closes.
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