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Getting line to spool evenly

4.6K views 26 replies 13 participants last post by  HappySnag  
#1 ·
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I have a Daiwa Aird reel that is probably 4 years old and I’ve never really been able to get the line to go on the spool evenly. Today was especially frustrating because I had to sit and fix rats nests of loops 4 times. When I got home I ran the line down the street and cranked it all the way in with some tension on it but it still isn’t even. Is there an adjustment I can make?
 
#3 ·
Went to cast the rocks for walleye in Cleveland, tied my lure, and somehow it seems the line managed to get under everything else on the spool. Don't know how it managed that since I thru spoons the week before just fine. I feel your frustration. The other rod I brought the knots were breaking. Same story, a week prior I tied knots just fine. I spent half hour messing with lines and couldn't fish. Drove home. Good luck!
 
#9 ·
Line makes me want to stop fishing. I went out last night to E72 in cleveland, made a few casts with one of those rods I just put new line. Didnt take long for a rats nest. I was thinking of trying my reel with braided line, but most times I go down to cast is against wind. I'm not trying to get wind knots. I'll seriously be more compelled to throw it all in the lake at that point. Seriously frustrating though. I just want to cast and cannot even get decent spool of line on a reel.
 
#10 ·
What line and # test are you using?
 
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#11 ·
Honestly those washers should fix that issue or at least make it manageable. I have a reel that I adjusted for that very reason, works fine now. Your particular reel uses a larger nylon washer I think... Here's a video to help out.
 
#15 ·
If I am on a lake, every 15-20 casts I’ll toss the lure out. I then ripp the amount of line I judge am really using each cast from the tip, then use finger and thumb at first eyelet and reel in with some tension. If on river use a floating lure and cast down river, let some line out and reel against current
 
#17 ·
What size reel? Sometime 10-12# on an ultralight might cause problems. You didn't fill too full? or not full enough? Was the mono fresh or was it maybe too old? What brand on mono. Berkley and Stren have been pretty reliable for me.
 
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#19 ·
View attachment 281575 I have a Daiwa Aird reel that is probably 4 years old and I’ve never really been able to get the line to go on the spool evenly. Today was especially frustrating because I had to sit and fix rats nests of loops 4 times. When I got home I ran the line down the street and cranked it all the way in with some tension on it but it still isn’t even. Is there an adjustment I can make?
2 things that helps is #1 don't over fill the spool. the reel in the above picture is way over filled. you should have at least 1/8" of spool showing. #2 is always close the bail by hand ex specially if the wind is blowing. your line gets loops in it then you reel line on top of the loop. when you cast the line going off the reel catches the loop pulling all the line on top of the loop off at one time causing a birds nest. just try not filling the spool so full and closing the bail by hand and see if it doesn't help.
sherman
 
#20 ·
2 things that helps is #1 don't over fill the spool. the reel in the above picture is way over filled. you should have at least 1/8" of spool showing. #2 is always close the bail by hand ex specially if the wind is blowing. your line gets loops in it then you reel line on top of the loop. when you cast the line going off the reel catches the loop pulling all the line on top of the loop off at one time causing a birds nest. just try not filling the spool so full and closing the bail by hand and see if it doesn't help.
sherman
I think if the line was spooled evenly it wouldn’t look over full. It’s no more full than the spools in the video but the fact that it’s all at the top of the spool isn’t helping. I do always close the bail by hand so that shouldn’t be an issue.

I haven’t had the chance to let the whole spool out behind the boat with a mid depth crankbait to wind it tight and I do think the 10lb Power Pro Super Slick is a little tough to spool tightly because it seems to be pretty light weight line.
 
#22 ·
ducman491,
From the looks of the pic you posted, as was suggested, you need to add a shim washer under the spool.
If your line is spooling uneven to the front of the spool, that means your spool is setting to deep in the reel body and spool must be moved/shimmed out by adding shim washer under spool
If line is spooling uneven towards the rear of the spool, spool is setting to far away from the reel body and shim washer under spool must be removed.
After you add your shim washer, tie a heavy sinker on and cast as far as you can. You need to cast enough line off so when after you cast and look at your spool before reeling, your line is even across your spool. Reel in and see if line is level on spool.
It does look as though if line is level, there won't be to much line on. But get line winding level first then go from there.
 
#24 ·
seems like no matter how i spool, and believe me I've tried everything thats been posted here or seen on youtube. I always spool the line trying to reel it on the same direction coming off the spool to keep that wrap the same, then I open the bail and walk the line off as far as i think i need then reel it in between my fingers kind of tight. I might do that a couple times. I fish a lot , mostly in the colder months and I re spool my reels quite often. I know while just getting into this steel head fishing I think I've made six trips this fall and i know Ive re spooled three times on both reels i took.
I guess that has more to do with line twist , sorry wrong thread.