I have been using braid pretty religiously on my spinning and casting reels.  Which I am happy with.  I have gotten pretty efficient tying the uniknot, at least for the leaders.  But with all the sales going on, I figured I would pickup some fluoro and try it out on one of my casting reels.  I started thinking, how much line do I really need to put on the spool?

 

Now I always use backing with braid, but how many yards of braid do you guys throw on after the backing?  For cranking and stick baits how much fluoro do you guys use? 

I fish for bass, walleye etc in upstate NY.

 

 

You know, I really don't have a specific amount, I usually put backing on to where the spool is covered and maybe 5 or 10 more winds before I spool on braid.

 

Now I've heard it said that you only need enough braid for your longest cast plus if the fish runs 20 feet or so. That said, I may have too much braid on my reels.

Whether it's braid or fluorocarbon, I like about 80 yards. That's about two casts worth

plus twenty yards of margin. Most importantly for me is never feeling the knot. Next would

be having a full spool.

 

 

60% backing, and 40% braid. It is long enough for 2-3 casts, then use KVD line conditioner and it will last you years.

This year I am experimenting with putting on 65 yards of main line to my baitcasters.  With the average spool of line being 200 yards that would give me 3 refills throughout the season as I need it.  65 / 65 / and 70 respectively.

 

Doing the math it comes close to the 60/40 mentioned above.

I figured I was putting way too much braid on, lol. 

Is the KVD line conditioner different that much from say line butter?

Half and Half is my GENERAL RULE. But.... i dont put 70 yyards of braid on a flipping stick thats longest pictch may be 20 Yards im closer to 35 yards And i dont put 50 yards of floro on my cranking rods...ill put 80+/-

Depends on the casts ill make with said rod.

I figured I was putting way too much braid on, lol. 

Is the KVD line conditioner different that much from say line butter?

 

I have done some experimenting here and found KVD to be the best.  It seems to keep the line memory down much more than any other I have tried.  In reading up on it there seems to be something in it which absorbs into the line to help it keep memory down.  Other either don't absorb as well or are just a topical resolution which means you need to keep adding it to get the effect.

 

With the KVD stuff ... I treat my line when I put it on and then the night before I fish and that is it.

I tend to use my bass stuff in brackish and saltwater, so I full spool.

I figured I was putting way too much braid on, lol. 

Is the KVD line conditioner different that much from say line butter?

 

Line conditioner is not going to make a big difference for braided lines, I still use it because I have a leader on 80% of the time. If you are going to fish pure braid, then you can do it without the line conditioner.

 

Someone correct me if i am wrong, but I don't feel any difference.

Spool rod full of cheap backing.

Then take a weight on the heaviest side of the rod it will be on, and casting it as far as I can.  Then with the bail open, walking back to the lead.  Cutting the cheap stuff off, and then putting that much braid/flouro on.  Not scientific by any means but it works.

 

Jeff

Spool rod full of cheap backing.

Then take a weight on the heaviest side of the rod it will be on, and casting it as far as I can.  Then with the bail open, walking back to the lead.  Cutting the cheap stuff off, and then putting that much braid/flouro on.  Not scientific by any means but it works.

 

Jeff

 

That takes the guesswork of how many yards to put on. I like it.

Spool rod full of cheap backing.

Then take a weight on the heaviest side of the rod it will be on, and casting it as far as I can.  Then with the bail open, walking back to the lead.  Cutting the cheap stuff off, and then putting that much braid/flouro on.  Not scientific by any means but it works.

 

Jeff

That's a good method, but I personally go straight braid.