I think every pamphlet I've looked at that came with a new reel suggest filling 1/16 or 1/8 inch below the rim (if it made this comment).  If you ever measured actual line capacity, did you follow this rule?  Did you find the amount of line listed on the box to be accurate?  I always fill to the spool's bevel.  This is always less than 1/16 inch from the rim.  I will be spooling line on several reels.  Will be using the line calculator link given in several threads.

 

Several will be spooled with braid or fluorocarbon after spooling on some mono (to save money).  I'd like to be more accurate with the amount of line used to top off the fill in an attempt to not wind up with 10 yards of line left on the filler spool.    I don't doubt the line calculator's accuracy, but do doubt the line capacity given on a reel's box as I have no idea if this listing is the maximum amount that can be spooled, or if it's to the 1/16 or 1/8 inch below the spool's rim.

 

Thanks.

 

Also I'd like to purchase an accurate line counter.  Any suggestions?

 

EDIT:  Also, is there an industry standard for the diameter of the lines used by reel manufactures when determining the line capacity?  Many reels include 12# in the reel's listing.  So would all manufacturers use something like .014 when figuring the capacity?

I tried this many times and never get it right. Most likely due to manufacturer stated diameter of line is less than accurate and from what I have learned line is not a consistent diameter through the entire spool.

 

All of that combined with filler line diameter and then top up line plus amount of the actual reels spool is being used is more math than I care to do for a sport that's suppose to be relaxing

 

I have been buying bulk spools lately and find that it results in much less wasted line. 

 

and I have yet to even come close to having a fish spool me...although I welcome that fight  

Direct experience with Daiwa S PE Special spool and Shimano S spinner spools filling braids, 

Daiwa greatly under-rates the capacity of their spool (holds more larger line than listed).  

 

Shimano slightly under-rates their spool capacity.  

Sufix 832 is always larger diameter than reported.  Japan X-braid is always spot-on or maybe just slightly smaller than reported diameter.  

Avail spools are spot-on their capacity rating, and Pattaya calculator is spot-on for stacking lines.  

I stacked this 5-mm-deep Avail spool with PE#3 backing and #1.2 working line, and was able to count off my pentagram working line so I finished with the 10-m of green.  

As far as being spooled, surf-fishing at night for bull reds is manly sport, and you bring your bulk spool with you.  One night, I was spooled twice.  

Buy your line in bulk spools then you will only have one with a small amount left on it.  That’s what I do.

I have never really tried to confirm line capacities of reels. I just fill my spools to a bit below the bevel and stop there.

 

I guess if I were to make an educated guess, I'd say I am usually somewhere around 1/8" below the rim of the spool,... Maybe a bit less.

 

Like @Jig Man I have started buying larger spools, at least on my common lines like 10lb & 30lb braid ( usually Suffix 832) and a few different sizes of Invisix ( I think I currently have larger spools of 12, 15, and 20lb).

 

Big Game comes on larger spools too, but I don't like all the memory it has towards the bottom of the spool, so I typically start using the bottoms of the spools for backing and start a new one for main line.

@FrnkNsteen - 1/8-inch wouldn't work on spools that begin with less than that.  

(1/8" = 3.2 mm)

 

3 hours ago, bulldog1935 said:

@FrnkNsteen - 1/8-inch wouldn't work on spools that begin with less than that.  

(1/8" = 3.2 mm)

 

LOL!! Very true!!

Line capacity rating is nonsense.  I've seen Daiwa rate reels with identical spool dimensions with different capacities by 50 yards or more.  They have even rated the same reel differently years apart.  Before the Tatula HD 200 launched in 2018 the reel was called the Tatula HD 150 back in 2015.  After the narrow frame Tatula CT came out in 2016 and repalced the old Tatulas in the US market, Daiwa re-launced the old Tatula 100 and Tatula HD 150 as the *new* Tatula HD 150 and Tatula HD 200.  They were identical down to the spools as 2015 1st gen Tatulas but were bizarrely rated for more line.   Another one is the old Lexa 300.  It has the same spool dimensions in spool width, diameter and arbor diameter.  They hold the same volume of line yet the Lexa 300 was rated to hold way more than the Tatula 200.  Makes no sense.

 

I also have a Zillion HLC spool in an old Zillion that supposedly holds 110 yards of 14# mono that I can easily spool down to the arbor with 50# braid when casting a frog.  Either I am dispensing 300 feet of line of the cast or the line cap of that spool is nonsense

 

https://www.tackletour.com/reviewdaiwazillionse.html

https://linelaboratory.com/braid-summary/

https://linelaboratory.com/monofilament-summary/

Maybe it's their way of testing but every line they have measured is thicker than the rated dia.

Watch

 

On 9/20/2025 at 5:46 PM, new2BC4bass said:

I think every pamphlet I've looked at that came with a new reel suggest filling 1/16 or 1/8 inch below the rim (if it made this comment).  If you ever measured actual line capacity, did you follow this rule?  Did you find the amount of line listed on the box to be accurate?  I always fill to the spool's bevel.  This is always less than 1/16 inch from the rim.  I will be spooling line on several reels.  Will be using the line calculator link given in several threads.

 

Several will be spooled with braid or fluorocarbon after spooling on some mono (to save money).  I'd like to be more accurate with the amount of line used to top off the fill in an attempt to not wind up with 10 yards of line left on the filler spool.    I don't doubt the line calculator's accuracy, but do doubt the line capacity given on a reel's box as I have no idea if this listing is the maximum amount that can be spooled, or if it's to the 1/16 or 1/8 inch below the spool's rim.

 

Thanks.

 

Also I'd like to purchase an accurate line counter.  Any suggestions?

 

EDIT:  Also, is there an industry standard for the diameter of the lines used by reel manufactures when determining the line capacity?  Many reels include 12# in the reel's listing.  So would all manufacturers use something like .014 when figuring the capacity?

I do this in a pretty painless (if I have multiple of the same kinds of reels) or painful (if I only have one spool that's identical) - I spool on the desired amount of topshot on the bottom of the spool, then just fill it up with backer. And use that to fill the other reel - it goes on the right way then. If I only have one, I have to spool it off by hand to an empty spool, then to another empty spool, then on the reel. 

Once I've done all that nonsense, it's easy to reload. Unless of course I change line size or type. 
I probably need to take a shot at the calculator, now that I type this all out. 

 

^ Exactly how I do it. And since I'm only putting on 65-75 yards of mainline, I can get 3 'fills' from a 200yd spool of FC or 2 fills from a 150yd spool of braid.

I’ve tried the “filler” route but can’t ever get it right so I bite the bullet and fill the reel full from the spool. Use the remainder, if fluorocarbon for leader. Most all my reels are braid or braid to leader so no actual loss.

 

I do get two fills on BFS reels but disappointingly they can get spooled quickly. On the river I can out-cast line capacity with 10# Power Pro easily on my three Curado SLX’s throwing a quarter ounce.
I have to remind myself to quietly get a closer approach cast!

I think Daiwa's line capacities would be more consistent and accurate if they were to use drunken and blindfolded chimpanzees walking barefoot on broken glass while throwing darts left handed backwards over their heads in a snowstorm at a spinning table of random numbers fifty feet away that were multiplied by three and then divided by seven.

Soooooo, you think the numbers are close!