Checking your reels to ensure they are filled with fresh line is a smart way to begin every fishing season. Unfortunately many anglers don’t understand the proper way to put new line on their reels.
In the 1-minute Facebook video below, Lake Erie walleye guide Ross Robertson demonstrates how to do it correctly with spinning reels. I’ve been using the same technique for 50-plus years and it works fantastic. And pay close attention to his tip about writing “label up” on a bulk spool of line for future reference. The vast majority of the time with my many spinning reels, the new line goes on best (no twists) with the spool facing up, but there are exceptions.
P.S. Click here to see the correct method for putting new line on a baitcasting reel. It’s different from the method used for spinning reels. In the video, the host has a friend hold the spool of new line on a pencil so it can rotate. If you’re flying solo, you can find a narrow cardboard box and poke the pencil through the sides of the box. A long screwdriver also works well to hold the line.
Video tip: Be sure to turn up the volume for best viewing.
