Spinning spool line winding station?

[whichwaysup]

So I just blew $150 getting 5 2500 sized spools loaded up with power pro 15# test.   I must be getting old, but I really wasn't expecting that kind of a price tag for spools that small.   To add insult to injury, they didn't do such a red hot job and so far I've had to pull of about $25  worth of line that was either over spooled or poorly wrapped, resulting in those wonderful rats nests that make you say really really bad words in front of your kids.    I can buy 3,000 yards of power pro 15# for $300, and use cheap mono backing to use less, but I really need to do it myself.

Soooo, I was trying to track down a reasonable option for a line-winding station - specifically (and this is a non-negotiable) - one that allows me to run the line directly onto the spool (vs. perpendicularly while the spool is on the reel).   Every time I've done it perpendicularly, I get birds nests that make me have to go to confession.   

I've found plenty of stations that hold the bulk spool, but none that have a motor and fitting to allow me to run the spinning reel spool side ways.   Has anyone got a solution to this?   Seems crazy.   Maybe I'm the only guy that is having the problem with perpendicular winding.   Or maybe I'm just getting really cheap in my old age.

[SouthernWake]

After use you can reverse the braid on your reel to get more life out of it.

 

i have found the twisting issues to be from individuals spooling the line off the side off the spool instead of “spinning” it off with the spool spinning. No notable issues on reel orientation.

[Wanaflatsfish]

I throw my line spools into a bucket of water and spool up the reels on the rods....the water gives a bit of resistance and I used my thumb and index finger to put pressure on the line as it comes on the spool...

Easy peasy.....I use primarily Suffix 832 or Power Pole super slick - last time I spooled.

 

dc

 

 

[FINCHASER]

Plenty out there..... google to find the one you like and buy it.... heres a "less" expensive option:

https://alltackle.com/sct-super-spooler-pro-package/?gclid=Cj0KCQjws536BRDTARIsANeUZ59WUVDeN8WBTWJtls6y-YChpYPcLdZUPtt3LV5pIldlp7FekD2uj6EaAgfDEALw_wcB

 

Cant for the life of me figure how you are getting birdsnest on a spinner using braid???  They are far more cantakerous with mono above 10lb so I could see issues with that.  If by chance you are refferring to wind knot situation 95% of the time those are cause by loose hanging line after a cast and you close the bail on it... itll wrap on loose often a loop sticking off the spool and when cast the line coming off grabs it and rips a wad of line off

[Big Dave]

I have made one in the past and now have a Piscifun spooler ( https://www.amazon.com/Piscifun-Fishing-Spinning-Spooling-Automatic/dp/B00OCJHHDI/ref=zg_bs_3409151_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=FZ8P2HJ00GMKWE256SNG).  As someone else mentioned, save your old line spools and pull the old line off the reel onto the old spool and then reverse it.  Not very many people use the 100 yds or so that's on the bottom of the reel spool. (https://www.saltstrong.com/articles/save-money-braided-fishing-line/).    

 

[RacerxV6]

This is what I have.....it is great for my spinners, but I don't use it for the bait casters or trollers.

[NCTribute]

Relatively inexpensive, electric and supposedly made in the USA for spinning reel spools. There is also a bigger model.

https://sportsmaninnovations.com/products/fishon-spooler-pro

[fin-addict]

Put a pencil through the spool then between two toes on each foot. Pass line through rod guides to reel, wind on keeping some tension on line spool as needed by toes. No BS, true. Doing it for years. 15, 20, 50 lb power pro. 👍

[Wanaflatsfish]

24 minutes ago, fin-addict said:

Put a pencil through the spool then between two toes on each foot. Pass line through rod guides to reel, wind on keeping some tension on line spool as needed by toes. No BS, true. Doing it for years. 15, 20, 50 lb power pro. 👍

Yep....did that one for many years.......until I went to the spool in the bucket process

dc

 

[smilemaker]

i bought a system from a company 

southchatamtackle.com that is probably  what you are looking for. have had it for years but do not use the drill attachment. 

it can be confusing looking at the pricing but the basic system I show is about $70 if you look .

[imsnookyrd]

I take a long philips screwdriver and stick it thru a tennis ball then the spool then another tennis ball and put the screwdriver in a vise.  Then apply pressure against the tennis balls to get the desired tension.  Been using for spinning and bait casters for years.

[Sunstone]

7 hours ago, imsnookyrd said:

I take a long philips screwdriver and stick it thru a tennis ball then the spool then another tennis ball and put the screwdriver in a vise.  Then apply pressure against the tennis balls to get the desired tension.  Been using for spinning and bait casters for years.

Coming off the side withing spinning reels you are going to get line twist. 

[SCFD rtrd.]

I don't know fellas, how could anything be easier than a pencil through the spool and held between your toes??? I do know that mono has a memory and it's real important how you load the line on the spool. Braided line also has a memory to some extent and this is the method I use. I start with the pencil between the toes trick. I wind about twenty revolutions of the handle, then let the line go limp. If I see any evidence of the line wanting to coil-up, I take the spool of line off the pencil and flip it over so that the line is coming off the top of the spool of line instead of coming off the bottom of the spool. 

 

[conocean]

I worked at a tackle shop as a kid for 6 years. Probably filled well over 1,500 different reels from Penn 130’s down to 4 weight fly reels. Hand cranked and machine fill.

I fill my own spin reels by putting the 1500 or 3000yd braid spool on the ground & making sure the line comes off the spool counter clockwise. I feed the braid thru the lower 2 guides of my rod and use a uni to uni knot to attach it to the 10+/- wraps of light mono used as backing on my spool. I wind the line onto my reel using steady pressure by threading the line thru the fingers of the cotton glove on the hand that holds the rod. VERY IMPORTANT: If I stop for a break while filling a reel I pull off a few wraps of braid from the reel spool & make sure the braid going thru my glove is tight before I start reeling again. Any loose line or loops of line on your spool greatly increases your chances of getting the infamous “Charlottes Web” when you cast. 

Never had any issues with this method since braid overtook mono in the industry & its easier than using your toes. Good luck! 

[SCFD rtrd.]

I stand corrected and I learned something today. Nothing could be easier than laying the spool on the ground and watching the line come off counter-clockwise. Thanks conocean. 

[triplec]

I second Smiles South Chatam Tackles setup. I have that one and a couple of their spool holders for different sizes. Had it for years and years.I have the one he linked but still use the drill. I am not sure they sell that style anymore though.

[imsnookyrd]

17 hours ago, Sunstone said:

Coming off the side withing spinning reels you are going to get line twist. 

It doesn't come off the side.

[Capt. Troy]

You should not be using more than 100 yards of top shot braid to start with. No need for a electric spooler either. Just a rod to go through the spool and devise a way to put some tension on it and hand crank it on.

 

I spool all of my inshore spinners this way and I re spool at least 3 times a year.

 

First trip out I run all the braid out and then crank it back on. It is then on the spool just like it is going to be the rest of its life and use.

[fin-addict]

As Capt said. I too use to run my line out when re spooled with mono and did same after trolling with spin gear with mono. Find no reason to with braid. I use 20-30 yds of mono and spool rest with braid. 

[FINCHASER]

19 hours ago, conocean said:

I worked at a tackle shop as a kid for 6 years. Probably filled well over 1,500 different reels from Penn 130’s down to 4 weight fly reels. Hand cranked and machine fill.

I fill my own spin reels by putting the 1500 or 3000yd braid spool on the ground & making sure the line comes off the spool counter clockwise. I feed the braid thru the lower 2 guides of my rod and use a uni to uni knot to attach it to the 10+/- wraps of light mono used as backing on my spool. I wind the line onto my reel using steady pressure by threading the line thru the fingers of the cotton glove on the hand that holds the rod. VERY IMPORTANT: If I stop for a break while filling a reel I pull off a few wraps of braid from the reel spool & make sure the braid going thru my glove is tight before I start reeling again. Any loose line or loops of line on your spool greatly increases your chances of getting the infamous “Charlottes Web” when you cast. 

Never had any issues with this method since braid overtook mono in the industry & its easier than using your toes. Good luck! 

Thats how Ive always done it..... and is what the instructions ive read with each spool of line has said to do for spinners.  Sometimes it will develop some mild twist so I keep an eye on it while spooling you can tell cause the line will develop a curl to it, just flip over the spool till the line goes flat again

[Wanaflatsfish]

When we used to offshore dolphin and yellow tail fishing part of the morning was to take each rod and drop back bout 100 yards or so with a weight as we are going out the inlet and then reel in.....

I do this on occasion with my inshore rigs.

dc

 

[RacerxV6]

I bought the Berkley line station but honestly,  I don't even use it.  I do the toes pencil trick.  I thought it would be easier but it's not.  Stick with what's true.....

[whichwaysup]

Well, thanks everyone.   Apparently, I'm over thinking this.   I was under the impression that braid would turn into a massive birds nest if I didn't spool it on directly from spool to spool like they do at the tackle shop.   I'd had some early bad experiences, but it is likely that it was either caused by a cheaper rod/reel combo at the time or perhaps I didn't do it properly.   It sounds like the vast majority here have no issues if the line comes off the spool and directly on to the reel as long as proper tension is maintained..   I'll be trying this on my next few reels soon.   I will also be reversing my line and see how that goes.

Thanks all!