They are one of the most accessible reels to learn how to use and are effective at handling a fish. However, there are many options out there for reels, which complicates getting started fishing. A closed reel or a closed-face fishing pole combo is an excellent place to start if you are new to fishing.
Most anglers will use a closed-face reel in their fishing adventures. One of the biggest questions about closed-face reels is how to put fishing line on a closed-face reel. It can appear tricky how to spool a closed reel as they don’t expose the spool where your line sits.
In our guide, you can learn more about the parts of a closed-face reel and the steps needed to change the fishing line. Your line is hugely important as it is the direct connection you have with the fish.
By the end, you’ll find it isn’t as challenging as it appears, and in no time, you’ll know how to change fishing line on a closed reel or add more line to a reel with less line than you thought. (Learn What Does Fish Poop Look Like)
Parts of a Closed Face Reel
- The handle: The part that connects your reel to your rod.
- Thumb Button: This button releases the drum.
- Tension Dial: The dial alters the drag setting and enables the reel to feed line when fighting a large fish.
- Cover: The domed top covering the line spool. They have a hole in the center where the line passes.
- Reel Handle or Crank: Using the drum or spool, you can wind the fishing line onto your spool.
- Drum: The part has the task of holding the line.
What Line To Use One a Closed Face Reel?
Monofilament line is typically used on closed face reels, and ten or fewer test pounds are typical.
Use a fluorocarbon line instead, which is invisible when it lands in the water. However, it can be trickier than a monofilament line as it is much thinner.
Most closed-faced reels can manage fluorocarbon line up to a 12-pound test, which is perfect for jigging.
The last choice would be a braided line, which is designed for use with fly-fishing reels and barrel reels.
On a closed-faced reel, casting will be more difficult, although some anglers prefer braided lines.
The braided line is a little overboard given the weight of fish you would target with a closed-faced reel. (Read Is Fishing A Sport)
How To Put Line On A Closed Face Reel and Others
There are numerous varieties of fishing reels that are frequently used. Although the fundamentals are the same, there are distinct stages for each type of reel. You can load your fishing line onto closed-face and open-face reels by following instructions.
It’s not as easy as it sounds to switch out a fishing line. To correctly re-spool a new line, you must carefully follow the instructions for each type of reel.
Put a fishing line on an Open face reel or a spinning reel
Observe these steps to properly attach a new line to your spinning or open-face reel:
- Remove the old line from your reel. Ensure you properly dispose of the old line after removal, and don’t leave them on the beach or by the water.
- For your spinning reel, pick the right line by first checking your spinning reel’s line capacity. How much of a specific pound line you can put on the reel depends on its line capacity?
- Make sure the length of a specific pound line will fit. Overloading a reel with a heavier line makes it harder to handle or reduces casting range.
- Flip the arm to open the bail. This is important, and if you forget, you’ll need to untie or re-tie the line and possibly remove the spool from the reel and re-insert it through an open bail.
- Fasten your line to your reel spool after drawing it through the rod’s initial guide.
- The arbor knot is advised, and to do this, tie an overhand knot close to the line’s open end, wrap the line around your reel, then tie two more overhand knots, tightening all three away from the spool’s rim. You can use other knots, so long as these tie your line tightly to the spool.
- To make sure the line is firmly secured, pull it.
- Ensure your reel is spinning in the same direction as the line as it comes off the spool.
- Put the spool on any surface with its side up and point your rod toward it.
- Ensure the reel rotates the same way as the line off the spool.
- For example, if the line is coming off counterclockwise, your reel turns counterclockwise to match. If not, flip the spool over to match it to the direction of your reel’s spin to prevent line twists.
- With one hand, hold the line taut to keep the line straight by applying light pressure, as this helps prevent twists as you wind the line onto your reel.
- When your reel’s spool is almost complete, stop, and leave the lips with around an eighth of an inch of excess space unfilled, as this can help stop tangled line as you cast.
- Use a cutter to cut the line and secure it onto the spool for later use. Some anglers use electrical tape, which can leave a sticky mess on your line.
Pro Tip: Once you add a line, you can place the reels spool in warm water for a few minutes. Doing this adds memory to your line and helps stop line tangles when in use. (Find the Best Fishing Tackle Box)
Baitcaster Reels
A baitcaster is not a spinning reel, so use these steps for how to put fishing line on a baitcasting reel:
- First, remove all old lines and bits from your reel.
- Check your reel’s lb./yd line capacity. Line capacity is how much pound-test line can be put on a reel. A heavy line makes reels unmanageable or limit your casting distance.
- Draw a line through the guide hole. Next, tie both sides under the reel. You can use the arbor knot by putting one overhand knot at the end of the reel and tightening it, then putting two overhand slip knots and tightening them to secure the line over the reel surface.
- Spin the fresh line spool on an axle. Put a pencil or thin, long object into the new line’s spool. Rotate the spool around the object and keep the line tight as you do.
- Ask someone to hold it or put both ends of the pencil in the open-top box. Then, put the pencil through holes on opposite sides of the box to let the spool rotate.
- Check sure the line is coming off the spool and winding on the reel. First, ensure the line is over the spool. If not, spin the pencil, so the line comes out the top. Next, check the handle clockwise while the reel spins counterclockwise.
- Keep the line taut and turn the handle clockwise to guide it. Depending on your reel and line, this may take 20 or more handle turns.
- Stop when the reel is full. Leave a 1/8-inch gap on your reel’s lips for the smooth running of the reel.
Closed face or Spincast reel
There is frequently a cone covering the reel on spinning reels. These are referred to as closed face reels or spincast reels. Observe these steps to put fishing line to your closed-face reel properly:
- Select the appropriate line for your spin-cast reel. To choose a line, check the line capacity of your reel, which is listed at the bottom in-lbs./yards format.
- Overloading your spin cast reel with heavier lines can make it challenging to handle or reduce your casting range.
- To access the fishing reel, unscrew the top cone. The top cone must be turned counterclockwise to separate. A push-button to open the top cone is included with some closed face variants. Next, remove your reel of any used line.
- Tie the new line onto the reel spool through the hole in the cover, run the line coming from the end of the fishing rod, and pass through the rod guides to meet the spool or the end of the line already in place.
- If you still have the old line as backing, run the new line through the line guides, and tie the two lines together with a nail knot or two clinch knots to secure the line to the spool.
- Run the line through the hole to the other end of the line. Tie an overhand knot and tighten it. Next, tie two more overhand slipknots after wrapping the line onto the reel.
- All three knots should be tightened by pulling the line, which will firmly wrap the line onto the reel surface.
- Check that the line comes from the spool in the same direction as your spinning reel.
- Check that the reel line to the spool is clockwise and start reeling the reel handle clockwise.
- Avoid line twists when spooling line by flipping the spool over to match the direction of your reel if it is coming off in a different direction.
- The front cone is still hinged to the reel in push-button variants, so you can push it back to clip it into place. Rotate counterclockwise to tighten it. Ensure the line doesn’t get caught in the cone when it closes.
- For putting line on the reel, turn the handle. To avoid line twist and tangles, continuously press down on the new line with your fingertips to keep the new line tight.
- The fishing reel shouldn’t be loaded with too much line. Reopen the front cone reel cover and check inside once you believe there is enough line on the reel with your free hand.
- To guarantee the proper operation of your reel, leave 1/8th of the lips unfilled.
- For the following use, cinch the leftover extra line over the spool.
Pro tip: After each usage, apply a line conditioner to monofilament, copolymer, and fluorocarbon lines. Spray it on your guides in below-freezing weather to prevent them from accumulating sharp ice. (Find the Best Fishing Hooks for Catfish).
