Do you want to learn how to string a fishing pole like a pro? It’s really not that difficult, as long as you follow these easy steps.
We’ll walk you through stringing a fishing pole step-by-step. We’ll also provide some tips and tricks that will make the process go a little more smoothly for you.
So, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced fisherman, read on for all the information you need to know about how to line a fishing pole!
How To String A Fishing Pole
Learning how to line a fishing pole is a very simple process in which you’ll load up your reel with line and thread it through the eyelets on your rod.
Follow these step-by-step instructions on how to string a fishing reel below:
Step 1: Open Up Your Reel
Lay your fishing rod flat and open up your reel. The method you use to open your reel will vary based on what type of reel you have.
Once you’ve opened up your fishing pole’s bail, take the tag end of line and run it through the first guide or eyelet on our rod.
Step 2: Tie The Line To Your Reel
Tie the fishing line onto the center of your reel with an arbor knot and close the reel back up.
Here’s a quick video on how to tie an arbor knot:
Step 3: Spool Your Reel
Load the line onto the reel so that it comes off of the reel in a counterclockwise fashion.
Make sure to keep light tension on the line so you don’t get a bunch of loose line in your reel! You can do this by holding the line between your fingers or pinching the line to the pole as you turn the reel to load the line on it.
Keep loading your reel with fishing line until it’s about 1/8″ from the reel’s edge, then cut the line.
Check out this video from Shakespeare on how to spool a reel properly:
Step 4: Thread Your Fishing Pole
Let line out from your reel and thread it through the rest of the guides on your fishing pole, leaving about 4 feet of extra line past the last eyelet or guide on the tip of your rod.
Step 5: Finish It Off
Tie a hook or lure to the end of you’re string- now you’re ready to go fishing!
Stringing A Fishing Pole: Mistakes To Avoid
There are a few common mistakes most people make when first learning how to reline a fishing pole.
Here are the typical ones to look out for:
Tying The Wrong Knot
Tying the wrong knot when stringing a fishing pole is the most common problem we see, and it’s a big one: when you get to the end of your line and the knot tying the string to the reel isn’t strong enough to hold it, you’re going to lose your line, tackle, and the fish!
An arbor knot is best for securely tying fishing line to your reel.
Using The Wrong Fishing String
Check your fishing rod’s line rating and make sure the string you choose matches the same specs.
If you use a bigger line than your rod can handle, you’ll have less line capacity on the spool and it’ll also make it harder to cast smaller baits and lures.
Loading The Line In The Wrong Direction
In the steps above on how to string a fishing pole, one of the key items we covered was to load the line onto the reel so that it comes off counterclockwise.
Fishing line has memory, so if you don’t spool your reel in the proper direction you’ll keep running into kinks and coils in your line, leading to tons of frustration, unpredictable casting, and tangles.
Not Keeping Tension On The Line While Spooling It
If you’ve got loose line on your reel, you’re going to have an overrun (aka bird’s nest or backlash) on your reel, which can fray or damage your line, and can even cause it to break.
Spooling the line with tension also helps the line gain memory, which will further prevent backlashes and tangles.
Overfilling Your Reel With Line
As we discussed earlier in our walkthrough on how to string a fishing reel, you should aim to leave at least 1/8″ to 1/16″ between your spooled line and the edge of the reel when restringing it.
Overfilling can cause the line to absorb water, making it brittle or causing it to slip off the reel’s edge, leading to tangles or backlashes.
Not Putting Enough Line On The Reel (Underfilling)
Underfilling your reel with line is just as bad as overfilling!
Too little line on the reel will lead to more friction, affecting your casting distance.
How To String A Fishing Reel By Reel Type
There are four main types of fishing reels: spincasting reels, bait-casting reels, spinning reels, and fly reels.
We’ll describe each type and outline the process on lining a fishing pole for each one of these rod types below.
How To String A Spincast Reel
Spincasting are casted by pressing a button. Because they’re easy to use, they’re very popular among those who are newer to fishing.
To line a fishing rod with a spincast reel, simply open the reel cover, feed line into the reel under the cover and tie it using an arbor knot, then feed your line into the reel while keeping tension on it, then thread your line into the eyelets on the rod.
How To Put Line On A Fishing Pole With A Bait-Casting Reel
Bait-casting reels have a revolving spool that sits on top of a casting rod with a trigger handle, and are used for casting heavier baits.
If you’re looking on how to restring a fishing pole with a bait-casting reel, start by feeding the line into the same direction as your reel and tie the line onto the reel using an arbor knot. Keep tension on the string as you load the reel, and thread the line through the guides when the spool is loaded.
How To Line A Spinning Reel
A spinning reel, also known as an open face reel, is best for casting long distances and requires a bit more experience than a spincasting reel.
How to string an open face fishing pole like a spinning reel is easy. Start by feeding the string into the first eyelet on your fishing rod, then open the bailer on the spinning reel. Tie the line to the spinning reel using an arbor knot, then spool it while keeping tension on the line. Thread the line through the rest of the eyelets, and trim any excess string.
How To Put String On A Fishing Pole With A Fly Reel
A fly reel is one of the most simple reels out there, consisting of a drum that the line is winded on to.
Here’s how to string a fishing pole with a fly reel:
You’ll need to tie a backing line to the reel itself using an arbor knot, then you’ll tie the fishing line to the backing line. You’ll make sure to keep tension on the line while looping the string onto the reel, and then attach the fly line with a knot. Reel everything up and you’re good to go!
Wrapping Up Our Guide On How To String A Fishing Rod
We hope you enjoyed our guide on how to line a fishing pole!
As you can see, it’s not too difficult once you know what you’re doing.
Remember to keep tension on the line while spooling it, and be careful not to overfill or underfill your reel.
With this guide, you should now be able to easily string a fishing rod no matter what type of reel you have. Just remember to keep tension on the line while spooling it, and be careful not to overfill or underfill your reel. happy fishing!
If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
While you’re here, check out our other helpful fishing guides:
- Is fishing a sport? We uncover the answer
- Our reviews of the best 2 person fishing kayaks
- We weigh the pros and cons of sit in vs sit on top kayak models
