You should replace your fishing line at least once per season. If you fish frequently, you may have to change it even more often. If you replace line incorrectly, you may have problems with line twist. Here's how to do it right.
- Look at your spinning reel from below so you can see up the rod through the guides to the tip, and turn the handle as if you are retrieving the line. Note the direction that the bail rotates around the spool. Most spinning reels rotate in a counter-clockwise direction.
- Examine your supply spool, and find the end of the line (the lead). It may be secured by tape. Orient the supply spool so that the lead is at the top and the label is facing you.
- If the lead is coming off the spool in a counter-clockwise direction (i.e., if the free end of the line were an arrow, it would point to your right), you want to place the supply reel on the floor label side up. Otherwise, you want to place it on the floor label side down. If your spinning reel turns in a clockwise direction, you want to reverse this.
To avoid loops when you fish, keep tension on the line whenever you are reeling. If you need to, hold the line between your thumb and finger in front of the reel.
If you do get a lot of twists in your line, take the lure off and just let a lot of line out behind the boat as you go. This will take the loops out.
If you don't have a boat, just take off the lure and tie your line to a post. Walk away, spooling out line behind you. Now have somebody cut the line free so you can reel it back on, but be sure to keep tension on it with your fingers.
Take the old line to a line recycling bin. You can find these at most tackle shops.
If you are using braided line, make sure you put cloth tape or a layer of mono on the reel first. Otherwise the braid will slip around the spool and you won't be able to set the hook.
If you're a real tight-wad, you might want to take the old line off onto a different spool, then re-spool it on back wards. That way the used part is down by the bottom and fresher line is up where you use it.
To attach the new line to the spool, you can tie a regular square knot, but make sure you get the knot snug against the spool so it doesn't slip. First aid tape on the reel spool really helps with the slippage problem.
Closed-face reels don't hold much line, so make sure to unscrew the cover now and then to check how much you've got on there.
Run the new line through an old phone book to keep pressure on the line and free up a hand (particularly good with braid!). How to fishing
