How to Spool a Spinning Rod

Fishermen can use spinning rods and reels to target nearly any freshwater or saltwater fish. The rods and reels are available in a variety of sizes and strengths and can catch fish ranging from 1 pound or less to 1,000 pounds or more. Experienced and novice anglers alike use spinning rods and reels. Depending on how often they fish, anglers must spool new line on their rods and reels. Those who fish just a few times a season can get by with adding new line once per season, while people who fish every week should spool new line once per month.

Things You'll Need

  • Fishing reel
  • Fishing line
  • Scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Attach a spinning reel to the rod. Spinning reels hang below the rod handle and have a metal bale that opens and closes to let line off the reel.

    • 2

      Open the reel's bale by flipping it upward.

    • 3

      Insert the fish line into the tip of the spinning rod and then through each rod guide until the line is at the reel.

    • 4

      Wrap the fishing line around the spool of the reel and then tie a knot to secure the line to the spool.

    • 5

      Flip the bale down to close it.

    • 6

      Turn the handle of the reel clockwise until the line is 1/8 to 1/4-inch below the top of the spool.

    • 7

      Cut the line beyond the tip of the spinning rod.