Best practice for loading line

[Lime&Flint]

Any thoughts on correct or best ways to load line on to a pin? I'll usually only load about 150 yards and tend to load it to one side. Would like to know other folks methods.
Many Thanks

[Dave Burr]

There's no need to put a lot of line on a pin L&F as you won't be fishing at a great distance. The exception to this is if you are expecting to hook big fish on big waters. As for loading it to the side, well, that is asking for the line to bed-in and cause problems. Personally, I will usually wind some backing onto the reel to help prevent your line from developing angular kinks over the line lays then put 60 -70 yards max of my chosen mainline over it. As I wind it on I move the line back and forth across the spool to ensure an even line lay which helps line to run smoothly when casting or trotting.

I always have the line coming off the bottom of the spool.

Hope this helps

[Lime&Flint]

There's no need to put a lot of line on a pin L&F as you won't be fishing at a great distance. The exception to this is if you are expecting to hook big fish on big waters. As for loading it to the side, well, that is asking for the line to bed-in and cause problems. Personally, I will usually wind some backing onto the reel to help prevent your line from developing angular kinks over the line lays then put 60 -70 yards max of my chosen mainline over it. As I wind it on I move the line back and forth across the spool to ensure an even line lay which helps line to run smoothly when casting or trotting.

I always have the line coming off the bottom of the spool.

Hope this helps

That's great thank you, someone years ago advised on loading to one side but as you say it makes much more sense to load evenly. I often encounter big chub when trotting so I like the 150 yards buffer. I only own one pin so I have to try to cover all bases to save having to change the line to often. Many thanks for the reply

[Duckett]

I agree with Dave’s advice on loading, however, as I once lost a fish by running out of line, I tend to go for 100 yards!

Top of ‘pin versus bottom of ‘pin is a continuing debate! However, I found that several of my older ‘pins, from the age of right hand wind, had ratchets far stronger on one direction than the other. So, I took the time to learn to deal with winding a ‘pin whilst playing a fish with line off the top and off the bottom. Now it’s like riding a bike, my body remembers and I do it without thinking. That also gives away the fact that I use the ratchet a bit more than is traditional!

Phil

[Olly]

I use about a max 50m on my pin (and closed face) when trotting - both types of reel can suffer from 'bedding in'.

Like Phil above - I use both; 'off the top' when trotting. And 'off the bottom' when ledgering with a bit more, line perhaps 60-75m.

[Lime&Flint]

I agree with Dave’s advice on loading, however, as I once lost a fish by running out of line, I tend to go for 100 yards!

Top of ‘pin versus bottom of ‘pin is a continuing debate! However, I found that several of my older ‘pins, from the age of right hand wind, had ratchets far stronger on one direction than the other. So, I took the time to learn to deal with winding a ‘pin whilst playing a fish with line off the top and off the bottom. Now it’s like riding a bike, my body remembers and I do it without thinking. That also gives away the fact that I use the ratchet a bit more than is traditional!

Phil

Many thanks, very interesting stuff, I think I'd struggle with a right hand wind after years of left hand. Would be quite a funny thing for an onlooker to witness

[Barbelseeker]

See PM

[Willsmodger]

I like how a lot of the newer pins have solid, rather than barred line lays. Many are more 1" rather than 3/4" wide which I think helps with the problem of bedding in.

One thing I've never tried, because I'm aware I would look a bit of a prat doing it down the park, is the advice of John Wilson who took his reels to a local field and stretched out the line.

I think it helped with the line sitting on the reel, some lines have a lot of 'spring' and unless treated will jump off the spool and get into all kinds of mischief.

Line off the top for me. I did have a reel I used for canal fishing only which had a line guard and the line coming off the bottom, but it's remarkable how often I tried to bat it back like it was coming off the top.

[Lime&Flint]

I like how a lot of the newer pins have solid, rather than barred line lays. Many are more 1" rather than 3/4" wide which I think helps with the problem of bedding in.

One thing I've never tried, because I'm aware I would look a bit of a prat doing it down the park, is the advice of John Wilson who took his reels to a local field and stretched out the line.

I think it helped with the line sitting on the reel, some lines have a lot of 'spring' and unless treated will jump off the spool and get into all kinds of mischief.

Line off the top for me. I did have a reel I used for canal fishing only which had a line guard and the line coming off the bottom, but it's remarkable how often I tried to bat it back like it was coming off the top.

I've tried the JW line stretch thing to make the line limp and it definitely works. Maybe try it under the cover of darkness to avoid any funny looks!

[Coral Maestro]

I find it best to put something like a pencil through the hole in the line spool and load the line with the spool rotating. This cuts down on line twist when loading a centrepin.
If there is a spool arbour available for your model of reel then that would stop the line kinking over the line lays. Failing that, you may be able to make one from thick sheet cork or a strip of rubber mat.