How much backing to put on fly reel

It came with fly line and a yards of backing. I only plan on using this rod for small streams and was wondering how much backing do I need? With small streams you won't need much backing, but if the reel will handle all of the backing then I would put it on you might want to try larger streams down the road , but if it overloads the reel where the line is rubbing the guides then I would go back and remove some of the backing so the reel runs smoothly with everything loaded on no rubbing.

I wanted the maximum amount of backing for fishing salmon and I think I fished with it like that for an entire season before I finally took it apart and removed some of the backing. Everytime I reeled everything back on the reel it was always rubbing the reel guides, a real pain. I would bet you can put the full on without an issue. Messages 48 Reaction score 1. Remember out on the water you will likely not reel back on perfectly so if you filled it with very little tolerance you will likely Unless you know for sure rather than guess Farnsrocket Member.

Messages 24 Reaction score 0. I have always put on as much as would fit My new resolution this year is to put on like 20 or 30 feet less than the max so I will never have to worry about my line rubbing!!! Jimmie Well-known member. A member on here posted a great tip. Messages 1 Reaction score 0. You guys seem to know what you're talking about.

I'm begging and I'm trying to set up my pole for moderate trout fly fishing in rivers. I'm wondering how much backing, how much fly line, and how much for a leader. If I missed anything, please post. Reels generally have recommendations for how much backing to put on, usually referred to as 'capacity'. Others will give multiple suggestions depending on what line weight you are using, such as WF3F: , WF4F: , WF5F 75 , meaning if you use a 3wt weight forward floating line you can use yards, if a 4wt then only yards, etc etc.

Did you real come with any instructions like this? I did a quick check on Cabela's website and didn't see the Traditions II combo. Is your reel called a Traditions II or does it have a different name? When I am trout fishing, I prefer to use a large-arbor reel loaded with approximately yards of backing and a 5-weight line. Most large arbor reels will accommodate this set-up and the weight of the spooled up reel balances nicely with the newer lightweight rods on the market, a key factor in making long-range casts.

The table will tell you how much backing a reel can hold with different weight lines and what kind to use typically Dacron in the fresh and sometimes gel spun for added capacity in the salt.

Another great option is to consult with your local fly shop. Fly shops spool up dozens of reels a day and employees often have a sixth sense for line capacity. Fly shops also use a machine to wrap the backing tightly on the spool. The other remaining section s of the fly rod aren't needed. There's a few ways this attachment can be done, but I've always just used the good old Arbor Knot. When the knot is complete, make sure it's holding tight to the spool and trim the tag end nice and close.

You can get creative here, but I like to use a pencil and hold it at a nice even level using my feet as shown in the picture above. With the backing coming off the underside of its own spool, begin cranking it onto the reel spool.

While cranking, I apply some pretty firm tension to the backing with my fingers and take care to evenly guide it back and forth. Doing this packs the backing on very tightly and level so it won't dig into itself or go on lopsided. A glove can be helpful here to protect the fingers if needed. Deciding how much backing to put on can be tough. If the reel takes yards and the backing spool is yards, that's easy, but if the reel only takes yards that's a different story.

Also, a reel's yardage rating can be inaccurate and different types of backing or even colors of backing are thicker than others white is thinnest and typically what reels use for ratings so keep that in mind. After years of spooling my own reels I find that I can eyeball it pretty accurately, but I usually start by putting on slightly more backing than I think I'll need just to be safe and because I can't stand my reels to be underfilled Ultimately, whether or not the amount is ideal won't be known until after the fly line is also loaded on.

Three things to remember before spooling new fly line to avoid line twists and complications are: 1 Leave the fly line on its original spool; don't take it off first 2 Don't wind the line off the side of the spool like you would when filling a spinning reel 3 Make sure the fly line comes off the bottom of the spool rather than the top. This gives the line a more direct line flow and line lay on the spool due to its natural memory.