Dicks sporting goods. Just wow

Grandpa bought kiddo a new sienna at Dicks for a gift. Not our first choice but they had it in stock when nobody else did. They spooled it up backwards.

Glass half full…good opportunity to teach the kiddo how to spool it correctly.
Honestly didn’t even realize Dicks does that as the one in Woodbury rarely has someone in the fishing dept.

Sad, but funny you say that because I bought a reel at Scheels a couple months ago and a spool of braid to go with it. I asked, and they assured me they’d use mono backing. Well I guess I should have been more specific because they apparently used about 12.5’ of mono backing, because the spooled up braid was damn near a quarter inch short of the edge of the spool. Yeah… medium light rod and 2500 reel with 8 lb braid can only cast an eighth ounce jig about 25 feet. Lol.

WELP, back to just doing it myself…

Cabela’s is pretty good spooling reels. I’ve been taking several of mine there every spring for about 10 years now. They have an electric tornado line winder so it only takes a minute or two. Just make sure to stand there and physically watch them do it. This winder allows them to put the line on spinning reels free of twist and there is no charge.

I watched scheels spool a reel for a buddy, they were nice and got it done mostly right. However, I’m too particular to let somebody else do it. I hate when there is still 35 yards of braid left over on the spool.

Thats to bad , but it kind of what you get when you even talk to the kids in the department. They have no idea. I do all my own at home and it takes 2 or 3 minutes

Seems like such an easy job to pay someone else to do and question if its done correctly…
I always look forward to respooling several rods per year and now its great time to spend teaching my son.

I always spool reel correctly…after two customers came in from fishing the river to let me know they were spooled backwards.

Who woulda thunk.

I always spool my own as well, and usually my kid is right there learning.

There was no charge for the spooling, so it seemed like a no-brainer to Grandpa when he was buying the reel. Live and learn.

I spool mine very consistently. I always put a bic pen through the spool and hold the pen from both sides with my socked toes against a carpeted floor. Been working for 40+ years so I aint changing now!

Should be a pretty simple fix, pull all the line out then reel it back in. Being careful not to tangle or damage the line…of course…

Or tie to a kite and have blast.

Munchy, I’m confused. If you pulled all the line off, why would you have to back reel it back on?

crossin_eyes wrote:

Munchy, I’m confused. If you pulled all the line off, why would you have to back reel it back on?

I never said “back-reel”, I said reel it back in…like you would normally do.

munchy wrote:

Should be a pretty simple fix, pull all the line out then reel it back in. Being careful not to tangle or damage the line…of course…

ALthough ripjiggen’s idea sounds more fun, I did it munchy’s way. half of me wanted to go back to dick’s and show them how dumb they are, but not worth my time.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Or tie to a kite and have blast.

I used an old musky reel taped to a piece of copper pipe to do just that. Man that thing was up there.

munchy wrote:

Should be a pretty simple fix, pull all the line out then reel it back in. Being careful not to tangle or damage the line…of course…

Or motor up stream leaving all the line out and reel it >back< in. So I’ve been told.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>munchy wrote:</div>
Should be a pretty simple fix, pull all the line out then reel it back in. Being careful not to tangle or damage the line…of course…

Or motor up stream leaving all the line out and reel it >back< in. So I’ve been told.

This is step #2 on the river this afternoon. I got it spooled on correctly but its not as even as I’d like. Time to tie on an original floater and let the current take it away and then reel it back on evenly.

I just did that with my ultra light. 4# test, trilene, label up, would it up no problem. 1st cast, a birds nest like you’ve never seen. Looked closer and with the label up like I’ve always done, came off the spool backwards, re spooled with it label down, worked like a million bucks. So, maybe not dicks fault??

No way I’d ever trust someone else spooling up my reels, especially more complicated set-ups like leadcore and copper.

I even cringe at the way some of the “pros” do it (Tangled Tackle, No Fish Nick, etc)

All of my knots, lengths, segments, backing, leaders and pound test are very particular and specific to their application.

suzuki wrote:

I spool mine very consistently. I always put a bic pen through the spool and hold the pen from both sides with my socked toes against a carpeted floor. Been working for 40+ years so I aint changing now!

I just redid all mine solo using a shoe and it works great. Just tie the shoe so the opening is tight enough to hold the spool in. It even gives it a nice bit of tension.

Reef W wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>suzuki wrote:</div>
I spool mine very consistently. I always put a bic pen through the spool and hold the pen from both sides with my socked toes against a carpeted floor. Been working for 40+ years so I aint changing now!

I just redid all mine solo using a shoe and it works great. Just tie the shoe so the opening is tight enough to hold the spool in. It even gives it a nice bit of tension.

Well this is pure genius. I do it the suzuki way lol now I’m going to try your way reef

People actually get it done in stores, huh who knew.

Charles wrote:

People actually get it done in stores, huh who knew.

The reason I take mine in is because they are able to put line on spinning reels without any line twist. If you simply reel it on manually, you will have line twist.

Its easier with a bait caster because there is a level wind and it can go on manually without line twist.

If I had a line winder at home, I’d do it at home. An electric line winder is a very expensive item though.

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Charles wrote:</div>
People actually get it done in stores, huh who knew.

The reason I take mine in is because they are able to put line on spinning reels without any line twist. If you simply reel it on manually, you will have line twist.

Its easier with a bait caster because there is a level wind and it can go on manually without line twist.

If I had a line winder at home, I’d do it at home. An electric line winder is a very expensive item though.

They make manual ones. Picsifun has them. Like 20 bucks.
I’ve never had line twist if you reel it on the reel the way it comes off the spool. Both spinning and casting reels. I guess even my free fall ice rigs

Bearcat89 wrote:

They make manual ones. Picsifun has them. Like 20 bucks.

Thanks, I’ll look into that.

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Charles wrote:</div>
People actually get it done in stores, huh who knew.

The reason I take mine in is because they are able to put line on spinning reels without any line twist. If you simply reel it on manually, you will have line twist.

Its easier with a bait caster because there is a level wind and it can go on manually without line twist.

If I had a line winder at home, I’d do it at home. An electric line winder is a very expensive item though.

Lay it on side with the correct twist facing the reel.

Pen or pencil through the spool. Then grab the pencil with your big toes on each side. no line twist and you can tension it. I’ve got a few funny looks from the wife or other people but it really works great.

If you have a friend, same thing but have them hold the pencil in their hands with light pressure on the spool.

patk wrote:

Pen or pencil through the spool. Then grab the pencil with your big toes on each side. no line twist and you can tension it. I’ve got a few funny looks from the wife or other people but it really works great.

If you have a friend, same thing but have them hold the pencil in their hands with light pressure on the spool.

You guys really need to try a shoe, I swear it’s better! Even if somebody was around to help I’m using a shoe from now on, much more even pressure then somebody holding it and moving their hands when you reel too fast.

See it in action (not me): https://youtu.be/W5Nz9VzTCvg?t=290

Throw the spool in a five gallon bucket and let it dance around in there. Spool up. Then on the next trip out, let the line drag behind the boat for a few minutes to pull any twist out. Good to go.

-J.