# Line counter for loading backing?



## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

Is there an economical line counter to measure backing as its spooled on? Do the counters I find for trolling applications work well enough?


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## Bamajo (Apr 11, 2013)

I am interested in this as well. I have a Reel E Good winder for cleaning and changing fly lines but have also thought about buying the counter attachment they make to put on it. Not sure if the price is worth it though.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Just go mark 100 yards on the street. Your neighbors will look at you like your crazy but it works and it's free.


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## texasag07 (Nov 11, 2014)

It’s a pain but if trying to maximize backing capacity without overfilling I will put the fly line on the spool first then fill with backing to the desired level.

Then pull it off with my homemade line winder then reassemble like normal.


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## mro (Jan 24, 2018)

At Cabelas

Berkeley Line Counter 15$


https://www.cabelas.com/product/Berkley-Linecounter/1148846.uts?slotId=3

Quote from a following post:
You should read the reviews on that trinket. But that is something like what I was thinking about. 

This could be a P.O.S.


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## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

mro said:


> At Cabelas
> 
> Berkeley Line Counter 15$
> 
> ...


You should read the reviews on that trinket. But that is something like what I was thinking about. 

I intend to load new braided backing on some of my reels and wanted to make it easy to keep track of the length since I’ll be working off a 600 yard spool. This stuff is too expensive to waste.


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## FlyBy (Jul 12, 2013)

texasag07 said:


> It’s a pain but if trying to maximize backing capacity without overfilling I will put the fly line on the spool first then fill with backing to the desired level.
> 
> Then pull it off with my homemade line winder then reassemble like normal.


Me too. Just did it last week. It is a pain but I like a full reel.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Load


Hank said:


> You should read the reviews on that trinket. But that is something like what I was thinking about.
> 
> I intend to load new braided backing on some of my reels and wanted to make it easy to keep track of the length since I’ll be working off a 600 yard spool. This stuff is too expensive to waste.



Load with hollow Spectra like power pro hollow ace, or seaguar threadlock and you can splice any leftovers to avoid waste. On a side note I tried splicing Jerry Brown 40 last year and it was impossible. I can personally vouch for hollow ace, no issues with it.


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## numbskull (Jan 30, 2019)

You're wasting your time with a line counter since the manufacturer's specs are often wrong, the line, even #20 dacron, varies by 10% in diameter (and, hence, capacity) between different companies, and your flyline choice will make a big difference. The method in this video is pretty clever and shows an easier way to do it than the "reversing the whole backing and flyline system". It does require a manual line winder.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

Looks like he has that reel maxed out.


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## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

No, I just want to know how much I put on and how much is left. Because I am going to Threadlock and have never used it before is the problem. I can fill to where the old micron was before and know the fly line will fit on top. 

This was simple when you picked up two connected 100 yard spools of 20 # dacron, spooled it on and then the fly line. You had 200 yards of backing and if it was a little fat to take the fly line, you cut some off the back of the fly line and tied on. Done.


I just want to know if the cheap little trolling counters (or some other inexpensive device) will give a decent approximation of the length of line I spooled on. Sorry if my original post was not clear enough.


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## Bonecracker (Mar 29, 2007)

el9surf said:


> Just go mark 100 yards on the street. Your neighbors will look at you like your crazy but it works and it's free.


I thought I was the only person who did this!


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## jay.bush1434 (Dec 27, 2014)

I was spooling some Penn 80 wides for a buddy for marlin fishing and was trying to figure out how much backing to put on before I spliced onto the mono top shot. Wife built a macro enabled Excel spreadsheet formula that was shockingly accurate. You have to know the line diameter and a couple other specs but plug in the numbers and you get your answer. I'll see if I can find it and post up. A side benefit of being married to an aerospace engineer at NASA.


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## Rayreds (Oct 24, 2016)

jay.bush1434 said:


> I was spooling some Penn 80 wides for a buddy for marlin fishing and was trying to figure out how much backing to put on before I spliced onto the mono top shot. Wife built a macro enabled Excel spreadsheet formula that was shockingly accurate. You have to know the line diameter and a couple other specs but plug in the numbers and you get your answer. I'll see if I can find it and post up. A side benefit of being married to an aerospace engineer at NASA.


Hope your able to post it


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## ifsteve (Jul 1, 2010)

Most reel builders have some pretty good insight on how far up a spool you should fill a reel depending on the fly line you are going to use.
For example, Abel jsut tells you to fill the backing up to the bottom of the screw holding the handle on. This is actually dang close. I just fill up my reel to that or a bit more than put the fly line on. If its a little tight just remove a little backing. Pretty simple.


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## LowHydrogen (Dec 31, 2015)

ifsteve said:


> Most reel builders have some pretty good insight on how far up a spool you should fill a reel depending on the fly line you are going to use.
> For example, Abel jsut tells you to fill the backing up to the bottom of the screw holding the handle on. This is actually dang close. I just fill up my reel to that or a bit more than put the fly line on. If its a little tight just remove a little backing. Pretty simple.


That^

You can also cut 10-15' off the heel/bottom of the running line on the fly line for a little extra room, added bonus when you shoot the whole fly line and 12' of backing when you're doing casting practice with buddies. HAHA


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## ZaneD (Feb 28, 2017)

Hank said:


> No, I just want to know how much I put on and how much is left. Because I am going to Threadlock and have never used it before is the problem. I can fill to where the old micron was before and know the fly line will fit on top.
> 
> This was simple when you picked up two connected 100 yard spools of 20 # dacron, spooled it on and then the fly line. You had 200 yards of backing and if it was a little fat to take the fly line, you cut some off the back of the fly line and tied on. Done.
> 
> ...


Yes, a cheap hand-held counter will be pretty close on yardage, that's what I've used in the past to fill offshore reels. As others have said your yardages can vary based on line diameter, but if your reel is rated for a certain length of a certain line you can compare that to the line you are using to figure out the capacity.


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