# Braid backing to reel connection



## Tankerfly (Jan 22, 2021)

Hi all, I have a 3Tand T100 that I am using 50lb power pro as backing on. Knowing that braid has a tendency to slip, how should I best tie on the braid? A couple turn arbor knot? Tie directly to a one of the vented areas in the inner spool? Something else? Thanks!


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## jackson man (Aug 13, 2020)

Tankerfly said:


> Hi all, I have a 3Tand T100 that I am using 50lb power pro as backing on. Knowing that braid has a tendency to slip, how should I best tie on the braid? A couple turn arbor knot? Tie directly to a one of the vented areas in the inner spool? Something else? Thanks!


I use arbor knots, they should be perfect for your application. Check out youtube for plenty of tutorials if needed.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

20# mono to spool with square knot and knot on end of mono to keep it from slipping. Reel on one layer then crazy alberto to braid.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

I just go around the spool twice, then tie a uni knot. Thankfully never had anything test it.


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## jackson man (Aug 13, 2020)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> 20# mono to spool with square knot and knot on end of mono to keep it from slipping. Reel on one layer then crazy alberto to braid.


The mono is a good idea to provide a non slip base.


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## Copahee Hound (Dec 21, 2017)

Arbor knot and then electrical tape...It's "knot" fancy, but it works


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## Bonesonthebrain (Jan 2, 2020)

Just wrap it three times and use an arbor knot, it will not slip.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

I use a couple wraps of Teflon pipe tape around the spools of my reels. The braid bites into it so it doesn't slip and it doesn't leave any residue when removed.


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## Snagly (Dec 17, 2019)

If you're looking for a near-enough 100% join, consider a little extra work. First, double your braid by tying a 70-wrap Bimini for a 100%'er and make it extra long, like two feet. Second, decide if you want to gum up your arbor or not if it's unported. If you don't, spend a couple of bucks on Teflon plumber's tape (as per Zika above) and wrap it 3x. (If you want to use vinyl electrician's tape, that works as well but the adhesive melts into goo and is a bitch to remove later.) If it's ported, thread the doubled line in-and-out and make two wraps. Either way, finish it by tying a uniknot in your doubled braid Bimini and cinch it down. The knot will protrude off the spool like a bat's stiffy, but once you spool up it won't matter. 

* * * * *

There's also nothing wrong with using a mono underlay, but that won't give you 100% strength. From memory, non-specialist fly line breaks at about 30lbs so with 50lb braid a 70% connection will put you right on the edge when you get bricked by an ooglie and something's gonna give.


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## Tankerfly (Jan 22, 2021)

Thanks for all the responses!


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I do an arbor knot seat it so the knot buts up against an edge on the porting of the spool so it catches. Just make sure that when you seat the knot you pull from the same direction the fish will be pulling line from. I don't have any spools that are smooth but if I did I would have to rethink the connection.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

The bigger question is why use 50lb power pro?


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## Mike Geer (Nov 22, 2018)

Back in the day when I fished for tuna more often; I used 15-20yds of 30-50lbs Dacron tied to the spool and then 50lbs braid. We used the heavy braid because of the strength with less drag/friction when a fish has 500yds of line out.


mike


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## Tankerfly (Jan 22, 2021)

el9surf said:


> The bigger question is why use 50lb power pro?


I'm using it for about 50 yards more capacity and strength than 30lb dacron and not needing to have 400yrds of 30lb braid. I also feel there's a little less risk of damage to myself or gear and less tendency for the braid to dig into itself with the thicker diameter braid. 
In all honesty, this is for a 10wt rod which probably won't be truly tested. Most likely uses are from larger flies on the Chesapeake and potentially NC albies/mahi/amberjack. If I was taking a tuna trip or something similar, I'd adjust backing at that point for more capacity or just use one of my heavier setups. My biggest concern with braid is slippage. Probably would have been just fine with 30lb dacron...


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## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

el9surf said:


> I do an arbor knot seat it so the knot buts up against an edge on the porting of the spool so it catches. Just make sure that when you seat the knot you pull from the same direction the fish will be pulling line from. I don't have any spools that are smooth but if I did I would have to rethink the connection.


That's what I do. I've never had a problem with an arbor know so long as you make sure its comes off the spool on in the correct direction.


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## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

I wrap mine around the spool a few times then poke the tag end of line out through a spool hole, back in through the next hole, then overhand knotted to the running end. Do this on the side of the spool that is in the reel body. No slippage.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

The machined edges of my 3-Tand spools are too sharp to tie a knot through.


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## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

All its doing is keeping the whole mass of backing from turning on the spool, no great stress. But any method that works is fine with me.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Arbor knot


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## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

Arbor knot won’t work with lines that don’t stretch. The entire mass of backing might turn on the spool - not good.


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## Bonesonthebrain (Jan 2, 2020)

Hank said:


> Arbor knot won’t work with lines that don’t stretch. The entire mass of backing might turn on the spool - not good.


An arbor knot with three turns should not slip, been doing it for decades and never an issue. Here is some info on why.






Rope Friction Around Pole


The tension force in a rope grows exponentially with the number of turns the rope makes around a pole.




sciencedemonstrations.fas.harvard.edu


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## MatthewAbbott (Feb 25, 2017)

I use uni knot when attaching braid to any of my reels( baitcaaters and spinning). I’ve never had an issue with slipping once you have a few wraps around the spool. I don’t see why it wouldn’t work on a fly reel.

Im using 6-20lbs test though. Maybe the larger braid on a bigger diameter spool will behave differently.


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## Hank (Jan 14, 2019)

Bonesonthebrain said:


> An arbor knot with three turns should not slip, been doing it for decades and never an issue. Here is some info on why.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No worky here on slick shiny spools. I tried it. I could make several methods work but could not predict that they would loosen later. Tape works but not appealing to me because who knows when its dunked in saltwater? And for anyone who missed it, this applies only to non-stretchy backing. Dacron and an arbor knot works great and has forever. 

To each his own.


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

I start my reels with dacron for a couple hundred yards then join like mentioned above with the unis then braid. My one Pacific has something stupid like 800 yards on it and I've got it marked at 100 and 300 yards. The only thing that's ever got close to the 300 mark is a spinner shark.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Bonesonthebrain said:


> An arbor knot with three turns should not slip, been doing it for decades and never an issue. Here is some info on why.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


How many decades have you been using spectra braid for backing?
Dyneema, spectra etc have near zero stretch. On a smooth aluminum spool it will absolutely spin the whole spool with enough pressure. Think of it as a nylon bushing on a smooth aluminum shaft...it will slip. I’ve had 300 yards of 30# braid slip on a spinning reel spool and a baitcaster full of braid. The reason myself and others recommend dacron or mono first is it stretches and bites the spool. Do all knots hold in spectra that you tie in mono or dacron? Nope. It’s slick and almost zero stretch.


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## Mdees88 (Jun 23, 2021)

I use a modified San Diego jam knot for braid to spool connection on all my reels. I also rub the spool down with boeshield T9 first to prevent corrosion.

I just respooled a reel with hollow core that I put solid braid on about 6 years ago. I didn't know about the San Diego jam knot back then so I did electrical tape and an arbor knot. When I got the line off the spool had a large salt deposit on it and when I cleaned it off I noticed it had corroded the spool. This could have been prevented with a coat of T9.










Surprisingly under the tape was clean. I purchased two used Avets off ebay a couple years back and when I respooled them they had tape and the spool was corroded under the tape.

I have used the San Diego jam knot on 8 reels now and haven't had any issues and regularly fish over 30lbs of drag with them.

I just spooled my new Seigler MF fly reel with 40lb pound power pro hollow ace. I T9'ed the spool then did 3 wraps around the arbor and tied the San Diego jam knot. After reeling a couple yards on the spool I dogged the drag down and tested.... no slippage.

Here's the video of how to tie the knot. Works with solid or hollow core braid....


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## kjnengr (Jan 16, 2018)

If your arbor knot slips, its because it is upside down. Whether the tag end is running over the top or under the bottom of the spool when making the knot makes a big difference.


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## Desperado213 (Jul 8, 2019)

Check out the videos on the angling company website. He has one of putting backing on a reel. I believe he uses 100 yards of dacron first with an arbor knot then ties that to 80lb power pro.


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## 8w8n8 (Sep 30, 2017)

I splice approx 25yds of micron to the hollow-core braid I'm using as backing, then tie an arbor knot around the spool with the micron. Although I do have various Daho needles, fancy splicing tools are NOT needed for a straight line-to-line splice ... at least in these diameters. I save the "high e" (0.010") from my strats when I change strings, fold the string in half and pinch-it with a pair of Kleins. Actually, I use the guitar string 90% of the time when splicing braid, though the needles are handy when making braided nylon loops and installing them on fly lines. 

Some time ago I was informed to stay away from electrical, medical, and masking tape used for this application. This is the first time I came across using teflon tape ... sounds interesting.


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