Amount of Line/distance

[Coop]

Will you get more distance casting with less line on the reel? I know the retrieve will be slower but I noticed that I had a couple reels that were not topped off and they seemed to go further. Might be my imagination.

[ffemtreed]

I think the more line on the reel the more distance you get. I am 99% sure this is true with spinning reels but not that sure on conventional reels.

Another interesting unrelated phenomenon is as more line comes off the reel the drag pressure increases on conventional reels.

[Pier_man0909]

I am not scientist but I believe more will help you with distance. not neccecarily by much but just like with the retrieve, there is more line coming off with each spool revolution on an over spooled reel. try casting with only 100 yards of line on the reel and youll seel what I mean. for example, a fully spooled reel might have a 8" retreive with each spool revolutio. it would also have 8" out on each revolution during the cast. if you only spool it up half way it might only have 5" of line out per revolution. so in order to get the same amount of line out the reel would have to work a lot harder with less line on it.

[kingfisher29]

In my opinion, on a conventional reel I hold back and only put 90% of line. For example, I fish with a diawa sealine 50 sha which holds 350 yards of 30 lb. mono and I only put on 90% of 350 yards. I think that it throws alot farther than having a full spool.

[trowpa]

Technically a fuller spool will cast further. However, less line on the spool is more controllable so you can push it harder. So that may negate the physics.

[Charkbait]

agree with trowpa. I have huge capacity reels that I only fill 3/4...wurks gudd. Easier to grab too.

The basic theory is that the reel doesn't have to spin as fast to pay out line so it is harder to blow up. Along those same lines moving up in line weight helps me out as well. I can hit 30# test harder then I can 20# test and get about the same distance while fishing, not so on grass though. I still fish 20# though which doesn't make sense to me, why do I do that if I get no benefit? Not sure I could breakoff 30# short of thumbing down the spool.

Moral of the story is, if you have trouble blowing up while you bait is ascending bumping up your # test or taking line off the spool will help in a pinch. For the real fixes look to your breaking/oil/technique for later. Heavier line and less of the same # test can save a fishing trip.

[Coop]

I top my reels off and will stop doing that because I do notice some line slap when that reel is full which may be a result of that feeling of less line going out. With the other reels that didn't have as much line, I couldn't notice any slap which brings what trowpa said earlier. I can get 275 on those avets but I think I will only put between 250-225 yards. I have never been spooled, or even close to being spooled with the amount I originally had with reds or stripers...If I have 225, I know I will still have at least a football field in reserve with a 75 yard cast + bow disctance + distance spiked from the beach...if in fact it is going 75 yards...probably casting less then that....I guess my biggest concern would be the retrieve speed.

[Pier_man0909]

someone should do a test

[Pier_man0909]

The basic theory is that the reel doesn't have to spin as fast to pay out line so it is harder to blow up.

a spool with less line will have to spin faster (by making more revolutions) compared to a reel spooled with more, at least to get the same result. I believe a spool with more line on it will have a faster start up speed.

[Dixie719]

I always get more distance with a little less line on the reel for whatever reason. I generally fill to 90-95% of reel spool and go from there.

When I overfill, I blow up, simple as that!

[kutbait08]

I concur little less is better ...................

[Charkbait]

a spool with less line will have to spin faster (by making more revolutions) compared to a reel spooled with more, at least to get the same result. I believe a spool with more line on it will have a faster start up speed.

should read, "a spool with less line SHOULD have to spin faster to get the same result".

Fact is that it doesn't, once the bait starts flying your "speed" is pretty much locked in. Because you spool isn't turning as fast due to a lower spool fill your payload is pulling line out which keeps you from blowing up and you can hit it harder. On grass this will kill your distance, on the beach banging a heavy load it helps some folks with less fluid casting styles like myself.

If I fill a spool my initial spool speed is so fast while fishing that my payload can't possibly strip line off the spool fast enough to keep me from blowing up. Lower spool heights spin slower.

We're both right, in different contexts it accomplishes different things though, on grass you want speed especially with those tiny reels (smaller spool), on sand I want control, 12oz+ is only going so far regardless of how fast my spool spins, my job is to find the line.

[Pier_man0909]

should read, "a spool with less line SHOULD have to spin faster to get the same result".

Fact is that it doesn't, once the bait starts flying your "speed" is pretty much locked in. Because you spool isn't turning as fast due to a lower spool fill your payload is pulling line out which keeps you from blowing up and you can hit it harder. On grass this will kill your distance, on the beach banging a heavy load it helps some folks with less fluid casting styles like myself.

If I fill a spool my initial spool speed is so fast while fishing that my payload can't possibly strip line off the spool fast enough to keep me from blowing up. Lower spool heights spin slower.

We're both right, in different contexts it accomplishes different things though, on grass you want speed especially with those tiny reels (smaller spool), on sand I want control, 12oz+ is only going so far regardless of how fast my spool spins, my job is to find the line.

seems like I am talkin more physically while your talking more personally. I myself have my spools filled with a little extra line and have them dialed in right on the edge on the edge. I am not the farthest caster but I seem to perform better that way.

[SteveZ]

If you could throw further with less line all the distance guys would do it. They aint'...

[Charkbait]

you and SteveZ toss those same tiny reels the distance guys do though, you're already starting smaller then most guys do at 75% full.

Also, I never said it was better, folks asked if and why it seemed to work..

It goes farther for most guys (and I'd venture to say most fishermen) because there is more control. I say most guys because 80% them never tossed an ounce over grass in their life and have no need to rip off a 200yd cast without a chunk of meat attached.