Spooling Fishing Line onto a Spin-casting Reel

• 1). Open the bailer on the reel. If your reel has a cap, remove this now. Also, remove any sections of your rod not attached to the reel.
  
  
• 2). Thread the end of the fishing line through the rod guide and tie it to the reel's spool using an arbor knot (see resources below).
  
  
• 3). Snip off the tag end of the knot and close the reel's bailer.
  
  
• 4). Look down the length of your rod from the butt end and crank the reel one full turn. Note which direction the bailer spins--clockwise or counter-clockwise.
  
  
• 5). Place the spool of fishing line on the floor, resting on its side, so the line will unwind from it in the same direction that your bailer turned in Step 4 (if your bailer was turning counter-clockwise, the line should come off its spool in a counter-clockwise direction).
  
  
• 6). Grip the line and rod together above the reel, and brace the butt of the rod against your belly. Aim your rod at the spool and crank the reel to take up the line. Allow some slack between the rod tip and the spool, so it does not jump off the floor. Put some tension on the line with your holding hand, so it does not load too loosely onto the reel.
  
  
• 7). Stop winding and cut the line when there is between 1/8 to 1/4 inch of space left on the reel. Line can easily bird's-nest when casted from an overloaded reel.
  
  If your reel has a cap, thread the end of the line out through the hole in the cap and replace the cap on the reel.