Buying a new reel

[UkeeDreamin]

Two reasons for backing on my Islanders and Trophy's:

1) Like RSC said, backing is a lot cheaper than mono and mooching reels hold a LOT of mono

2) Convenience of changing out your mono - trick I was taught was to fill the reel with enough backing that it takes exactly 200-220 yards of 25-30lb Maxima Ultragreen … which is exactly the amount on a refill spool. Makes it a lot cheaper and easier to replace line so you're not tempted to keep old line on, which always breaks at the worst possible time!

Ukee

 

[RiverBoy]

Two reasons for backing on my Islanders and Trophy's:

1) Like RSC said, backing is a lot cheaper than mono and mooching reels hold a LOT of mono

2) Convenience of changing out your mono - trick I was taught was to fill the reel with enough backing that it takes exactly 200-220 yards of 25-30lb Maxima Ultragreen … which is exactly the amount on a refill spool. Makes it a lot cheaper and easier to replace line so you're not tempted to keep old line on, which always breaks at the worst possible time!

Ukee

Or 100 yards off a top shot and enough for another change if need be. Good idea UD

 

[Big Green Machine]

I use backing for my smaller, metal fly reels that are spooled with mono for fishing bigger interior lakes. I was told that smaller arbors regardless of whether they are metal, can still warp from the expansion and then contraction of mono next to the spool.

 

[drpower]

Excuse my ignorance, but why even use backing?

I run straight 25# Mono on my Moocher Gt4000's, if I could afford islanders, I don't see a reason I would change the straight Mono...

More capacity is better, isn't it? If you spool 20-30# from the beginning, you can snip off 30-40 feet every month or so fishing and still have Tyee's run on you for minutes without having to worry about a knot. I mean surely if you're buying Islanders, it's not a price issue...

Why Run Backing?

It's probably more important for fishing guides that are putting 10 hours a day for the whole summer on their gear. Its easier to switch out 100 yards of mono on an MR2 than the whole spool. I run 50 lb Power Pro for backing so if I get into a decent fish that peels out line into the backing I know that line will hold, I would avoid buying the cheapest Dacron you can find as it will not be up to the task for a fish that can do that to you, not to mention that garbage will degrade faster than a quality line. There are a few ways to tie the backing to the mono. Anyone in Victoria wishing to learn over a Timmy's coffee PM me and I'll be happy to show you.

 

[FisherTim]

Yeah, I run my reels until about 2/3 empty(still 150yd), by cutting off the last 20-30 feet every week, and then spool over that, but initially, I just spool straight mono.

 

[wildthing]

Yeah, I run my reels until about 2/3 empty(still 150yd), by cutting off the last 20-30 feet every week, and then spool over that, but initially, I just spool straight mono.

and here is why you don't load them fully with mono

by the way its a gt 4000 spool thats split

 

[uclueletcharters]

Looks like the reel was sitting on the fireplace mantle all winter to warp like that. That's the first reel of that type I've ever seen warp like that, crazy.

 

[Filletandrelease]

Looks like the reel was sitting on the fireplace mantle all winter to warp like that. That's the first reel of that type I've ever seen warp like that, crazy.

That's nuts. I call owner abuse

 

[wildthing]

so you get shown and still don't believe

no owner abuse on my behalf
reel belonged to my bro it went and split quite a number of years ago
so the drag and paddles have gone to F.A.
who like's to collect these little beauties

 

[Filletandrelease]

so you get shown and still don't believe

no owner abuse on my behalf
reel belonged to my bro it went and split quite a number of years ago
so the drag and paddles have gone to F.A.
who like's to collect these little beauties

Just joshin ya. Lol I see and believe. I've heard of it but never seen one so destroyed. Wow.

 

[drpower]

The first generation 4000GT were soft compound, the newer ones are a bit harder and I haven't seen warped ones lately.

 

[wildthing]

yep deffo a first gen reel
but i do put backing on my islanders and tmx's
as stated if the backing starts to show time to reload ....lol
or you got a kipper or a seal on