Best Fishing Line Spooler

Best Fishing Line Spooler Review

Every time you hook a fish heaps of things can go wrong. Reels can malfunction or your line can snap, just to name a few.

To land a big fish you need a ton of variables to be in your favor. Using a high-quality fishing line and changing out your old line regularly is one way to improve your odds.

But changing your fishing line can be a pain in the butt. Whether you’re re-spooling a baitcaster or a conventional reel, stripping and replacing the line is time-consuming.

Worse yet, if you don’t re-spool your reel correctly, you’ll run into issues with line slippage, tangles, and all sorts of headaches that can ruin a good day on the water.

That’s why you need a fishing line spooler.

Our favorite is the Piscifun Speed X Fishing Line Spooler as it also has the unwinding function that others don’t.

We’ve done all the hard work trying out tons of fishing line spoolers to find the best fishing line spooler on the market.

Here are our top five picks for the best fishing line spooler:

Best Overall – Piscifun Speed X Fishing Line Spooler with Unwinding Function

Piscifun Speed X Fishing Line Spooler with Unwinding Function

Product Overview

Fishing line spoolers come in different shapes and sizes and range from exceptionally simple to a bit more complex. The more simple designs do the job fine, but if you’re looking to take a step up to a top-of-the-line model that will stand up to decades of use, the Speed X fishing line spooler from Piscifun is the one for you.

The ingenious design of the Speed X fishing line spooler allows you to spool conventional, baitcasting, spinning, and spin casting reels with ease. The Speed X adapts to accommodate any size spool, whether you’re working with a 100-yard spool or a 1,000 yard one. The design is intuitive, and after a quick look at the directions, you’ll be ready to spool your reels in under a minute.

The machine itself is very similar to a fishing rod. In fact, it looks as if Piscifun took a rod, sawed it off just below the first guide, and attached a spool winder to it. To use the Speed X fishing line spooler, loosen the reel seat, place your reel in the seat, and tighten it. Add your spool of line to the top of the device, and you’re ready to start spooling up your rods.

What’s unique about the Speed X fishing line spooler is that while every other winder will allow you to spool your reels, this one also allows you to take the line off them. This feature is crucial if you ever make a mistake while spooling because you can fix it without throwing out any line, and it also makes it cleaner and easier for you to dispose of the old line. This is one of the key reasons we recommend the Piscifun Speed X Fishing Line Spooler as the overall best fishing line spooler.

It also arrives nicely packaged, so makes an excellent gift for any keen angler in your life.

The Piscifun Speed X Fishing Line Spooler makes an excellent gift and is our overall choice for the best fishing line spooler

Specs

  • Materials: Aluminum and plastic
  • Works with: All reel types
  • Functions: winding & unwinding

Pros

  • Excellent design
  • Can also remove line from any reel
  • Fully adjustable to accommodate virtually any reel and spool size
  • Well made and built to last
  • Arrives beautifully packaged

Cons

  • A bit more expensive than other options

Runner Up – Piscifun Fishing Line Spooler Fishing Line Winder

Piscifun Speed Fishing Line Spooler Fishing Line Winder

Product Overview

Piscifun has the line winding game locked down. Not only do they have the excellent multi-stage model we covered above, but they also have a slightly paired-down version that lets you save a couple of bucks without compromising on the product.

This model resembles the Speed X model above. The colors are a bit different, but it operates similarly. All you’ll need to do is secure the reel to the winder in the same way you would if you were attaching a reel to a rod. Add the line of your choice to the winder, and begin spooling the line onto your reel.

The only difference between this one and the Speed X model is that this one doesn’t offer the Speed X’s unwinding function. While it’s a handy feature to have, it shouldn’t be a deal-breaker if you’re looking for a simple one and effective fishing line spooler.

Whether you’re spooling a spinning or conventional reel, this Piscifun line spooler is up to the task. When it’s not in use, it folds neatly into your tackle bag, glove box, or anywhere else, for that matter.

Specs

  • Materials: Aluminum and plastic
  • Works with: All reel types
  • Functions: winding

Pros

  • Excellent design
  • Adjusts to accommodate virtually any reel and spool size
  • Breaks down for easy storage
  • Different size bushings eliminate play in the spool for tighter winding
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Doesn’t offer the Speed X’s unwinding function

Ultra-Portable & Well Designed – Kastking Radius Line Spooler

Kastking Radius Fishing Line Spooler

Product Overview

If you’re looking for a simple and effective fishing line spooler at an excellent price, the Radius from KastKing is a great option. This simple tool allows you to quickly and effectively spool up virtually any reel with the line of your choice, and it’s small enough to fit in your front pocket.

Simple line spoolers like this one have been around for years, and while they get the job done well enough, you almost always run into issues with line twist at some point. The Radius has a patent-pending design that addresses line twist and prevents it from becoming an issue, so you’re left with a professionally spooled reel that’s ready to stand up to anything.

When spooling conventional reels, the line comes off the spool and directly onto the reel. For spinning reels, the line is fed through an eye on the spooler to uncoil the line from the spool and send it onto the reel without twisting.

Another issue of most pocket line spoolers is that they do nothing to place tension on the line as you’re spooling, which is a recipe for line slippage and poor performance on the water. The Radius includes two KastKing tensioning bands that wrap around the spool as you work and keep constant tension on the line.

Rubber eyelets throughout the body of the line spooler clamp onto any reel regardless of size, and the rubber eyes protect the rod’s finish as you spool line onto your reel.

Best of all, the Radius is exceptionally compact. You can easily pack it away in your tackle box, a pocket, or virtually anywhere else.

Specs

  • Material: Plastic
  • Works with: All reel types
  • Functions: winding

Pros

  • Compact and lightweight
  • Inexpensive
  • Works with all reel types
  • Patent-pending design eliminates line twist
  • Tensioning bands keep constant tension on the line, so it winds on smooth and tight

Cons

  • Made of lightweight plastic which can be less durable

Built to Last & Budget-Friendly – THKFISH Fishing Line Spooler

THKFISH Fishing Line Spooler

Product Overview

If you’re looking for a solid, well-built fishing line spooler that’s as inexpensive as possible while still meeting all your needs, this model from THKFISH is a solid choice.

This fishing line spooler may be the most straightforward option on the market, and it has a genuinely foolproof design. Clamp the winder onto any flat surface, like the edge of a table. Next, place the spool into the winder and tighten the thumbscrew to secure the spool. Now, you’re ready to begin winding; hold your reel by its seat and crank on the line.

This line spooler is available in several configurations to accommodate different spool sizes. There’s a winder for smaller spools of 300 yards or less and a model for larger spools. THKFISH also offers a line remover compatible with any power drill and lets you strip line from reels in seconds.

This fishing line spooler uses heavy-duty aluminum and metal, and it’s sure to stand up to decades of use. It’s far from the most glamorous option, but it certainly gets the job done.

Specs

  • Materials: Aluminum
  • Works with: All reel types
  • Functions: Winding, unwinding (available separately)

Pros

  • Best bang for your buck
  • Made from heavy-duty components for decades of reliable use
  • Non-marring pads allow you to clamp onto any surface without damaging it
  • Easy to use
  • Durable, long-lasting material

Cons

  • Doesn’t accommodate all spool sizes
  • Doesn’t keep tension on the line as it’s spooled onto the reel

The Cheapest One We Found – THKFISH Fishing Line Spooler Winder Mini Line Spooler

THKFISH Fishing Line Spooler Winder Mini Line Spooler

Product Overview

This THKFISH line spooler is the most simple and inexpensive option on our list. It’s far from pretty, but it gets the job done reliably, and it’s also about as simple and easy to use as it gets.

This fishing line spooler features a simple clamp with rubber jaws that clamps onto your rod below the first guide. A long aluminum post extends from the end of the clamp and allows you to secure a spool of line to the rod and wind it onto the reel. The post is long enough so that this winder can accommodate virtually any size spool.

This model will work for any reel style, and it’s ultra-portable and easy to use, but it isn’t without its shortcomings. Since there’s no mechanism to keep tension on the line as you reel it on, it doesn’t do quite as good of a job as some of the more advanced models higher up on our list.

Specs

  • Materials: Plastic, aluminum
  • Works with: All reel types
  • Functions: Winding

Pros

  • Very affordable
  • Incredibly easy to use
  • Accommodates all spool sizes
  • Compatible with all reel types
  • Simple to transport

Cons

  • Doesn’t keep tension on the line while windings sometimes come off easily

Fishing Line Spooler FAQs

When shopping for a fishing line spooler, most anglers have some common questions before deciding on the best tool for them. After all, a line spooler isn’t the most common item in everyone’s tackle box. Consider the info below as you decide on the best fishing line spooler for you.

How to spool fishing line?

Spooling a reel with fishing line is an easy process, but there are some critical steps you must get right to ensure that the line is correctly secured to the reel and spooled on tightly and neatly.

If you’re spooling your reel with monofilament or fluorocarbon, you’ll begin by tying the line to the spool using an arbor knot. If you’re putting braid on your reel, you’ll want to start by spooling some monofilament onto your reel to serve as a backer. In any event, you’ll start by tying an arbor knot; here’s how:

  • Bring the tag end of your fishing line around the spool and back towards you.
  • Tie an overhand knot around the mainline with the tag end.
  • Tie another overhand knot about an inch below the line’s tag end.
  • Wrap the standing line in your hand and pull to cinch the two knots together.
  • Continue to apply pressure until your arbor knot is tight to the spool.
  • Trim the tag end as close to the second knot you tied as possible.

If you’re spooling up mono or fluoro, you’re now ready to spool the fishing line onto your reel. But, if you’ve just tied on some backer line and now need to spool up braid, you’ll want to tie a double uni knot to secure the braid to the backer. Here’s how to tie a double uni knot:

  • Take the tag end of your braided line, and hold it parallel to the tag end of your backer line so that there’s around 10″ of overlap between the two.
  • Make a loop with the tag end of your braided line, and bring the tag end over both lines. Then bring it back under and through the loop.
  • Bring the tag end over and through the loop. Repeat this process for another 5-7 wraps.
  • On the last wrap, pull the tag end to tighten your knot
  • Repeat the same process on the other side, using the tag end of the monofilament line.
  • You only need to do 3-4 wraps on the mono side before tightening the knot.
  • Pull both the monofilament and braided lines apart from each other, which will cinch the knots into each other.
  • Trim the tag end on each knot as close as possible.
  • Spool up the braided line.

Why do I need a fishing line spooler?

A fishing line spooler can dramatically reduce the time it takes to spool a new line onto a fishing reel. A line spooler also helps to keep adequate tension on the line as you wind it onto the reel. Keeping tension on the line will help you to spool the reel cleanly and tightly and ensure that there are no issues with line slippage or bird’s nests when you’re out on the water.

How do I use a line spooler?

Every line spooler is different, but all of the best fishing line spoolers follow the same basic principles. Once you’ve secured the line to your reel, you’ll place the spool into the winder and secure the locking nut or collar that keeps the spool on the winder. Once the spool is secure, you can begin.

Depending on the type of reel you’re using, you may have to change the orientation of the line spooler.

Check out this great tutorial to learn how to use a fishing line spooler.

How to pick the best fishing line spooler?

There are several excellent tools on the market, but choosing the best fishing line spooler for you is primarily a matter of personal preference and budget. Line spoolers can be had for around $10, while high-end models can cost $40 or more.

Whether you’re looking to spend a lot or a little, the key to selecting a fishing line spooler is to choose a model that applies appropriate tension to the line as you’re spooling it onto your reel. Tension ensures that the line coils onto the reel tightly and evenly, so you’re ready for anything the water throws at you.

How to spool a spinning reel?

Spooling a spinning reel is very similar to spooling other types of reels. If you’re spooling the reel manually, begin by attaching your reel to the rod, and thread the line through the bottom eyelet of the rod. Secure the line to the reel using an arbor knot. Place the spool of line on the floor with the label facing up, and grip the line tightly about 12″ above the reel with your finger.

Slowly reel with your other hand, ensuring the line is coiling off the spool in the same direction you’re winding it onto the reel. If not, you’ll want to strip off the line you just wound, flip the spool upside down, and start winding again. Once you’ve finished, strip off about 10-feet of line, cut it at the spool, pass the line through the remaining eyelets, and rig up your rod.

Final Thoughts

Correctly spooling line onto your fishing reel will help you avoid all sorts of headaches when you’re on the water. Plus it will ensure that you and your gear are ready for action when the big one strikes.

There are so many variables involved with fishing that you’ll never be able to control. So you may as well take total control over the ones that you can, and that starts with your fishing line.

Each of the five fishing line spoolers above is an excellent option, and the Piscifun Speed X line spooler is our choice as the best fishing line spooler on the market today.

References

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *