How Many Yards of Fishing Line Do I Need?

Fishing requires a lot of tools but nothing is more important than a quality fishing line. However, quality lines don’t come cheap. In fact, a high-end line made from durable fluorocarbon can range somewhere between $30 and $85 for a single spool. That isn’t a small amount of money, especially when you consider that most anglers probably have several reels to use. Nonetheless, it’s always important to know how many yards of fishing line you need. That way, you can budget accordingly and avoid wasting money in the end.

How Much Fishing Line Do I Need?

There are many factors to consider when you’re asking how much line do you put on a bait caster. However, it’s always recommended to follow the full recommendations of the manufacturer. The details are typically printed on the side of each reel box. If it’s not there, check inside for any directions.

But in case you don’t have manufacturer recommendations at hand, there are a few rules you can follow. First, if you’re talking about a casting reel, fill up the spool until the line hits 1/8 of an inch from the edge. As for the spinning reels, fill up the reel until the line starts jumping on and off the spool.

Despite this, there are also situations where you would prefer to mix and match different lines. This is usually done to enhance reel efficiency and usability. Well, deciding how many yards of fishing line do I need here can be quite tricky. After all, the recommendations on the box will only give specifications for a specific line.

For instance, you’ll never see a box saying you need 150 yards of braid and 50 yards of fluorocarbon. There’s only one single digit for one type of reel only. So, how do you move past this? Well, to actually better explain this, it would be best to use a real-life situation or example.

Think about this. You own two new reels, both of which have a capacity of 200 yards. So, you head out to the store to get some spools only to realize that spools are only available in 150 and 300 yards.

If you decide to get two 300-yard spools, it means you’ll be overfilling the 200-yard reel. On the other hand, a 150-yard spool will also not be good enough. So, typically, most people will prefer to get the 300-yard spool and have that extra capacity of 200 yards. But there’s a catch.

What Happens If You Have Too Much Fishing Line?

So, as noted above, when you go for a 300-yard spool for your 200-yard reel, you have added capacity on the line. But there are some issues to expect with too much fishing line.

Line Will Unwind Easily

It’s highly likely that your fishing line may unwind if there’s too much of it on the reel. And as you know, once the line starts to unwind it creates a huge mess.

In fact, you may need to actually cut the line in order to salvage it, something that will lead to unexpected losses in the end. So, even as you decide how many yards of fishing line you need, always remember that more doesn’t always mean better.

Too Much Weight

Obviously, the monofilament fishing line is designed to be as lightweight as possible.

But, if you’re adding more and more yardage into the reel, then you’re adding unnecessary weight. This can affect the maneuverability of the line and your overall fishing experience.

You Will Experience Backlash

You can also suffer from backlash if there’s too much line on the spool. This is basically a situation where too much line comes off the reel as you start to cast. In fact, this happens so fast to a point where there’s just too much slack.

In the end, there’s a real risk of your fishing lure and line getting completely entangled before they hit the water. This then leads to unwinding, something that you don’t want to be dealing with out there.

Less Thickness

You’ll also need to think about the thickness of the line before you decide how much fishing line you need.

In fact, more length often means little room for line thickness, and this will affect your ability to catch bigger fish.

Will Cost More Than Needed

There’s no need to buy a 300-yard line if you only need 200. As noted above, high-quality lines aren’t cheap.

So, by buying exactly what you need, you may easily end up saving a ton of money in the end.

What Happens If You Don’t Have Enough Fishing Line?

Many people typically ask is 150 yards enough fishing line only to realize that they probably need more.

Using limited lines has issues. First, a short line could easily break or snap if it’s exposed to too much pressure.

Besides, you make your work reeling in a catch harder when you have a small line. There’s also the risk of injuring yourself. Also, the last thing you want is for your line to snap all the time. It would be expensive to fix.

You’re also likely to run out of slack with a shorter line. This means that your ability to cast further into the water will be highly diminished. As a result, you may not be able to catch as many fish as you want.

Conclusion

Buying the right fishing line involves many things. But the length is crucial. You want it to be just right, that’s not too much and not too small.

The guide above should help you decide how many yards of fishing line you need at any given time. You can also consult widely with your local supply store to see if they can help you with additional information on your specific situation.