Leader and Backing

[jimcr]

I am going through all my lead cores and I was just wondering if I should replace the backing on all the rods. its not to bad to do the leaders, just a pain in the butt to do the backing.An easy way to do it , is it even nessary?

[BenLubbs]

What type of backing do you have and how old is it. I recently replaced the fireline I was using on a few of mine. I had an extra reel laying around that I used to reel all of the leader and lead on to and then stripped the backing. It worked well if you happen to have a spare around.

[KJ pluggin]

I have rigged up a drill and a spool to take copper or lead core off and that works pretty good. Any way you do it ends up being a lot of reeling at the end. My guess is your backing is probably in pretty good shape yet. The main areas to check are where you attach your boards and the splices.

[tltorrice]

I need to change all of the backing on all of my lead cores. I am going to install 40# Power Pro. Last year I had lost a full core, a glow ghost J-Plug, a big king and the board because my backing broke. I was trying to pull all of the other lines to turn back to get the board, but we got 3 more fish on. By the time I got back I could not find the board. Expensive way to find out I need to change the backing. It will be a pain but it must be done.

[Paulywood]

I use a piece of mono in between the core and braid (on my longer cores) to attach the board. It helps cut down on fraying. I just check the mono every year and replace if needed. I use a drill also to take off line. But I just use a 20 oz pop bottle as the spool. I have a bottle cap that has a bolt through I put in the chuck. Then use the drill to remove the line. When I need to wind it back on I just have my wife hold it to keep tension. It works surprisingly well.

[Yooperdad]

I do the same as Paulywood with the pop bottles. In addition, I use one of those snap on line counters to measure the line that comes off, mark the bottle and store some of them for future use for odd jobs or whatever. If it's throw away, it just keeps piling on the same bottle.

Used that line capacity calculator (spreadsheet) that came available a while back and put Super Braid or P Pro as a backer under all my mono and wire too. Left room for 150 yards of mono, regardless of the reel capacity, so that's what I change out every year. That little line counter worked well to measure the backer going on the spool too.

Like everyone else, I use a short segment of 30# mono between the backer and the core, or copper.

[ChampionShip]

I agree with the splice of mono between core/copper and backing for board attachment. You'd be surprised at how much longer your Church board pins last with mono vs braid rubbing against it, same goes for their stock releases.....and most other releases for that matter- braid is pretty hard on equipment, but that's another thread.

When my copper and cores are reeled all the way in, I want the level-wind to be just about hitting the line....you could say that I'm a fan of excessive backing.... I use the 2 reel method for spooling as the reel calculator is a great tool, but I like the reel packed with line when it's reeled in and I dunno if the calculator can make that happen. I like this because it seems like my drags perform better with more line on the spool. I set my drags so they don't click unless a fish hits, but if fishing at night and a shaker hits and doesn't trip the clicker- I don't know he's there until I light up the spread to check....and I'm forgetful.

As for my backing material, it's usually 40 lb Powerpro of different colors so I can tell what's what WHEN I tangle them. I add at least 150 yds of that and then fill the rest of the spool with 20 or 25 lb mono. Mono gets scrapped yearly as it's cheap and often the weakest link. Leaders and splices get replaced yearly as well.

[KJ pluggin]

This thread brings up a good question, how long do you leave your braid on before you switch it out?

[jimcr]

guess its time to charge up the batteries . Glad I bought a large spool this year, have to do 2-5 colors and 2-7colors , 4 rigger rods, and leaders on 2- 3 color. I always save my old spools to put line back on using the drill method. Had to replace part of a 5 color earlier this year , saved the 3.5 colors I could to use on swr or 2 colors. Stretched out the tangle on the city sidewalk and was able to save the lead. redid the mono.

[Just Hook'n]

I actually find that my cores and backers are good for a few years (40-60 trips per year), so about 100 trips. Now, if you are not fishing that much and the rods and reels still get abuse from the sun, you may want to consider not going that long.

I typically use the method of knowing how much backer was on (visual or mark the spool side wall). I'm with a few others on here, I fill UP the spools to the max. Helps with breakage mid year and also helps with line retrieval speeds.

I use 25 lb mono typically for all backer and leaders. I did mess around with fluorocarbon leaders last year, but MAN that gets expensive fast and it didn't really produce any better so I quit that pretty quickly.

[Line Dancin]

To take the line off i use a wire spool bolt and a drill. Go to you local electric supply and ask for an emptry spool. They are harder plastic and hold up to repeated use and there free. Spin the lead core/copper off replace mid section of mono or backer and use a drill chucked up with a nut driver to fit the hadle nut to wind it back on. If the handle nut is one that wont fit in a nut driver get a regular nut from the hardware. no hand winding involved. I usually take the handle off to make it easier to wind back up. I use a berkley line winder jig to hold the reel and spool.

[adrenalin]

Jim, use power pro for your backing and you won't have to replace it. I've had it on some of our rods for about 10 years and it's still good. The problem with using mono for your lead core backing is mono breaks down when it stays wet and will only last one season. With the lead core over the mono it holds the water on the line and doesn't dry out as fast as your other mono rods do. The power pro costs more but it will even out with the amount of mono you go through. Plus you get way more backing for those slob kings that rip out 200 yards. Power pro has way less stretch also so you can keep more tension with all that line out. Remember when you came out with us this summer, those outside boards that we got most of the fish on don't need anymore stretch when they are 60 yards from the boat to start with.

[jimcr]

Well since my surgery money has got very tight, and I have plenty of mono around . Sure am glad that the boat sips gas , and with the kicker should hardly notice using any gas. I went over board last year on gear so no problems there. Is 20lb enough for a backer, or should I use 25lb , it's all big game . just different spools.

[KJ pluggin]

If you have room on the spool I would go with the 25#. The 20# will certainly work for the shorter cores though.