Spooling up a Stella 18000SW

[mike burgess]

I tried last night to spool up my new 18000SW with 80lb Varivas.
Someone suggested never to get this done at a tackle shop as they don't apply enough pressure.

First I wound the entire spool onto a downrigger then by winding with lots of pressure set on the downrigger drag & reel drag, through rod guides & onto the reel.
Only towards the end I discovered the line was not even & tapered towards the top of the reel, ie more line at top of spool than bottom.
I was really annoyed to say the least as this process nearly killed me & I then had to take all the line back off the reel & was left wondering what to do next.

I read in the manual by adding drag washers will correct this type of taper but I thought the reel was supposed to be set correctly in the first place.
I am now wondering if I was applying too much pressure which caused the taper, in which case maybe I should take it to a tackle store??

Any ideas guys? help......

[Ewan Macleod]

Hey Mike,

try adding a washer, if you bought the reel new it should come with a few spares and its simple to add or take one out. I just re-spooled a stella 8000 and had the same  uneven taper - shallow at the base.

Adding a washer seemed to even out the line lay.

Ewan.

[Chuen Fan]

Mike, They are hardly ever set right from factory. Suggest u put additional washers under spool. Try again with some cheap or old mono line and see if problem has been rectified. I've never had a problem with tackle shops spooling line on.

[mike burgess]

yea I guess I should add a washer.
I was just worried that if I added the washer, then went through that process again & it didn't help, I doubt I could physically go through it again, its a killer!
Good idea re testing with old mono after adding the washer Sunny.

You don't think it could be due to applying too much pressure when spooling?

[Chuen Fan]

Mike, in all honesty I've seen guys put line on so tight, the finished product feels like rock... You don't need to wind it on under 20kg drag!!! But to answer your question, it shouldn't affect it at all winding it on tight.

[Hon-Su Chin]

I dunno who you take it to but all tackle stores sell braid nowadays and most are able to spool them up properly. It doesnt need to go on there super tight, just firmly so there's no give in the spool of line so that it would dig into itself. Take it to another tackle store to rectify if you dont trust the first one.

[Sam Conacher]

Mike with-out being rude at all,


if your in Sydney and you are able to get to somewhere a very good friend of mine has a tackle shop on Anzac Parade, Kingsford, just head to South's Junior's and keep going up past South's Junior's to the next set of traffic light's, turn right and then right again and he is just a bit back from the corner - GLOBAL TACKLE.

he does a great job and as i said we are very good mates.  Just to give you an idea i went to New Caledonia last year with some mate's and he spooled up my reel for me with Varivas, when i was in New Caledonia popper fishing my butt off, i had no problems at all what so ever with (line trouble) if you get my drift.

his name is Wahyu.


if you do go there,  tell him if you would like to i mentioned his shop and address to you,  but chances are if your there sometime in the afternoon i may be there myself to.

i know his opening and closing hours,  if you would like to know just PM me.

[Brandon Khoo]

notwithstanding the pain, I will never rely on a tackle shop to do this for me. It is simply too important an aspect for me to rely on a shop to get it done right. I don't mean any disrespect to any of you guys who work in tackle shops but most machines simply don't get the braid on tight enough and the line lay is always different from the way the reel does it. Of course, if you guys wind the braid on properly, that is a different issues.

I had a friend who is a forum member here who stayed at my place on the way to Bugatti a couple of years ago. I checked his spools which had been done by a very reputable tackle store and we ended up re-winding every one of his spools.

If the line isn't tight enough on your spool, you are likely to experience snap-offs due to the line biting in. I feel the same way about knots  - I trust my own knots and if anything goes wrong, I have no-one to blame but myself.

Sam - I'm not sure Wahyu will thank you for this     He does not use the machine for anything over about 30lb braid - he winds it manually.

The little things are so important in this sport. If there is a weakness anywhere, GTs will find it.

[Geoff Volter]

notwithstanding the pain, I will never rely on a tackle shop to do this for me. It is simply too important an aspect for me to rely on a shop to get it done right. I don't mean any disrespect to any of you guys who work in tackle shops but most machines simply don't get the braid on tight enough and the line lay is always different from the way the reel does it. Of course, if you guys wind the braid on properly, that is a different issues.

I had a friend who is a forum member here who stayed at my place on the way to Bugatti a couple of years ago. I checked his spools which had been done by a very reputable tackle store and we ended up re-winding every one of his spools.

If the line isn't tight enough on your spool, you are likely to experience snap-offs due to the line biting in. I feel the same way about knots  - I trust my own knots and if anything goes wrong, I have no-one to blame but myself.

Sam - I'm not sure Wahyu will thank you for this     He does not use the machine for anything over about 30lb braid - he winds it manually.

The little things are so important in this sport. If there is a weakness anywhere, GTs will find it.

I bought my stella and avani GT from Fish head. Aaron and Gordon put the braid on tighter than tight. I knew it was tight because Aaron went quiet when winding it on

[mike burgess]

Thanks for all the input, I don't mean to offend anyone.
I think I will add another washer or two & give it another go.
Can anyone suggest another technique which allows me to apply the necessary pressure other than using a downrigger or Alvey? Its just that I'm not sure I can get hold of the downrigger again.

[Luke Wyrsta]

Thanks for all the input, I don't mean to offend anyone.
I think I will add another washer or two & give it another go.
Can anyone suggest another technique which allows me to apply the necessary pressure other than using a downrigger or Alvey? Its just that I'm not sure I can get hold of the downrigger again.

Just find a partner, something sturdy to go through the spool such as a screwdriver and a disposable rag.

Simple apply pressure to the spool with the rag that is rotating on the screwdriver as you wind.

[Brandon Khoo]

it made Aaron go quiet!!??

notwithstanding the pain, I will never rely on a tackle shop to do this for me. It is simply too important an aspect for me to rely on a shop to get it done right. I don't mean any disrespect to any of you guys who work in tackle shops but most machines simply don't get the braid on tight enough and the line lay is always different from the way the reel does it. Of course, if you guys wind the braid on properly, that is a different issues.

I had a friend who is a forum member here who stayed at my place on the way to Bugatti a couple of years ago. I checked his spools which had been done by a very reputable tackle store and we ended up re-winding every one of his spools.

If the line isn't tight enough on your spool, you are likely to experience snap-offs due to the line biting in. I feel the same way about knots  - I trust my own knots and if anything goes wrong, I have no-one to blame but myself.

Sam - I'm not sure Wahyu will thank you for this     He does not use the machine for anything over about 30lb braid - he winds it manually.

The little things are so important in this sport. If there is a weakness anywhere, GTs will find it.

I bought my stella and avani GT from Fish head. Aaron and Gordon put the braid on tighter than tight. I knew it was tight because Aaron went quiet when winding it on

[Rob Ciotucha]

Just find a partner, something sturdy to go through the spool such as a screwdriver and a disposable rag.

Just make sure its your partner doing the winding

[Geoff Volter]

Yes, but not for long

it made Aaron go quiet!!??

notwithstanding the pain, I will never rely on a tackle shop to do this for me. It is simply too important an aspect for me to rely on a shop to get it done right. I don't mean any disrespect to any of you guys who work in tackle shops but most machines simply don't get the braid on tight enough and the line lay is always different from the way the reel does it. Of course, if you guys wind the braid on properly, that is a different issues.

I had a friend who is a forum member here who stayed at my place on the way to Bugatti a couple of years ago. I checked his spools which had been done by a very reputable tackle store and we ended up re-winding every one of his spools.

If the line isn't tight enough on your spool, you are likely to experience snap-offs due to the line biting in. I feel the same way about knots  - I trust my own knots and if anything goes wrong, I have no-one to blame but myself.

Sam - I'm not sure Wahyu will thank you for this     He does not use the machine for anything over about 30lb braid - he winds it manually.

The little things are so important in this sport. If there is a weakness anywhere, GTs will find it.

I bought my stella and avani GT from Fish head. Aaron and Gordon put the braid on tighter than tight. I knew it was tight because Aaron went quiet when winding it on

[Brandon Khoo]

I have no idea what you re talking about!!   

Just find a partner, something sturdy to go through the spool such as a screwdriver and a disposable rag.

Just make sure its your partner doing the winding