I am building a freshwater spinning rod and about to place the reel seat. Does placing it "up-locking" mean the nut is on the bottom (so it locks at the top)? Or is it the other way around? Also, for those who have a preference up-locking or down-locking, why do you prefer it that particulary way?

Bob,
Generally speaking the preference by different individuals of an up lock or a down lock reel normally deal with their like or dislike of their fingers on the threads of the reel seat.
Also, depending on the orientation of the reel seat, as well as brand and model of reel seat, a particular reel seat orientation may fit the fisherpersons palm better in one orientation compared to the opposite orientation.

Good luck
Roger

Yes, up locking means the nut is at the bottom.
As Roger said , it is a personal preference thing.
I usually set mine down locking because I don't like the nut and threads on the heel of my hand.
Get it ready to glue up , slide it in place and see what you think about the way it feels in your hand before you add the glue.

J.B.Hunt
Bowling Green, KY

Bob, another tip is to cut off the excess threaded portion. Leave only enough of the threads required to back off the nut and remove your reel. This can eliminate up to an inch or so of ugly threaded seat on some builds. This is especially noticeable on down-locking, no fore grip rods.

Chuck

Bob, another tip is to cut off the excess threaded portion. Leave only enough of the threads required to back off the nut and remove your reel. This can eliminate up to an inch or so of ugly threaded seat on some builds. This is especially noticeable on down-locking, no fore grip rods.

Chuck

Thanks for all the replies. I just trimmed the seat as suggested, and tried both up and down locking. I am going to go with uplocking because I don't like my thumb on the threads.

Bob

Bob,
With respect to Chucks comments about trimming a reel seat to Just Fit a particular reel.
It is a good idea, but be sure to not cut it off too much.
Often a good fishing rod will out last a particular reel many times over.
As a result, you may find down the road that a new reel doesn't fit on the rod with the severely trimmed reel seat.

Before trimming a reel seat, it is not a bad idea to take a tape measure and take it over to your local fishing and sporting goods supply store.
Measure the length of the reel foot of a bunch of different potential reels. This measurement will give you a pretty good range of the foot size of many different potential reels that might be put on the rod one day.

Just keep these measurements handy, when you go to trim a reel seat to avoid reel installation issues.

Good luck
Roger

I build locking up (threads at the bottom). Reason being most spinning rods are usually tip heavy so I like to slip my hand up abit onto the foregrip to help balance the rod - and I can cast with my hand there as well. I wouldn't want threads in my way.

Hello Bob

I fish piers with "got-cha" plugs and when you are jiging you hold the rod tip down over the side of the pier and the threads get between your thumb and forefinger with an up-locking so for pier jiging rods I allways use down-locking.

Bob