NGC best system I've used so far. Question, I built the rod for a reel that had a spool diameter of 2 inches. We changed reels the diameter of the other reel was 3 inches. We are using only braided line. How much distance are we loosing by using a larger reel? Things to take into consideration braid, 3 inch diameter compared to 2".Because of the larger spool fewer loops have to be made to get the same distance. With out pacing it off and measuring what would be your best guess?

Marking it off would be the only way to know. Remove the spool with the reel on the rod and lay it on the edge of a table like in this example from Anglers Resource: [anglersresource.net]

Unless there is something real obvious, using braid and having a closer choke point may not be such a bad thing. I would like to know what you find out.

Chuck

You should see very little difference in the two reels unless the new reel is noticeably taller or the spool axle angle is substantially different. Braid is less sensitive to such things than mono or fluoro. Most likely, you may lose a yard or two in distance and notice a change in the way things sound unless you happen to create a major mismatch...you'll know that right away, too!

Where lighter line is concerned, the difference will be slight. Light, supple line like braid, is very forgiving in this regard.

.............

You should gain distance with the larger spool reel providing both reels are spooled to maximum.
The increase in line length per wrap of spool should decrease the line memory and the number of loops requiring straightening thru the guide train. It will also reduce the rotational forces causing the line to billow.

Actually you'll lose distance all else being equal because the line on a larger spool comes off in larger coils. It's not a matter of "should" - We know this to be a fact - it's what happens.

But your situation isn't anything to be concerned about. Braid is very supple and easily controlled.

.............

Tom I dont understand the correlation between distance lost and large coils.

Hello Maryann.

The larger the spool the larger the coil coming off the spool, now to get the larger coil through the same size guide ring more friction is created, the more friction created the less distance achived.

Hope that helps.

Tight Wraps.

Bob,

New Bern, NC.

It's not as much a matter of friction through the guide as it is the greater resistance created by the larger coil moving through the air.

If you were to plot a graph showing the resistance or drag of line surface as it moves through the air, you'd have a baseline where there was no coil, and from there the resistance would increase as the coil got larger and larger. The idea that that resistance would suddenly jump with the use of a very small coil and then begin decreasing as the coils got larger is false.

Take your two reels, with the same line and cast them both on that rod. You'll quickly find that the smaller spooled reel will give you greater distance. However as I said before, with braid the line is so supple that it's going to be hard to measure much in the way of practical distance.

......................