Bass and Me

Berkley® Portable Line Spooling Station

I bought this spooling station in the hope that I would be able to respool my reels easily and not have the line tangle inside the spool. before I get to my review let me tell you what the Bass Pro Shop has to say about the Berkley® Portable Line Spooling Station:

Fill your fishing reels anywhere, anytime with Berkley’s Portable Line Spooling Station. This convenient spooling device helps ensure level filling with constant line tension on spinning and casting reels. The Portable Line Spooling Station allows you to quickly change tactics and includes line stripper and built-in cutter. Hassle-free sets up and stores easily.

And Berkley has this to say:

Easy to use, transport, and store. Comes complete with line stripper and built-in cutter. Sets up quickly and is easy to operate. Accommodates spinning, baitcasting, and fly reels, and up to 1lb. Bulk spools of fishing line.

It does look nice and it looks like it should work. However, after spending 45 minutes trying to put the thing together and another 2 hours trying to spool an old Daiwa ABS Shock 2500 B spinning reel and giving up in frustration I need to rethink the entire purchase. Let me break the time down with you.

The 45 minutes it took to put it together was due to the fact that the snapin spool rod did not want to fit into it’s slot. Then once I got the spool rod into it’s slot the holding brackets did not want to hold on, I think one of the screws was stripped. The two hours spent on the spinning reel was due to the fact that the spool on the reel would not spin. I took the reel apart and it is complete

Tonight I tried the station with the following items:

1. The Berkley® Portable Line Spooling Station
2. Shakespeare Ugly Cast Spin-casting Reel
3. Shakespeare Cajin Red Lightnin’ Line 20 lb. Test

It took 10 minutes to prep the reel and then another 15 minutes to fill the reel. Part of this was because as you know for a spin-caster to reel in you need to put the hood on it. Once the reel was loaded with line I attached the reel to a 6′ Shakespeare Synergy rod and added a 2 oz. slip-shot weight and took it to the back yard to test the casting. After 10 straight casts the line still did not tangle up.

I’m giving the Berkley® Portable Line Spooling Station 3 out of 5 hooks and would recommend it as something to keep either on the boat or in the camper. For $29.99 this isn’t a bad deal. For a home unit I would suggest one of the powered spooling station.

So until the next time — “Keep your lines wet and your bait fresh.”

As I sat today waiting for my Fraternal Order of Eagles district meeting to start I had time to contemplate my life, and I came to the following conclusion — Every man or woman, rich or poor, who has fished is a “millionaire.”

Now you might think to yourself, “What in the blue blazes is he talking about?” And normally you would be right, but think about it this way. It may not be reflected in the fishermen’s wallet or checkbook and you may have a poor credit rating, but even the modest fisherman is a millionaire — his wealth is in his heart and in his experience.

How can you count in dollars the beautiful sunrises you have seen. Or the peaceful sunsets when the receding sunlight is flickering off the water. Or the serenity of the delta that is broken when you know you’ve caught the big one.

“What kind is it?” “How big is it” “Will I land this fish or will it get away?” Then it comes tumbling across the water. You have won the match. You drop it in your lave well for the evening meal or gently release it to thrill another. It’s your moment of glory and you are happy.

You are also wealthy in friendship. Think of the times you said to your buddies, “Hey guys, lets get our gear together and go fishing.” It may have been a day or evening trip or a weekend camping and fishing. It’s time you spend with your buddies and swap stories and tips. You might discuss Joe’s new rod, Pete’s new reel, Charile’s new tackle box or Fred’s new boat. Work might come up in the conversation, but you don’t let it get you down.

You gain wealth when you introduce fishing to somebody who has never fished before. You might learn something from them just as they may learn something from you.

If it’s an overnight or a camping trip, the wealth also comes from the camaraderie. It comes from the dusk of evening and a little fire flickers under a blackened skillet. The sweet smell of frying fish floats close to the ground and perking coffee adds a little noise to the serenity.

You look at your invisible bank book. You can’t count the amount fingers. You have wealth beyond measurement.

So now you see that what I said at the beginning is true. Every man or woman, rich or poor, who has fished is a “millionaire.” The wealth is in the experience. How wealthy are you?

So until next time, keep your lines wet and your bait fresh.