Spinning reel spool length, what’s your thoughts?

I might be overfocusing on this but I would like to know whether you think a longer spinning reel spool makes much difference in cast distance than a shorter spool does. I can kind of see where it might, but I also think those differences are lessened by smaller line diameters. In other words I think it might make more difference in bass fishing with 10 pound line than it does with crappie fishing and 4 pound line.

This morning I was comparing my Crappie Maxx reel that is a traditional 1000 size to my Okuma Ceymar A C-2000A that is more the size you’d think of for a 500. The Okuma has a short, stubby spool that is about 1/2 inch long where the line wraps on, and the Crappie Maxx has a spool more than double that length. Both spools are a similar diameter and both have the same 4 pound line on them. The Okuma needed more line since it has had about two cast lengths cut off so far, but both of the reels tried on the same light powered 6’0” rod casting a 1/32 jig with a Bobby Garland Baby Shad tail were still performing about equally. I was getting about 45’ of distance. I then put the Okuma back on its light powered 7’0” rod and it still performed about the same. So rod length made no difference, even a full foot more rod. Then I rewrapped the Okuma spool with new line so it was filled to the proper depth, and I could then see about 10’ extra distance gained while using it on the 7’0” rod. I didn’t try it again on the 6’0” rod since I expected it would do the same or less. But overall, I also didn’t see any difference in performance based on a longer spool either. The only thing that seemed to make a difference was having the line filled at the proper level on the spool. What’s odd is that the Crappie Maxx reel is filled to the proper level but the Okuma kept up with it even with far less line on it than it should have had, and would now actually be outperforming it since I saw an increase in distance with new line again. Maybe the line on the Crappie Maxx being about 6 months old is also a factor? It wasn’t used much though. Didn’t even take it on every trip out this year.

I’ll do some more experimenting later. Try both reels on both rods and see what happens. Reason I’m asking is because I think I want another Okuma to replace this Crappie Maxx. Even with its shorter spool it seems to be the better casting reel. It also weighs 1-1/2 ounces less and far better balances that 6’0” rod than the reel it came with. The Crappie Maxx is 8.7oz and the Okuma is only 7.2oz. Big difference! It’s also a little slicker feeling in the retrieve which I enjoy more. And something else I learned this year while crappie and panfishing, I discovered I like an itty bitty reel far more than a bulky larger reel. Not sure just why, but I do, so this Okuma is just ticking all the boxes for me.

Shallow spools , re- spool often is likely the answer to all these issues to some degree.
Most lines , short of braid , develop heavy curling memory on deeper spools pretty fast .
Shallow spools are less tight curls and need to be replaced often . Hence fresher line , as older line seems to not want to straighten back up with use .
As far as the mono and fluorocarbon go , most if not all of it has the memory issue .
Nothing KILLS a long precision cast quicker than memory curls in the line.
Longer rods with loose enough eyelets sometimes cast a bit more out there too .
Some of the micro guides rods with high numbers of eyelets are not made for casting as well

Ok, that’s another thing. The 6’0” rod has micro guides in the tip section, about 5 of them in all. It is a Crappie Maxx Quick Tip rod. The 7’0” rod is a B’n’M Sam Heaton Super Sensitive and it just has normal stainless steel guides. Not overly large, but for sure not micro. Since performance was the same on both rods I’m thinking the guides didn’t play a huge roll here.

I didn’t pay attention to coils and line memory. I’ll have to go check that out now. Since I have new line on one and the old still on the other I’ll see if I can tell any difference. But I wasn’t experiencing any issues with ease of cast that I know of. It really seemed smooth and the line appeared straight, it definitely wasn’t coiled up. Maybe it isn’t as easy to see in light line? Maybe it’s there but on a minuscule level? Also, is 45’ normal for a 1/32oz bait or should it be more? Do I even need more, like do I need to be backed up off of the fish more than that distance? I’m used to 70-80 feet casts with bass lures on medium rods. Crappie fishing and these light rods and light lines is a new thing to me.

No matter what you do to improve your casts . A shallow spool is top of the list , filled to 1/8 from totally full on the spool

Go braid and don’t worry about it. I have some I haven’t respooled with new line in years.

I really like my shallow spool reels over the deeper spool reels and think you get better distance with them. My rods with the micro guides don't get the distance that the conventional bigger guides get because there is more friction with the tiny guides plus there is more guides on these rods. I get the most distance with a shallow spool reel with conventional guides but believe the rods with the tiny guides protect light lines better with more sensitivity. I'd get another shallow spool reel. I have a half dozen of them now and very happy with them.

I like large size reels, most of mine are 2500 size. It seems that there is less line twist and memory with them. For the deeper spooks I use filler line.

I like larger diameter spools over longer, skinnier spools.

I’ve seen several say that a shallow spool is better for distance casting. I have to ask how so? Once you’ve filled a deep spool up even with where a shallow spool would be when empty, aren’t they just gonna be the same thing at that point? Going from there you just fill it on up until full. Only difference would be all the buried line on the deep spool that never gets used.

A lot of thing effect casting distance, spool diameter, spool length oscillation and spool lip, line size, rod length and flex load. How much is really hard to tell especially super light weight lure for crappies. I think most important is technique, my old friend can out cast me with his 500 size reel while I use 2000 size.

My take is a but different, imagine that. I have a shallow spool Presso 1000 with 4lb JDM braid on an 6’7” Abu Garcia Eradicator that has micro guides on it also. It’s one of the best casting rods I’ve ever had in my hand. Next is the 5’6” lightning rod that I've had for years. It has a 20 series President with the same line and jig. It will cast within a couple of feet of the high dollar rod. It has less guides and they’re of larger diameter. Comparing these two rods had me so confused that I quit trying to figure it out. The longer spools and I tried in years past gave me monumental birds nests and I stay away from them. As y’all have said, working with mono instead of braid is way different. I use 4 and 6lb BPS store brand hi-vis and it’s always been as good as any other hi-vis I’ve ever used, and I’ve tried a bunch of em. Cold weather makes mono miserable for memory which is one of the reasons I’ve gone to braid. When I go reel shopping for a rod I try to take the reel I’ll be using with me and try to get a better feel for things.

So what is considered a good cast length? Currently, using 4 pound mono on three different rods, I’m casting a 1/32 jig (modified to remove the lead from the hook shank so it’s actually lighter) with a Bobby Garland Baby Shad, I’m able to put it out about 50 feet. I previously guessed about 45 feet but today I measured it and it was right at 50. Is that good for a crappie bait or should I be able to do better? I’m used to bass baits and much longer casts so I just don’t know.

One of the tradeoffs with smaller baits is shorter casting distance and getting windblown. Most of my jigheads are from a mold for a 1/32 ball head which doesn’t weigh what it says. When they removed the collar for this mold they didn’t enlarged the head to make the proper weight. So mine comes out weighing 1/43 and its perfect for how and where I fish. Casting is best on my rods with braid. Varivas 4.2lb is what I use a lot of and my casts aren’t much longer, if any, than yours. If i go up to a 1 gram jig the distance is noticeably further and behaves better in the wind. If you want to cast really light stuff, try some Sufix Nanobraid in 2lb size. That’s the smallest domestic braid and it has a very good personality. I believe that this 2lb is slightly bigger than the 4lb that I use but it’s tougher than you would think. Most all domestic lines break over the stated strength and this ones no different. None of the small braids have much abrasion resistance so I always use a 4lb mono leader tied with a double uni knot. It’s something that you’ll have in your mind from the time you use it the first time. I’ve put my tackle in many folks hands and some have become converts to this tiny line and jigs. A President 20 size works well as braid has no memory and a Shakespeare micro series rod of your choice in length and still have a fair drag if you loosen the drag before storing it.

Thanks for that information. Do you use the braid solely because it casts better? I haven’t had much experience with braid and only in bass fishing. I used it because of the sensitivity and brute strength it provided, as well as cutting through vegetation. I’d imagine sensitivity and cutting through vegetation might carry over to crappie fishing but brute strength seems unnecessary.