Cheap is cheap!

I had to get a new inshore bottom fishing rig, so I dropped some change on some cheap  gear:

7' Ugly Stick CAL 1101  MH one piece for $29.99

Okuma "Classic Pro" CL202L levelwind for $39.95

Spool of 20# Power Pro for $14.95

(My feeling is that 30# heavier than I want to deal with  for braid...don't want to have to break off a snag with 30# test, and the new rod is rated for 12# to 25#). In the past, i've landed a 31.5# King on 10# test Maxima and a bigger one I released on 12# test, and a 5' Blue Shark on 12# test. Did take some time to get 'em in. However, 20# should be able to handle anything, eh? That's what drag systems are for.

Spool of leader and a new jig or two will put me at about $100 for that. And that's as cheap as I could find these items at my local tackle dealer, keeping the tax revenues in my home county!

This will be my straight down jigging-while-drifting rig for Lings, and Cabs out along the Jetty. I can't cast a levelwind without getting a birdsnest, and I can't deal with those nasties! I'm spooling up 15# PowerPro braid on one spinning reel for casting jigs from my yaks, and 10# PowerPro on a smaller spinning reel for surf perch fishing from the beach. Gotta get the stretch outta the system and reduce drag with the thinner diameters.

Any of you guys use backing on the spool beneath the braid so that it doesn't spin? Or just go with a layer of friction tape?  I haven't used braid before. Thanks!

Any of you guys use backing on the spool beneath the braid so that it doesn't spin? Or just go with a layer of friction tape?  I haven't used braid before. Thanks!

I've done both, depending on how much room was on the spool for my braid.

if you've got enough braid, just go with it.  If not, then use a mono backing.  I tend to tie braid to the spool, then a quick wrap in electrical tape. 

The rod should do you well, but I've not heard good things about the Classic Pro.  Hopefully it'll hold for ya.

I've just used friction tape on the spool, and no backing.  I have used long 20-30' mono leaders on braid spliced with a surgeon's knot.  For when you need a bit of the mono stretch (not bottom fishing).

don't normally use a backing of any type on the ones i've spooled with braid. never thought i needed to.

first time i put braid on a reel, and it kept slipping instead of cinching down, i had the biggest "WTF" moment i can remember.

so, cut it off, re read the spooling instructions, and realized all it needed was a small patch to get a purchase on the reel. masking tape 3/4 way round the spool, new arbor knot, start cranking, et viola! fini!

Nothing really wrong with cheap... I've used Ugly Sticks almost my entire life.  They take a beating while still performing relatively well.  They aren't the most sensitive rods out there, but I'd rather not have to replace tips or entire rods with any frequency.

Thanks. I spooled about 10 or so yards of 30# maxima on the Classic Pro's spool, but maybe should have used more to increase the diameter of the winding. I'm still a good 1/4" + from the rim of the spool. Those one-shot spools of Power Pro are only 150yards.

Yeah, the Okuma Classic Pro was on the "low end" shelf. As opposed to the top shelf Abus and Shimano Curados in the display case. You can't really expect to get a decent level wind reel new, for only $40 these days. I should know better than to throw good $$ down on cheap reels by now.  Of course, if I lose it overboard, then buying cheap will seem like a smart move, in retrospect. Ahhh heck, I have a leash for it. Dang!
I'm thinking I want a left-hand retrieve anyway, since i use my left on all my spinning and fly reels. They didn't have any in the store, though.
I'll give the Classic Pro a workout. if I don't like it, once I get a better reel, I'll save this for a backup, or loaner, or give it to some kid.

I spooled the 10# directly onto a small spinning reel, using the "arbor tape," and I couldn't get the full 150 yds on the spool. Stuff is only supposed to have the diameter of 2# mono, but it is thicker than that.

I like the Ugly Stick. Tough rods that can take a beating are what ya need for yak angling, not some foofoo expensive graphite thats gonna snap if ya so much as nick it. I've had two nice graphite rods blow up on me when fighting strong fish, after getting only small nicks in them. Lucky thing one was still on warranty.

Ugly stik  rods are tougher than nails, but be nice to the guides.

I like backing braid with like 50# mono for a few reasons:
to "grip" the spool so the braid does not slip,to fill a bit of space with just a few layers of mono, and to allow for some stretch if I do get spooled and still have a chance to recover as much of the braid as possible.

I use an Arbor knot for the mono to the spool and an Albright for the braid to mono. I got all that from a Power Pro rep at a sportman's show a long time ago and it has not failed me yet. He also told me that the best thing to cut braid with is a pair of children's Fiskar scissors. Work's great.

I  I have used long 20-30' mono leaders on braid spliced with a surgeon's knot. 

I don't know about that surgeon's knot demonick. In fact, I'd bet you a quarter (and no more ) that you could pull that apart if you took a couple of wraps around a gloved hand.
 Braid is slippery stuff. I use a uni to uni,again per the reps advice and it won't slip at all.
 Now if I lost that bet I would not be too mad as a surgeon's knot is a damn site easier (quicker) to tie than a uni to uni. You gotta show me how to tie that one though.

FFTW, Thanks for the input and the tip for the scissors. I had similar thoughts when using the 30# as backing. Yes I use the same knots: an Albright to splice the 30# mono to the 20# power pro, and an arbor kno to the spool.
I have now switched to using a "twice-thru-the-eye uni knot" with 6 to 8 turns, depending on the line, for nearly all of my leader-to-hook, swivel (or any similar metal eyelet).

 I am using 8 turns on the braid, and anywhere from 5 to 8 on the mono depending on thickness.  I've read that this knot has been proven in stress tests to be one of the best. Nearly 100%.  It beats the Palomar and the improved clinch, and won't slip like the Trilene. Some pundits are calling it the "Fishin' Fool Knot,"  but it is just a Uni where you take the line thru the eye of the hook twice when starting the knot.

I did extensive knot testing last year with a scale to measure breaking point, and found the only true 100% knot is the "eye-crosser", AKA twice-thru Uni-knot, aka fishing fool, etc etc.   It works best with 3 wraps instead of two.  Always breaks in the straight line portion, rather than in or at the knot.  Be sure to give it a good spit-lube when pulling it tight, though.

   The supposed 100% Palomar broke at the knot pretty often, at least with the 10# test I used.  Berkely knot also undependable, as was the standard clinch knot.
Another upside for the Twice-thru Uni is that you don't have to double the line, like the Palomar, and it's a quick tie.

   I haven't tied it with 30# or 50# Power Pro.

Here's a link to the knot tests--for some reason, my macro photos of the knots have disappeared.

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,1671.0.html
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,1726.0.html

Given the title of the thread... "Cheap is cheap"..
Spool up mostly with a mono backing and then with about 100 or so yds of spectra.   Then do the same on three or four more reels with the rest of the spectra.

   I haven't tied it with 30# or 50# Power Pro.

http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,1671.0.html
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,1726.0.html

Those were some good tests with interesting results, but braid is a beast of a different color. I've still got faith in the Palomar for a braid to hardware connection. Problem with that is braid tends to be a headache in direct connects. I find that the thin, soft line tends to get tangled up in whatever its tied to other than mono.
Also, braid being the slippery beasty that it is, I don't think that three turns, even with the "eye-crosser", would suffice.

But again, I won't get mad with you if you pull out the scales again and prove me wrong.
I'm always up for some new knowledge!

I use backing and top it off with 100 yards of braid.  I've never been taken down to the backing except when fishing a bit too deep, in which case, if I see my backing I then know I'm fishing too deep.

It's a lot cheaper than filling a spool with 300 yards of braid never to use 2/3 of it.

-Allen

Given the title of the thread... "Cheap is cheap"..
Spool up mostly with a mono backing and then with about 100 or so yds of spectra.   Then do the same on three or four more reels with the rest of the spectra.

Bingo!  I do the same thing on all the reels I have, except I use dacron (100ish lb).   Except for my deepwater PB Halibut rods, all my rods have 150 yrds or much less of braid on them, regardless of the reel size.  Also when it starts to show wear, after 4-5 years of hard use, I "flip" the line on the reel and use the other end.  

Thanks for the tips. The spools I bought were 150 yards. I'll just use 75 yd sections off the spool I haven't used yet, on top of some backing. That'll give me two spoolups.
I think I can get braid spooled directly off a bulk spool for cheaper, too, if I wanted to fill the reel up.
I went down to N Cove today and cast the 10# braid with a 3/4 oz barrel sinker w/Carolina rigged power grub on 20" mono leader. I liked the sensitivity and relative lack of drag in the wave action. Didn't get anything. Tide was wrong for that spot, but some of my friends were surfing nearby. I didn't suit up for the waves, since they died right after i showed up, although I had my wetsuit and stick along.

.