UPDATE: November 17, 2019, the scheme I discuss below worked to a point. It didn't work because I needed a more direct correlation between rods, reels, and lines. Thus, I have used Excel to create a trivial database for keeping track of my lines. It has two main tables, one with my rods and one with my lines. I then create one table with the lines, which matches each rod.
Figure 1 is the table for my Meiser 9' 9" 3/4 wt Trout Spey. Three lines are used with this rod. The line numbers (1, 20, & 22) are used to pick lines out of the line table. The other columns are the information about the line. The notes column tells me which spool holds that line. I use a Sharpie to mark the spool, allowing me to find it.
As I mention in the body, I have little plastic tubs holding the reels and spools. These are marked by Trout Spey, Switch, and Spey categories. When I plan a trip, I determine the rod appropriate for the fish and then pick a line suitable for the fishing scenario.
Figure 1. Meiser Trout Spey Lines Table
My goodness ... being a gadget freak I've created a virtual zoo of lines to manage.
When I started fly fishing, it was pretty easy to manage my lines. I had a 3-wt, 5-wt, and 7-wt rod with 1-3 lines for each. Each one had differently sized reels and associated spools, allowing me to look in my kit bag and see whether a line was for the 4, 5 or 7-wt rod. The floating and sinking lines were colored differently, making it simple to see what was what.
When I moved to Spey rods, everything changed. Each line is characterized by a grain weight and head length -- two numbers instead of one. The bad news is the new lines are difficult to tell apart. The good news is most are marked but some are not. Rather than spool them, as with single handed rods, these come with running lines, heads, and as appropriate tips, all connected by loop-to-loop connections. It isn't too difficult to manage this system. The heads go in a tip wallet; the tips go in a tip wallet, and the reels have running lines with loops. I only needed to select a reel of the right size for the rod, pick the type of line in the right grain weight from the wallet, and pick a tip as needed. Connect it up with the loop-to-loop connections and the system is done. If a line wasn't marked then I use a simple system for marking the line.
At the leader end of the line, I marked the grain weight and head length with bands on the line. For example, to mark a 450 grain 44' head, I would put 4 bands on the line, a space, and 5 bands on the line. Multiply the 45 by 10 and get 450 grains. For things like 465 grains, I round it up and mark a 47 on the tip. Then I leave a larger gap and mark the head length in the same way. Because it was so simple, I mark all of my Spey lines in this way to make it easier to know what it is.
With Trout Spey rids I use all integrated lines, meaning none of the heads go into a wallet. Rather the various lines I use for my trout Spey rod are put onto spools and I swap the spools. This created some additional complexity as none of the heads are stored in a head wallet but rather changes are made by changing spools. Now I might have a couple of reels (I always have a spare cage) and 4-7 spools. Now I need to keep track of which spools go with which rod. Even though the line is integrated, I still mark the head length and grain weight on it.
Then I buy the small plastic containers and write which rod the reel cages and spools store it supports. This way I choose the rod for the fishing scenario and then grab the plastic container for that rod and then pick the spool that has the line for the fishing scenario. As with single handed rods, it is easy to tell whether a head is a floating or sinking one. This has made it easy to figure out what I have that goes with a particular rod.
It works so well that I have a plastic tub for my single-handed reels and for the running line reels. The system works pretty well. Pick the rod I intend to use, get the appropriate plastic tub, and then pick a reel cage and spool for the fishing scenario.
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