Glad to see others do this. Goofy looking but been doing just this for 25 years! Works!

Did with a pencil for many years and then I finally splurged on the Berkeley spooling station. Well worth the $25!!

With the larger spools of line I just sit them in the corner of the couch and they will ride just fine as you keep a steady retrieve. Smaller spools its still a screw driver and my feet. I don't seem to ever be doing it at the same place so I don't have a set up area for spooling. Sometimes it in the truck, sometimes in the boat, hotel rooms...etc.

I will have to give this method a try. I use a box with holes poked in it and i run a dowel through the spool. It works but I think I will try the feet method next.

I use a piece of Allthread in a vise. I put a nut and washer on each side of the spool so I can adjust the tension.

I have a 2x4 about 3' long with 3" screws screwed in about 1/2" every 7 inches. Set the various spools of line on each screw and as you spool up the spool spins on the screw. All of your line is in one place so you don't have to look for it. The 2x4 is heavy enough that it won't flip over while spooling up

I just let the spool fly all over the place, as long as I keep some tension on the line coming onto the reel it seems like no big deal

For a baitcastrer and the 1000 yard spool I use a small square Tupperware type dish that fits it perfect just hold it between your feet and spool away. Also have found that instead of a pencil if you break the long straight part of a plastic cloths hanger it works a little better since it's longer and will bend down with your feet on each end to put tension on the spool.

For a spinning reel I just lay the spool flat on the floor and wind the line on about 10 or 15 turns then lower the reel toward the spool to make sure it's not twisted if it is flip the spool to the other side and keep spooling.

I like both of those ideas Monte! The pencil I use is always too short for my 1000 yard spools.

hmm, I kinda like that. Line is going to get wet anyway and that will provide a little resistance. My worry about just direct off spool is it goes on too loose.

....run the line thru the pages of a good size closed phone book - works great....

I hold the reel in my palm and apply tension with my thumb and index finger

Made a jig out of 3/4" pvc and 1/4" all thread rod that the spools fit on and then added some weight to the bottom!

I've got a drawer in my shop that I built some slots the 1000 yd spools drop down in and fit isnug, just open the drawer select your line close the drawer and start reeling. I did put some mole skin on the drawer edge just as a precaution!

Pencil and feet for all baitcasters and spool flat on floor for spinning after checking right side up.