What I do is run the line through the all the eyes of the rod. I have one of my kids hold he spool with a penciel through it. (If no kid avalilbe I hold it with my toes and use the carpet to slow the spool.) Once you get it full your going to have some twist, theres just no way around it. Take it out in the yard, let out the line while walking in an S pattern. Then reel it in.