Add a metre counter to your existing fishing rod or downrigger without buying a dedicated line-counter reel. This compact clip-on fishing line counter measures line movement in one-metre increments and resets to 000 at the push of a button.
Effectively a 1000 m line counter: the display itself is three digits and reads from 000 to 999 m. We describe it accurately as a 999 m display, while also referring to it as a 1000 m-class line counter because that is how anglers commonly search for this depth range.
Delivery included in Australia. Choose a single counter or two-pack above.
A line counter is a simple tool, but it solves several different problems. It can tell you how much line has passed from a reel, help you repeat a productive drop, let you compare line out with the depth shown on your sounder, or measure how much line you actually put onto a reel during spooling.
This detachable model clips onto the rod rather than being built into the reel. That means you can move it between compatible rods, use it with spinning or overhead tackle, attach it to a suitable downrigger boom, and remove it when you no longer need it.
Use the counter with your sounder when deep dropping, jigging or presenting a bait at a repeatable amount of line out.
Clip it to the rod and measure the line passing through as you fill a reel instead of relying only on the capacity printed on the reel or spool.
Add line-counting capability to suitable spinning, overhead and electric-reel setups without needing a dedicated line-counter reel.
| Product | Detachable fishing line counter |
|---|---|
| Display | Large 3-digit mechanical display |
| Displayed range | 000 to 999 metres |
| Increment | 1 metre |
| Reset | Push-button reset to 000 |
| Attachment | Clip-on padded jaws with stainless clip |
| Approximate weight | 65 g |
| Applications | Deep dropping, jigging, livebaiting, electric-reel fishing, downrigging and measuring line while spooling |
One of the most useful applications is fishing around structure or fish that you can see on the sounder. If fish are marking at a particular depth, the counter gives you a repeatable reference for how much line you have let out.
We used this approach at the Birchgrove Park wreck off Sydney, in around 80 m of water. With old structure still standing above the wreck, stopping a jig short of the bottom helped us work the target area without simply dropping all the way into the snags.
The counter measures line passing over its wheel. Current, boat movement, sinker or jig weight and line angle can all make the actual vertical depth of your terminal tackle different from the amount of line shown. Use your sounder and the counter together, especially in deep water or strong current.
Reel-capacity figures are useful guides, but the amount you actually fit can change with braid diameter, backing, spool fill level and spooling tension. A detachable line counter lets you measure the line that physically passes onto the reel.
This is particularly handy when dividing a bulk spool between reels, checking how much braid you have loaded, or replacing line on a reel where you want a known amount. Because the counter clips to the rod, you can use it with an existing spinning reel or overhead setup instead of buying a reel with a built-in counter purely for this job.
We have used these counters well beyond normal inshore depths. At Browns Mountain off Sydney, they were used while fishing in more than 400 m of water, including readings around 415 m. We have also clipped one onto a rod when the display on an electric reel was playing up.
That real-world use is why we are comfortable describing this as a 1000 m-class fishing line counter while still being precise about the hardware: the mechanical display itself has three digits and reads from 000 to 999 m.
For the full story, including deep dropping, electric reels, homemade downriggers and jigging against sounder marks, see our practical guide:
How to Use a Fishing Line Counter
The counter has a three-digit display reading from 000 to 999 m in one-metre increments. In practical product and search terms it sits in the 1000 m line-counter class, but 999 m is the maximum number the three-digit display can show at one time.
Yes, the counter attaches to the rod rather than being built into the reel, so it can be used with suitable spinning-reel setups. Mount it where the line can run cleanly through the counter without being pulled sharply sideways.
Yes. We have used a detachable counter with electric-reel fishing, including as a practical backup when an electric reel display was not behaving as expected. Do not assume two different measuring systems will always show exactly the same number.
Yes, it can be clipped to a suitable downrigger boom. We have supplied this type of detachable counter with our downriggers for years. Position it so the line runs cleanly over the measuring wheel.
It is measuring the amount of line that passes through the counter. In still water with a near-vertical line that may be close to depth, but current, drift and line angle can create a difference. For target-depth fishing, use the counter together with your sounder.
Yes. This is one of our favourite uses for it. Reset the counter to 000 and measure the line as it passes onto the reel. It is a practical way to check actual line loaded rather than relying only on the nominal capacity printed on the reel.
Choose a single detachable fishing line counter or a two-pack above. Australian delivery is included.