If your not going to fly fish I would take it off. Roll it up in about a 6 in circle to store it. Mark the end away from reel because it could be a weight forward line if you ever want to reuse then you know which way it would go on reel. I would fill reel almost full of trotline cord for backing then put on about 25 yards of yor 8 lb mono and it will work fine for jigging.