Travel Cuban Yoyo Fishing Handline

Travel Cuban Yoyo Fishing Handline 

A compact Cuban-style handline designed for travel, backpack fishing, and shore fishing. I made this because I wanted a comfortable, travel-friendly yoyo and could not find many good printable options online.

The design prioritizes ergonomics and compactness over support-free printing, so supports are required. It is shaped to sit comfortably in the hand while casting, and especially while letting the yoyo spin and release line, with your thumb acting as a controlled drag.

Sizes Included

Original size:

Outer diameter: about 157 mm
Spool groove diameter: about 119 mm
Inner hole diameter: about 96 mm

Smaller recommended size:

Outer diameter: about 134 mm
Spool groove diameter: about 101 mm
Inner hole diameter: about 81 mm

The smaller version is scaled from the original:

Diameter: 0.85×
Height/thickness: 0.90×

I prefer the smaller version because it still has good line capacity and hand feel, while being more compact and backpack-friendly. The original size is useful if you want more line capacity or thicker line.

Line Capacity

The photos show the smaller version with about 45 m of 0.64 mm monofilament. It still has room left, so it should be able to handle either thicker or longer line.

Supports and Finishing

For my own prints, I sanded the yoyos and filed the supported area, because the support surface was not perfectly clean. Since I planned to sand everything, I used a random seam.

For practical use without much finishing, I recommend using an aligned seam so it is less likely to catch the line. The supported area does not need to be perfect, because it does not interfere with casting.

Line Attachment Tunnel

There is a small tunnel on the inner circle for securing the line. Pass the line through the tunnel and tie it off like on a fishing reel. I used a uni knot.

Because the line passes through the tunnel, the loop cannot slip and the attachment does not rely only on friction. The knot also sits flush to the spool surface, so it does not create a large bump or interfere much with the line winding.

I prefer this over a small printed plastic loop, where the strength depends more on the plastic not breaking.

Files Included

Original model: STL
Original model: STEP
Original size, without support interface
Original size, with support interface
Smaller recommended version, without support interface
Smaller recommended version, with support interface

The smaller version is my recommended version, but you can scale the model to your liking. Keep the support overhang angle in mind when scaling.

Material Recommendation

I recommend PETG for actual fishing use because it is less brittle and more weather-resistant than PLA.

PLA may be fine for light use, but avoid leaving it in a hot car or using it roughly, since it may crack or deform more easily.

I am planning to test them on my next trip, so hopefully more pictures will be added later :)

Use responsibly and follow local fishing regulations.